In the medical industry, CBD oil has been the talk of the town as of late. It has shown to be an effective treatment for all sorts of conditions – from opioid addiction, depression and anxiety to muscle pains as well as epilepsy-related seizures.
Yet, this seemingly wonderous cure is not exactly “plug and play.” There are different ways of extracting CBD oil from marijuana plants, and many oil types out there, each carrying unique properties of their own. This means you will have to do some research to find the best CBD oil for your needs.
The first thing you should do before buying is to check your state laws regarding the legality of the products on offer. Some states allow for prescription-based CBD oil with under 0.3% THC concentration, whereas certain places allow for over the counter purchase of CBD products containing high amounts of THC.
There are three categories of CBD products on the market: Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum and CBD Isolate.
Full Spectrum
CBD oil is only one ingredient that can be sourced from any given hemp plant. There are dozens of chemical compounds of the marijuana plant, which can prove more effective when taken in combination with one another – also known as the entourage effect.
Full Spectrum CBD refers to products containing a broad range of cannabinoids and terpenes present in the hemp plant. As such, they provide the most potent effect in treating your medical condition.
The downside, for some, maybe the fact that trace amounts of THC are present in full-spectrum products. While they are often in low amounts, not nearly enough to get you “high,” consistent use may get you flagged on drug tests. What’s more, some states make the sale of THC-infused oil flat out illegal or may require a prescription from a licensed physician.
Broad Spectrum
New strides in CBD processing technology have paved the way for high-quality oil extracts with no trace amounts of THC, classified as Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil.
Broad-spectrum oils still contain all the useful terpenes and cannabinoids present in the hemp plant, mirroring full-spectrum products. Through additional post-processing, all traces of THC are removed from the oil.
Therefore, it’s recommended that you consume broad spectrum oils if you do not want to consume THC for whichever reason.
CBD Isolate
Before the production of broad-spectrum CBD oils was not yet possible, CBD isolates were the solution for individuals who couldn’t consume trace amounts of THC in their product.
The process for creating CBD isolates removes all terpenes and cannabinoids previously found on the hemp plant. The end result is 99%+ pure cannabidiol product.
However, since all other useful compounds from the plant are removed in the process, CBD isolates are much less effective as a treatment for relevant medical conditions. As such, your best choice for THC-free oil is broad-spectrum, rather than CBD isolates, if you can get your hands on one.
