IT'S AN OIL, BUT IS IT AN ESSENTIAL ONE?

Chances are you know someone who has either tried CBD oil or sang the praises of its medical benefits. In Canada its popularity is skyrocketing since legalization, while globally many countries are beginning to wake up to the remarkable health benefits offered by this exciting extract.

The number of people curious about or already using CBD for pain relief is on the rise, showing that cannabis can do so much more than produce an intoxicating high, it can actually benefit the body in ways we are still discovering. As the legalization of cannabis continues to spread and as researchers continue to study the plant's therapeutic potential, eventually the stigma against this plant will continue to disappear.

Despite the recent surge of interest in the potential medical use of cannabis, it is not a new drug. It has been around for many centuries and used in various forms for various reasons.

Wikipedia tells us:

"The history of cannabis and its usage by humans dates back to at least the third millennium BCE in written history, and possibly further back by archaeological evidence."

It’s definitely a plant with a rich, if not decadent history and an extremely promising future; as well as one with many secrets. Some of which are known and yet others are just being discovered. Such as CBD.

WHAT IS CBD?

CBD (Cannabidiol) is a safe, non-addictive, non-psychoactive compound called a cannabinoid. It is one of at least 200 (or more) cannabinoids found naturally in the cannabis plant; in fact, the entire plant from flower to root contain cannabinoids. Of the numerous cannabinoids found within the plant, the two most people are familiar with are CBD and THC. 

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exists in large quantities in cannabis plants - this psychoactive cannabinoid is the one responsible for the 'high' effect cannabis users feel. CBD is also found in cannabis plants, but usually at much lower levels, unless the cultivar has been bred for a high CBD content.

The most prevalent source of most CBD on the market today is from the ‘agricultural or industrial’ hemp plant.

CBD – the all-star

Numerous studies and accumulating evidence from human experimental, clinical, and epidemiological studies suggest CBD, or cannabidiol, has been found to have antioxidant and neuroprotective properties and has shown in studies to be potentially beneficial for conditions like epilepsy, anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic pain, depression, and even cancer.

WHERE DO WE GET IT?

First, let’s clear up any confusion. The cannabis sativa plant and the hemp plant are a subspecies of the same plant. The botanical name of the plant species is Cannabis Sativa and the only difference between the two is the amount of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) present. 

To be designated *hemp* a Cannabis Sativa plant must be comprised of LESS than 0.3 percent THC.

(Of course there are different strains of cannabis plants, for example Sativa being one and Indica being another but for the purposes of this article we discuss Sativa exclusively).

Although hemp itself has many industrial applications—in makeup, shampoos, nutrition, clothing, building materials and more—it does have many medicinal benefits as well due to its incredibly high concentration of CBD and inability to include much THC. And while industrial hemp was bred from the cannabis plant, it has been grown purely for industrial and job-creation purposes; providing alternate sources of fibre, being easy to grow in harsh climates and is being grown for its strong bio-accumulator properties (which means that it sucks up a large amount of impurities in the soil it’s growing in, thereby cleansing the very soil as it grows).

If you were to look at a large grow of hemp for CBD production (referred to as medicinal hemp), they still fit the legal definition of “Industrial Hemp” but they have been bred with various strains to optimize their medicinal value, such as increasing the CBD content. While both plants produce the therapeutic compound, hemp has nowhere near the same medicinal value as cannabis unless altered to do so. This is due to its extremely natural low concentration of CBD and THC.

Cannabis, on the other hand, was grown for many generations for medical and recreational purposes, so the genetic aspects of the plant that have survived and evolved over time are vastly different and do not resemble those of the industrial hemp plant. The cannabinoids, terpenes, and strength of the different parts of the plant have been bred to induce different effects in people or help solve medical issues, whether skin conditions, epilepsy, or others.

Side Note: Cannabis is actually a plant family with three different subspecies: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruderalis.

NOW, LET’S TALK OILS

It's important to know the difference between CBD oil, Hemp oil, Hemp seed oil and THC oil, because their use varies drastically.

Yes, they are all 'cannabis' oils, which is an umbrella term for a range of oils with different purposes. Under this umbrella fall the likes of hemp oil, hash oil, CBD oil, and THC oil as well as others. With hash oil alone being yet another blanket term, so yeah it really can be complicated.

CBD oil, Hemp oil, (also called Hemp seed oil) and THC (or RSO – Rick Simpson) oil:

These are the four most commonly spoken about and sought, for their medicinal purposes.
Knowing the difference is essential for the user who may think all oils provide the same benefits, when this could not be further from the truth.
We are still in the infancy stage of incorporating CBD into health and medicine, so it is important to familiarize yourself with what you are putting into your body.

Cannabis oils are highly concentrated extracts (think essential oils) and to make them the extraction process involves specific pressure and temperature to dissolve and separate medicinal compounds from cannabis plant matter and then that sticky, resinous matter is then collected to be used as desired.


The oil can also be made by adding cannabis plant material to a solvent, then after the solvent has extracted the cannabinoids, the plant material is removed by filtration and the solvent is then evaporated away, leaving behind a concentrated cannabinoid oil.

New advances in technology have enabled what the industry is calling 'water-soluble CBD', which isn't quite correct in terminology because CBD isolate is NOT water soluble, the molecule itself is hydrophobic (meaning it will not mix with water, even in an isolated crystalline form). A better term would be 'water-compatible'. 

There is some concern that since our bodies are made up of ~60% water, absorption of CBD oil in the bloodstream is naturally resisted since oil and water do not mix. This can have a huge impact on bioavailability when ingesting the oil, as it may not be absorbed fully and may end up being flushed from the body without ever having an active effect. 

It’s important to note, that regardless of the method of extraction, the potency and quality of the resulting concentrate will vary accordingly.

