What Does Cannabis-Derived And Hemp-Derived Mean?

Hemp-Derived vs. Cannabis-Derived Cannabinoid Oils

Cannabidiol (CBD) oil products are popping up on local supermarket shelves around the country. People from all walks of life are trying CBD oil, hoping to find relief from conditions like anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain. 

 

With the growing availability and popularity of CBD oil, it’s important for consumers to know what’s out there. The unfortunate reality is that there are a lot of products on the market that aren’t what they claim to be. They contain traces of dangerous chemicals, have more or less CBD than their label purports, or make claims that aren’t justified by the scientific literature. 

 

This begs the question, what can you do if you want to use CBD oil for your personal health or that of your family? If you live in a state where recreational or medical marijuana is legal, your answer might be sourcing cannabis-derived oil rich in CBD, rather than CBD oil sourced from hemp plants. 

 

What Are Cannabis, Hemp, and Marijuana?

All of this industry lingo can become a bit confusing, so let’s start with an overview of what cannabis, hemp, and marijuana actually mean.

 

Cannabis sativa is a plant that’s been cultivated by humans for many thousands of years. Over this time, cannabis has been widely used for medicinal purposes, textile manufacturing, edible food and oils, and more. Only in the last century has there been a need to distinguish between these plants based on their production of its primary psychotropic compound, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). 

 

“Reefer madness” hit the nation back in the 1930s. A smear campaign was launched that inaccurately portrayed the euphoric properties of cannabis as evil and dangerous. Yet, many companies and individuals were using cannabis for more than its euphoric potential. This versatility encouraged lawmakers to simply make the parts of the plant that produced THC-rich resin illegal, allowing restricted use of the non-psychoactive parts of the plant. 

 

Following from this distinction, hemp plants became established as the cannabis plants that did not produce much THC-rich resin, and marijuana plants those that did. Industrial hemp plants were grown for their fiber and seeds, resulting in resin-poor, tall, skinny cannabis plants. Marijuana plants, on the other hand, were those that produced vast quantities of resin. With this resin found primarily in the female cannabis plant’s flowers, this resulted in marijuana plants being much bushier than hemp plants. 

 

In recent years, a legal distinction between hemp and marijuana varieties of the cannabis plant was written into US law. If a cannabis plant contains 0.3% or less THC, it’s a hemp plant. Over 0.3% THC, and it’s a marijuana plant. 

 

Hemp-Derived CBD Products

CBD oil derived from hemp plants is the most common thanks to its legal status under federal law. Yet, there are many downsides of purchasing commercial hemp-derived cannabis products for therapeutic potential. 

 

The first is that there is little regulatory control over these products. Because CBD hemp oil is not considered a drug (nor is it considered a supplement by the FDA), it’s not regulated as such. This leaves CBD hemp oil companies to self-regulate. 

 

Because of this lack of regulation, many CBD oil products are not what they claim. Some will have less CBD than is stated on their label, others more, and some will have no CBD at all. While there are CBD companies that choose to test their final products, not every company is dedicated to that level of excellence. Not to mention, there are companies that will make medicinal claims that are not supported by the science, leaving consumers unsure as to what CBD can really help with. 

 

Finally, industrial hemp plants are not high in resin. Therefore, a lot of hemp must be used to extract the CBD within. This can lead to an accumulation of pesticides, heavy metals, molds, and solvents in the final product that is detrimental to human health. 

 

Cannabis-Derived Cannabinoid Products

If you live in a state where recreational or medical marijuana is legal - like right here in Arkansas - you have a CBD hemp oil alternative: cannabis-derived CBD oil and other cannabinoid products. Cannabis-derived products are simply any cannabis products that aren’t derived from hemp, and they are also referred to as marijuana-derived products. Cannabis-derived cannabinoid oils are better than hemp-derived oils in many ways.

 

1. They Are Regulated

Cannabis products in dispensaries are regulated. This means that you can be confident that you’re purchasing what you’ve been promised, resulting in enhanced quality and safety. 

 

2. They Offer Greater Medicinal Benefit via the Entourage Effect

Studies suggest that CBD and THC work best when used together and when in the presence of the other healthful compounds found within the cannabis plant. This synergy is known as the entourage effect. Marijuana plants tend to have a wider variety of phytonutrients than hemp plants. They are also richer in resin, allowing for greater extraction using fewer solvents. In essence, a full-spectrum cannabis oil is going to offer more benefits thanks to the entourage effect and likely have fewer contaminants than their full-spectrum hemp counterparts. 

 

3. They Are More Versatile

When you walk into a dispensary, you’ll find an array of options. There are products that are high in CBD, some high in THC, and others that have a more balanced ratio of the two. Plus, secondary cannabinoids and other phytonutrients are extracted alongside CBD and THC that have their own, unique benefits for human health. 

 

You can work alongside your Arkansas Marijuana Card doctor to find the ideal ratio of these cannabinoids for your specific needs. Some conditions will respond better to a 1:1 CBD to THC ratio, others to a high-THC product, and others to a high-CBD product. You will be able to precisely know the ratio of these cannabinoids, allowing you to find a product that fits your needs. 

 

Finding Cannabis-Derived Products in Arkansas

Now that medical marijuana is legal in Arkansas, patients who could benefit from cannabis therapies have a safe, legal, and reliable route to source their medicine. At each dispensary, you will find many different types of products. These include capsules, tinctures, flower, and more. Work with your doctor to determine the best product and CBD:THC ratio for you, then head to a dispensary to pick it out. You can schedule an appointment online or give our Patient Support Center a call at (844-249-8714).