In the last post I described the endocannabinoid system. So where does hemp, marijuana, THC and CBD fit in?
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the Cannabaceae family. Three primary species include cannabis sativa, cannabis indica and cannabis ruderalis.
There are at least 113 known cannabinoids in cannabis plants. THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive component of marijuana derived from the cannabis plant. CBD, cannabidiol, is the non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis hemp plant.
Hemp is a term used to classify varieties of the cannabis plant that contain 0.3% or less THC content. It has the ability to produce resources like food, rope, clothing, paper, housing material and more (over 50,000 different uses).
Marijuana is a term used to classify varieties of cannabis that contain more than 0.3% THC which can induce psychotropic or euphoric effects in the user.
Simply stated, the defining characteristic between hemp and marijuana is based on the amount of THC in the plant.
CBD can be derived from either hemp or marijuana. The chemical properties and characteristics are the same. However, Hemp is legal in the US and marijuana in not legal in the US. Hemp-derived CBD is legal compared to marijuana derived CBD even though they are chemically identical.
The various uses of CBD include help with anxiety, depression, pain, headaches, acne, gut health, sleep, epilepsy, cancer, ADD and to fight bacteria.
Hemp 113 is my choice for CBD. It is made by a company called Encore Life. I respect their scientific advisory board as well as their quality assurance. If you are interested in trying CBD I recommend the 25mg softgels or the topical cream or gel.
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Dr. Laurie Goldman is a medical doctor, psychiatrist, and functional medicine practitioner who’s been in private practice since 1999. She founded Clear Path Wellness to help her patients reach their maximum state of mental and physical health using a personalized, comprehensive approach powered by the principles of functional medicine, which treats the whole person, not just symptoms.