Let’s Start with Hemp Seed Oil

Hemp seed oil is an extract taken from the seeds of the Cannabis Sativa Specie plant, or the hemp plant and is made only from pressed seeds, similar to olive or sesame oil. Oil can be extracted from all plants in the cannabis genus however the seeds of the industrial hemp plant is the only one used for hemp seed oil extraction.

Nearly 50% of the seeds’ weight can be extracted into nutritious oil, which is high in polyunsaturated fats like Omega-6 and -3 and Vitamin E.

Hemp seed oil is often used in cooking because it has a nutty taste and is chalk-full of nutrients, but does not contain CBD or THC.

Next, we have Hemp Oil

This product is extracted from the stalk of the hemp plant (there are various methods of extraction which also lend pros and cons but are not discussed in this article). Since there is only a small percentage of CBD found in the stalk of the hemp plant, it therefore takes a greater number of plants to press to produce the oil. This significantly raises the chances for contamination of the extracted oil from toxins contained within the plant as a result of hemp’s bio-accumulator properties (as mentioned before).

The hemp plant has long been grown for its industrial uses, as it can be used to make paper, cement, biofuel, clothing, and recently industrial hemp is proving to be one of the best phyto-remediative plants found and in fact is being used to help cleanse the soil after nuclear disasters. 

Finally, we have the much sought after CBD Oil

The cannabinoid CBD is found in both the psychoactive, THC-rich cannabis plant and the non-psychoactive hemp plant. In the cannabis plant it is found at much lower levels unless the cultivar has been bred for high CBD content.

The primary source of most CBD found in the market today comes from the agricultural hemp plant. 

Freshly harvested, raw plants contain cannabinoids in acidic form (THC-A and CBD-A). These acids are also extracted from the plants in the oil-making process, and need to be activated through decarboxylation (applying heat at a specific temperature, for a specific amount of time) to convert them into THC and CBD -- the most popular of the extract's medicinal properties.

In Canada, the process of rendering cannabis flowers into CBD oil is regulated by the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) and the Narcotic Control Regulations (NCR - due to its high CBD and THC content.)

In the United States, cannabis is not recognized as a medicinal plant and is classed as a schedule 1 drug, thus limiting access to its supply for research into the medicinal properties.

CBD oil is an incredibly concentrated, cannabinoid-rich oil that is extracted from the Cannabis Sativa (the industrial hemp) plant, primarily from the flowering tops of the plant as they contain the highest concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes. After extraction, quality CBD oil will contain a whole plant chemical profile. The end result is an amber colored oil that contains a full-spectrum cannabinoid profile that offers a host of health benefits for the user. These extracts may be further processed to create standalone isolates.

CBD oil has grown in popularity within the medical cannabis industry, since oil is a healthier alternative to smoking; due to this fact it has also gained approval with both recreational and medicinal users. This detail as well as its ability to treat various conditions, without the typical intoxicating effects of THC in cannabis, makes it quite the all-star.

It is being used to treat inflammatory disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, epilepsy, anxiety, depression, seizures and more.

Humans and some animals have what is called an endocannabinoid system, indicating that endocannabinoids and their receptors are found throughout the body: in the brain, organs, connective tissues, glands and immune cells. This means our bodies naturally process cannabinoids, which is what both CBD and THC are. This regulatory system is involved in a variety of physiological processes including appetite, pain-sensation, mood and memory.

As I'm sure you can imagine, this ECS is a crucial physiological system to keeping us healthy. Receptors in our bodies are activated by cannabinoids, which seek them out to have relations, and when these seekers and receivers get together that's when the magic happens. They tell your body to do certain things and feel a certain way, and they also regulate the way other bodily systems function, like your gastrointestinal, immune and nervous systems.

Naturally produced endocannabinoid molecules, our brain's home-grown messengers, send communication molecules to all your bodily parts to check in on them to make sure everything is working smoothly and to confirm if anything needs to be rebalanced. If a problem is found further instructions are sent to receptors to make adjustments.

Strangely enough, scientists are discovering that although our cannabinoid receptors weren't created for cannabis, the cannabinoids found in cannabis can and do interact with our receptors.
Like a key in a lock.

Cannabis is a patient-driven medicine, unlike most pharmaceuticals currently on the market. Were it not for the continuing push for its legalization and anecdotal evidence from patients globally, pharmaceutical companies would not have bothered researching and testing cannabis for medical properties.

What this means is, grassroots, patient-led movements are responsible for the increasing use of the plant. People seeking alternatives to pain management adopted cannabis treatment, even where the plant remains illegal.

One cannot deny the numerous positive reviews from genuine users of CBD; they’re sprinkled across the internet like so many remarkable nuggets of hope. The statements of elation and relief show organic proof of CBD's ever-growing popularity and effectiveness as a pain management tool.

In closing, it would be remiss not to mention, that although CBD is the star of this show, THC isn't the enemy. In fact, THC has its own array of medical benefits but it’s also very therapeutic when combined with CBD.

The ‘entourage effect’ happens when the cannabis plant’s most famous compounds unite, along with help of terpenes. The entourage effect describes the synergy between cannabinoids. Alone, each compound may produce many beneficial effects that have their place in medicine, but research has proven that consuming a full range of cannabis compounds together provides increased overall effectiveness.

The therapeutic benefits provided by these compounds, when consumed in whole-pant form, are far more superior than when consumed as individual isolated compounds. This is supported by research and anecdotal evidence; research which also confirms that when consumed together, CBD was found to assist in the reduction of the ‘high’ effect associated with THC use.


We are still in the infancy stage of incorporating CBD, THC or any of the other cannabinoids into health and medicine, so it is important to be vigilant and familiarize yourself with what you're putting into your body.


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