Everywhere you go lately, it seems like you see cannabidiol (CBD) oil or hear people talking about it. But it probably seems a little odd, because until you learn the basics of CBD, you may think that it is illegal. And yet, it feels like it is everywhere. Well, is it actually everywhere? And is it even legal?
Starting at the bottom: what even is CBD?
Before we can talk about the legality of CBD or where to get it, it is best to go over the basics.
Cannabis plants, like hemp and marijuana, have chemical compounds in them called cannabinoids. There are over 113 different cannabinoids that are found in cannabis. CBD is just one of these. There is another cannabinoid that you have more than likely heard of in connection to cannabis. That cannabinoid would be tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
THC is very well-known. This is because of its psychoactive effect on those who use it. That means that it creates the inebriations (more often referred to as a high) that is so commonly associated with cannabis. Because THC is a cannabinoid, the general thought is that all cannabinoids are psychoactive which is not the case. THC is the main psychoactive component of cannabis. Other cannabinoids, CBD especially, are not psychoactive. Most of them (again, especially CBD) do not create any sort of high.
Part of CBD’s popularity comes from the research that has been done on the cannabinoid in recent years. Many of these studies have shown promising results that suggest that CBD may be able to offer a plethora of health boosts. For example, this study showed that CBD has both antidepressant and calming qualities, meaning that it may be able to help you achieve a calmer state of mind. Another study found that CBD may be an important aid in helping reduce inflammation caused by oxidative stress.
Those are just a couple of examples from a very long list of promising and exciting studies that have been done on the potential benefits that CBD may offer. If you want to learn more about those and other areas that have been looked at, feel free to read about them in our many blogs.
So, now on to a very important question, is CBD available in every state?
Is CBD legal in the United States?
Let’s start by answering this question right away; yes, CBD is perfectly legal in the United States (with certain restrictions). Which also means that it is available for purchase in every state. Now, let’s get into the details as to why exactly it is legal.
In 2018, a new version of the Farm Bill was passed. This is a bill that is reviewed, revised, and passed by the federal government every five years. The purpose of this bill is to lay out guidelines for all things agricultural, including what farmers can and cannot grow and sell. The 2018 version of the bill included a provision that legalized hemp.
You may be wondering what the differences between hemp, marijuana, and cannabis. Cannabis is an overall term referring to of the genus of plant. Hemp and marijuana are different species and substrains of cannabis. The differences between those two variations lies in the concentration of cannabinoids. Hemp is low in THC (in fact, it is legally defined as containing less than 0.3% THC) and high in CBD. Marijuana, on the other hand, is very high in THC. Its CBD levels vary but are often overshadowed by the THC.
The differences in THC levels is why hemp has been federally legalized. The THC content in hemp is not enough for the psychoactive qualities of THC to have any real effect. Marijuana is still federally illegal. However, a handful of states have legalized it. Some have only legalized the cannabis variation for medical use, while others have legalized it for recreational use as well. But what does this have to do with CBD?
Most CBD manufacturers prefer using hemp to extract the cannabinoid. This is because the high CBD levels and low THC levels makes the extraction process that much easier. When the 2018 Farm Bill was passed it not only legalized hemp, it also effectively legalized any product made from hemp (as long as it is well and truly hemp-derived, containing less than 0.3% THC). This means that CBD products are legal across the country.
So, to answer the main question of this article: yes, you should be able to find CBD oil in all 50 states.
What kind of CBD products are there?
You may be wondering what CBD products are available in all of the 50 states that sell the cannabinoid. Clearly, there is such thing as a CBD oil. But what exactly is an oil and what other products are there?
Tinctures & oils
It seems only fair to talk about oils first. CBD oils often get grouped together with tinctures, that is because they are pretty similar. They are CBD extract that has been mixed with a carrier oil, like coconut oil for example. These you take orally. You can mix them in with food or drink, but they work faster when taken more directly. You can place the drops into your mouth, under the tongue where the skin is thin. There the CBD can absorb more quickly into the system and start working faster.
Edibles
These are what they sound like. They are food and drink that have been made with CBD extract. Edibles are probably the most popular CBD product. This is because they are easy to take and taste great. However, they do have their downside. They are one of the slowest ways to take CBD. Because the food has to breakdown and digest before the CBD can enter the system, they take a long time for the CBD to get to work.
