What is medical marijuana exactly? How is it different from hemp CBD? They are both cannabis so does it really matter? Perhaps the more important questions are “Do I live in a legal medical marijuana state?” and “Can my situation find relief without a large quantity of THC?
When most people think of medicinal cannabis, or medical marijuana, they think smoking pot and getting high. While this could be true, it is also important to know that the whole plant is medicinal, not the THC which actually gets the user high. In some cases the THC is necessary and has value, but more often then not, the other cannabinoids like CBD are actually reducing inflammation and alleviating pain. Remember, the primary difference between marijuana and hemp is the THC/CBD ratio assuming the two sourced strains being compared are of equal quality. Legally speaking, cannabis with less than .3% THC will automatically be termed hemp and anything above .3% THC will be termed marijuana. There is no cannabis plant that will produce a strain that is both high in THC and CBD, it’s always one or the other.
Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana, is cannabis and cannabinoids that are recommended by doctors for their patients. ~ Web MD
One of the biggest concerns about using cannabis is knowing the source of the cannabis. It is easier to know the source of medical marijuana because it must come from a dispensary. The dispensary is responsible from seed to sale. Remember, CBD can come from hemp or marijuana. Hemp sourced CBD does not necessarily have to be purchased from a dispensary. Laws and regulations are in the infancy stage so this could change as states begin regulating more and more. Purchasing hemp CBD over the counter or online comes with more risk (not that dispensaries can’t or won’t rip you off) as the hemp CBD may not be locally, regionally, or even nationally grown. Cannabis is a soil cleaner along with a plethora of additional uses. Countries and companies that do not value health could easily sell the buyer CBD along with mercury, pesticides, fungus, chemicals, and anything else in the contaminated ground or mold that grew after it was harvested. Think about it, sublingually or vaping CBD would provide direct access of these toxins and the CBD to your bloodstream. Yuck!
Once you determine the source is trustworthy, it’s time to look closer at the plant information. A trustworthy company will be forthcoming with information such as the product being whole plant based, grown in an organic facility, and being full spectrum. A quality product will also have a Certificate of Analysis (COA). If this information is not provided, do not buy it. It is likely a garbage product! Or worse, not remotely close to what you think you bought!
If you can secure a product with these acceptable qualities, then it could compare with the expectations of “medicinal marijuana” or more specifically, CBD from a medical marijuana plant. Next keep in mind that marketing will develop jargon that sounds awesome, but amounts to nothing or decreases the value of the product. NANO seems to be the new tech term claiming better bioavailability. Sublingually taken, a natural product is completely bioavailable. So what does NANO mean, it means genetically modified to reduce the size making it more bioavailable. Again we are getting away from whole and natural which will always be better then man-made or altered.
2 Ingredients: CBD & Hemp Oil – That’ Physician Grade!
Sources
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/CBD-Products-Tested-505762921.html?
Hemp the NON POT 