CBD started as a niche wellness market and in just a short time has become mainstream. But many are still asking, What is CBD? And is it right for me? Or is it just a passing trend?

It seems to be everywhere you look. CBD is being added to a wide variety of products, and the number of CBD brands popping up everyday doesn’t seem to be slowing. As the market has exploded and CBD has evolved into a buzzword, it’s getting harder and harder to tell the difference between hype and facts. Which is why we’re going to start at the foundation: What is CBD?

CBD is short for Cannabidiol and is one of 113 identified cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. Here’s where the first bit of confusion occurs, because CBD comes from the cannabis plant, there’s an instant connection to marijunana, more specifically THC. CBD however, is extracted from the hemp plant, a sister to the marijuana plant and thus both biologically cannabis. Where they differ is in their chemical makeup and the way they are used, which dictates the laws that regulate them.

What is CBD? Will it get me high?

To unpack, What is CBD? Past its definition alone, understanding a bit about Hemp can clear up misconceptions surrounding the concern of CBD getting you “high”. Hemp plants produce a number of cannabinoids and while THC is one of them, it doesn’t produce enough to deliver the intoxicating effects of marajunana. Hemp on the other hand produces high levels of the medicinally-effective CBD cannabinoid. 

The World Health Organization reported, “CBD can be converted to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) under experimental conditions; however, this does not appear to occur to any significant effect in patients undergoing CBD treatment.”

As hemp farmers in Colorado, we go through a rigorous testing process with the Colorado State Department of Agriculture to ensure that we meet the defined standards of industrial hemp plants to contain no more than 0.3% THC.

The FDA reported on hemp with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill and removed hemp, defined as cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) and derivatives of cannabis with extremely low concentrations of the psychoactive compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (no more than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis), from the definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This has made way for the next American hemp revolution and thus the increased presence of CBD. 

What is CBD? And is it right for me?

Even after the definition and understanding the origin of CBD you might still be asking yourself, what can it do for me? It’s in the name itself: Cannabidiol. The human body contains cannabinoid receptors that make up the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), which is our body’s primary regulatory system. It helps regulate important functions like:

• Sleep
• Appetite
• Mood
• Memory
• Pain
• Inflammation

The ECS is made up of three components:  endocannabinoids, receptors, and enzymes. Endocannabinoids are your body’s naturally producing cannabinoids aiding in a well functioning internal system. Receptors are what endocannabinoids bind to inorder to signal the system to take action. Depending on the location of the receptor and the attached cannabinoid, it may signal the central or the peripheral nervous system to react. Once the work of the endocannabinoids is complete, they are then broken down by enzymes. While it’s not completely known just yet how hemp-derived CBD interacts with the ECS, research suggests CBD can aid with inflammation, nausea and many other conditions.

If you’re looking to get started with CBD, many begin with CBD oil which is extracted from hemp plants and can be used to help with a wide variety of ailments.