Capsules & tablets
Sometimes CBD is made into more pill-like products, like capsules and tablets. Most CBD capsules are made as soft gels. This means that they tend to digest and start working faster than regular pill-like products. CBD tablets are usually sublingual. This means that you place them under your tongue and allow them to dissolve. Much like with tinctures, this allows the CBD to enter the bloodstream more quickly.
FDA-approved medications
There are some CBD-based medications that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One of these is Epidiolex. This is a medication that is aimed at help ease the frequency of epileptic seizures. There are also a few other FDA-approved medications that are made primarily with CBD. These are mainly used for help fight the nausea that normally comes with most cancer treatments. There are more than likely going to be more that appear on the market in upcoming years.
Topicals
This is a broad term to cover a whole category of products. It is basically any lotion, cream, salve, or any product that you rub on your skin that is made with CBD. These are not going to provide as much of an overall effect that the oral products may offer. This is because the CBD in topicals does not enter the bloodstream. It instead absorbs through the pores and does its work in the area that it is applied.
What different kinds of CBD extract are there?
It is good to know what you are looking for when it comes to CBD. So, you should be armed with the knowledge of the different kinds of CBD extract that CBD products are made from. There three main ones that you are likely to see. They are full spectrum, broad spectrum, and CBD isolate. Their differences lie in what exactly is in the extract other than everyone’s favorite cannabinoid.
Full spectrum
This is the least filtered form of CBD extract. It has everything that comes with the CBD during the extraction process. This includes other chemical compounds and cannabinoids. This also includes THC, however as discussed above, the THC content is never over 0.3% and is not enough to cause a high.
Broad spectrum
Broad spectrum is pretty similar to full spectrum. However, it has one very important difference; it does not have any THC in it. After the CBD is extracted, the THC is filtered out leaving the CBD and the other cannabinoids. The appeal of full and broad spectrums is a potential boost in strength of the experience. This is called the entourage effect. The idea is that the other compounds all build on each other to make the main compound stronger.
CBD isolate
It is probably pretty easy to guess what CBD isolate is when you have the above information. CBD isolate is the most filtered form of CBD extract. It has all of the other compounds and cannabinoids filtered out of it, leaving only CBD. The appeal of this over the other two is that is may be able to provide you with a clearer CBD experience. It does not have any of the other compounds providing any of their influence.
So, now you have an idea of what kind of product you may want and made with what kind of extract, let’s talk about how you should use your CBD product.
What is the right amount of CBD to take?
If you are looking for a simple, straight-forward answer to this question, you are going to be disappointed. The right amount of CBD depends on the person taking it, as everyone reacts to the cannabinoid a little differently. As a result, it may take you some experimentation to find the right amount of CBD for you.
We will go over the best way to find the right amount of CBD for you, but first we should talk about what happens if you take too much of the cannabinoid. Overall, CBD is considered to be safe, but there are side effects that are associated with taking too much. They tend to be things like fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. Clearly, they are not life threatening, but they are not fun, and no one should have to deal with them. Let’s talk about how to avoid them.
The best way to go about avoiding these side effects is by starting out the amount of CBD you take low. Start with the bare minimum and wait to see how it sits with you. If it does not give you any of the negative side effects but does not give you the effect that you are looking for, then you can start raising the amount that you take. To help avoid those side effects, be sure to increase the amount you take gradually.
You should also be aware that some medications do not mix very well with all medications. Some medications do not work as effectively, or at all, when CBD is in the system. If you are interested in using CBD but are on medications, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider. They should know if the medication will mix with CBD.
To sum this whole article up; yes, you can buy CBD in each of the 50 states. This is due to hemp being legalized in 2018 because of its low THC content. The made CBD much more widely available because most CBD manufacturers extract their CBD from hemp. As a result, you should be able to find CBD products in many grocery stores, pharmacies, and, of course, from one of the many retailers online.
If you are new to the world of CBD, it is expected that you have a lot of questions. If this is the case, you are in luck. Here at Panacea Life Sciences, we are all about education. We have articles answering basically any question you may have about the cannabinoid. We also carry a wide variety of high-quality CBD products for you to try. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns that we have not addressed already, then please let us know. You can get ahold of a Panacea team member either through our website or by emailing us at [email protected]. If you want CBD oil, buy from our shop today with a just a few clicks!
