There is a lot of talk about CBD (Cannabidiol), the non-intoxicating cannabinoid from Cannabis. But there is a lot of confusion too. People wonder, “are CBD and hemp the same?”
The short answer is no. They are not the same. CBD is a single chemical that the Cannabis plant can make, and hemp is a type of Cannabis plant. Other varieties – or strains – of Cannabis (besides Hemp) also produce CBD.
So the hemp plant can make CBD, but being a natural living thing, the hemp plant also makes hundreds of other chemicals.
Hemp is a type of the Cannabis sativa plant that makes less than 0.3% of THC.
THC is the intoxicating molecule in Cannabis that can get people high or stoned if they take more than their body is used to.
This means hemp is not good for “recreational” cannabis users because it doesn’t have much THC in it at all.
Hemp was traditionally used for industrial purposes. The fast-growing fibrous plant can be used to make clothes, paper, rope, animal bedding, bio-plastics, and many other products. (To learn more about the products made from hemp click here. )
But more recently they have discovered that hemp varieties of Cannabis also make CBD.
Cannabidiol (or CBD for short) is the non-intoxicating cannabinoid made from Cannabis that may have anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, anti-oxidant and anti-seizure properties.
The hemp plant can produce CBD because Hemp is a type of Cannabis plant.
The hemp plant is coveted now not only for its fibrous stalks, but the flowering parts of the plant can be used to make hemp oil which contains the CBD. It is the flowering part of the plant that primarily makes the cannabinoids like CBD.
Hemp oil produced from the flowers of hemp is NOT the same as hemp seed oil.
Hemp seed oil is when you get oil from processing the hemp seeds. These do not contain significant levels of the cannabinoids. They are just a food product. Hemp seed oil doesn’t have CBD in it.
Is Hemp the only source of CBD? (Or the best source?)
No. You can get other varieties of Cannabis sativa that make higher concentrations of CBD. (Including AC/DC, Harlequin and Charlotte’s Web.)
So yes, the hemp variety of Cannabis does produce CBD, but you can find other varieties (or strains) of Cannabis that are more efficient producers of CBD. These other strains will contain more THC than the hemp variety though. And legalities are different.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this Quick Answer Summary to the question: are CBD and hemp the same.
If you’d like additional information on CBD check out this more in-depth article titled “What is CBD”
