CBD oil has been helping people find a life worth living all over the world. However, how are people able to use CBD without worrying about having THC in their product? Not everyone wants the euphoric effect, and many people still live in states that haven’t caught up with the times and even cannabis oil with THC that doesn’t get you high isn’t an option either. If it makes you feel any better, a lot of work goes into making sure your product is perfect.

Hemp Vs. Marijuana

Hemp and marijuana are both a part of the cannabis family. They aren’t the same plant, but they do have a whole lot in common. They both produce cannabinoids, they both have strong plant material, and they both are great for the environment when cultivated.

Marijuana is mostly harvested for the euphoric effects given by THC. Commonly the CBD levels in these plants are low. Though, there are growers who manipulate the plants to control the levels of cannabinoids making high CBD strains. Those marijuana plants are what make up the majority of the CBD products in fully legalized states. They don’t have to follow the rule of having less than .3% of THC, so they can utilize the marijuana plant which yields much more CBD than a hemp plant.

For those who want entirely no THC or live in an area where THC is illegal, you would get the CBD oil extracted from hemp plants. It takes more hemp than it would marijuana, but there is no possible way to get high on hemp no matter how much you consume. Hemp does harbor other cannabinoids, still giving you the opportunity to experience the “full entourage effect,” however you will lack the benefits of THC.

Single Compound and Whole Plant Extraction

When a product says that it is full spectrum, this means that they are utilizing all of the cannabinoids and the terpenes in the plant. The way they do this is by using the entire plant and using the oil extracted from the leaves, the stems, and the flowers. This gives you not only the CBD but other cannabinoids, fatty acids, minerals, terpenes, and nutrients.

Some companies go a bit further to isolate the CBD. To purify the oil, they separate the CBD from the other substances yielded by the plant. They can use processes like flash chromatography to make their product up to 99% pure CBD.

Alcohol and CO2 Extraction

There are multiple different ways to make CBD oil, but using alcohol and CO2 extraction are the most popular. When extracting from the cannabis plant, they put the plant parts in a solvent like alcohol and let the chemicals separate from the plant into the solution. Once the alcohol evaporates, the CBD oil is left over and ready to use. At this point, we have machines that speed up the evaporation process and separate the alcohol from the extracted CBD oil.

CO2 extraction takes more skill and equipment than using a solvent. What they are doing is using the CO2 to pull the chemicals out of the plant. They have a series of chambers that control temperature and pressure that hold the cannabis. The force the CO2 through the plant and the pressure and temperature cause a reaction that makes the chemicals in the cannabis plant separate. At the end of the process, the CO2 is collected in one compartment, and the cannabis oil is held in another to keep from having contaminated product.

It’s essential that you buy from a reputable retailer considering that some methods of extracting CBD can be harmful to consumers. If this isn’t done correctly, a faulty batch can have people sick. CBD Instead takes special care to make sure you are getting a product that is safe, clean, and effective. Be sure to stop by our shop to get your high-quality CBD products today!