In recent times, CBD products have swept off the market like Tsunami. This is because of the highly lauded benefits of theirs which bring to the table super-effectivity apart from being natural & free from side effects. The internet has also seen an overflow of brands selling CBD products in the past 2 years or so given the rise in popularity of CBD products. The most famous of CBD products has been CBD oil & has been accepted widely by the people. In fact, most people come to know of CBD from CBD oil first & then they get their hands on the fact that there is a huge pile of CBD products available online in all forms & in all shapes & sizes. As a matter of fact, one of the first products that CBD extracts were composed in was CBD oil only. Gradually, as the need & popularity rose, the marketers ventured into more & more varieties of CBD products which gave us CBD tincture, topicals, edibles, sprays, inhalers, etc. The list continues to increase at a good pace..
But, as an unwanted occurrence, recently there has been a bit of a confusion due to a bit of a misunderstanding that has creeped up the stage from the middle of nowhere. The confusion stands before us as a question – what is the difference between CBD oil & Hemp oil?
Quite honestly, the answer to the question is a very big ‘NO’. The cause for the confusion & the reason behind it is all in the radar of our understanding & they have been explained & talked about up ahead.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CANNABIS & HEMP
First up, before understanding the difference between the oils, it is necessary to know the difference between the sources. It is important to know that hemp belongs to the cannabis sativa family while marijuana (referred to as cannabis too) might belong to either of the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis Indica family. Since both of these plants are a part of the cannabis family, they’ll have many similarities around. However, being from different zones of the family will also pack them with features that are a lot different.
The difference in configuration also alters the anatomy of both plants. While hemp plants contain skinny leaves which are more concentrated towards the top & grow tall, marijuana or cannabis plant grows short & bushy with broader leaves. Apart from this, the major difference lies in the composition where Hemp contains upto 0.3% THC or tetrahydrocannabinol (responsible for causing a high after consumption of cannabis & related products) while Cannabis carries larger content of THC. The purpose of usage varies for both as well where hemp is eyed majorly for industrial benefits like making biofuel, cement, paper, ropes, etc, & medicinal ones while marijuana is used majorly for recreational & medicinal purposes.
WHAT ARE HEMP OIL & CBD OIL?
Hemp or Hempseed Oil is the oil derived from the seed of industrial hemp plants. Unlike what is expected often, this oil is similar to sunflower seed oil in terms of its extraction as it is obtained by cold-pressing of hemp seeds. The oil obtained varies in shades of green in appearance with darker color bringing in its more grassy flavour to the nutty taste.
Hempseed oil is manufactured from hemp plant seeds which are free from THC & all other cannabinoids. The seeds are then cleaned up & the husk is removed. In this process it is assured that the seed is clean upto 99.99% & finally the seeds are forwarded for extraction. Though hempseed doesn’t contain any THC or CBD or other cannabinoids, the oil might contain slight amounts of cannabinoids due to plant matter sticking to the seeds on some occasions. Thus, they are completely different from what CBD oil is. The main constituents of hempseed oil are as under:
- Antioxidants like Vitamin E & Carotene
- Omega-6 & Omega-3 fatty acids in 3:1 ratio
- Minerals like magnesium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorous, iron & zinc.
CBD oil or cannabidiol oil is the oil made from the CBD extract derived from the cannabis or industrial hemp plants. CBD can vary in three different categories & so will the oil. This is because of the difference in the types of CBD extracts namely:
- CBD Isolate-
This form of extract is of 99% purity & is available as powder usually. The extract is free from all sorts of cannabinoids that normally the plant will contain & leave us with purest CBD extract. - Full Spectrum CBD
As the name indicates, full spectrum CBD extract contains all sorts of cannabinoids that were available in the plant from which it is extracted. This will maintain a mixture of terpenes & CBD, CBG, THC CBC, etc & all other cannabinoids present in the source plant. - Broad Spectrum CBD
This is the mid-road between the first two categories above & contains all cannabinoids in the extract barring THC. This hence brings the benefits of all other cannabinoids & terpenes from the source plant without bringing the trouble of ‘high’ or trance feeling.
All these extracts are then put into MCT or olive oil & then labeled & sold as CBD oil. The basic method of extraction of CBD oil is typically through CO2 extraction where CO2 gas is made to pass through plant material at high pressure & low temperature thus liquifying it. The extract obtained towards the end is then heated due to which CO2 part of it vapourises out giving us pure CBD extract at hand. In other methods, the solvents might contain to exist with CBD & are hard to remove unless guided professionally with extreme caution & might keep us away from pure CBD. This is why Superficial CO2 Extraction method is still preferred as the best method for CBD extraction..
THE ROOT OF THE CONFUSION
Since the main question has been answered in detail, it doesn’t mean that the job is done. In fact, it is more important to know the root of the confusion so that more awareness can be promulgated further. This section will explore that in detail.
Hempseed oil has been legal for long & it has continued to exist for quite some time now. In fact it has continued to be in the kitchen shelf as cooking oil. This is simply because of its composition having an absence of THC & CBD. It continues to be used as one healthy oil for cooking without any sort of legal complications. Besides, the benefits it promises are also completely different as compared to what CBD products promise apart from the difference in the working. Also, given the fact that the seed & the plant have different compositions, the composition of end product is bound to be different.
On the other hand, we have CBD oil which has struggled a lot to find itself on the market catalogue. It has gone through adamant dejection by the laws continuously & has finally the received the true status that it deserved. This has led to an upsurge in the purchase of CBD products as there was a time when possessing & purchasing CBD products online was illegal & then became legal while manufacturing remained illegal. The recent fight was going in the direction of CBD & hence marketers found a new route to promote hempseed oil. It wasn’t until final legalisation of CBD cultivation & manufacturing of products in USA which turned the minds of the marketers.
Since hemp is the source of CBD legally, the marketers started using the name hemp oil instead of hempseed oil. The labeling of product with hemp visuals instead of hempseed had the chance of boosting sales of hempseed since people were really influenced by CBD products & hence, would purchase it thinking that it was indeed a product made from CBD rich hemp. It is nothing but a marketing trap for the consumers. The consumers began connecting hemp oil with CBD & started expecting similar benefits as CBD oil from hempseed oil. Thus, after a certain time, when people naturally couldn’t find CBD benefits in hemp oil , they began questioning & finally the reality of marketing prodigy dawned on them. One major reason for this confusion is also because of CBD products being a relatively new phenomenon. It will hence take time to spread out its wings & be visible to the buyers.
CONCLUSION
Now that the idea is clear on the whats, hows & the whys of the situation, there shouldn’t be much of a problem in choosing the right product. However, given the fact that the scenario of CBD products is a completely new phenomenon, the idea as a whole & the awareness will take time to bring under the umbrella more people & save them from falling into the snare of ‘homophone marketing’. A bit of awareness as a consumer can play a major role in creating a difference & saving yourself.
By just one single step of turning the bottle & looking for the composition & the benefits of the products, the mistake can be avoided & inculcate consumer awareness apart from leading you to your desired product. The absence of CBD from the list of ingredients will do the job alone & this way you can continue with your desired CBD oil & enjoy the benefits it promises.
