FAQ – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CBD

CBD stands for cannabidiol, the second major cannabinoid found in cannabis plants like hemp and marijuana. Unlike the other major cannabinoid THC, CBD is non-psychoactive. The effects of CBD include: alerting at low doses, sedating at high doses, reduces pain, relaxes muscle spasms, potent anti-inflammatory, stops nausea/vomiting, reduces anxiety/depression, counters psychotic thoughts, anti-oxidant, anti-convulsant, neuro-protectant, and anti-tumor effects.

CBD oil is the term used to describe a sublingual tincture of CBD. A CBD oil or tincture is made by mixing a CBD extract from a cannabis plant into a base like alcohol or hemp seed oil. The CBD oil is meant to be held under the tongue and absorbed directly into the bloodstream. A sublingual absorption provides a faster effect than absorbtion via the stomach (i.e. taking a CBD capsule or edible product).

Terpenes are essential oils found in plants. There are around 200 terpenes in cannabis. They are what give cannabis its distinct aroma and flavor. Terpenes have beneficial effects and work synergistically with cannabinoids like CBD and THC – this relationship is called the entourage effect.

Yes. Pets can benefit from CBD for many of the same conditions as humans: pain, seizures, inflammation, and anxiety. CBD is safe to use for pets but their dosage will likely be much smaller than yours. Dogs have a higher concentration of cannabinoid receptors in their brain. This means they are very sensitive to THC. But a small amount of THC, like the amount in a full spectrum CBD hemp oil, is beneficial for animals. We recommend you speak with a veterinarian (holistic veterinarian) before you start giving your pet CBD.

Try to keep the CBD tincture under your tongue for 30 – 60 seconds. The longer you can hold, usually the better it will absorb.

CBD is considered to be a non-psychoactive cannabinoid so it will not get you high in the way that marijuana (THC) gets you high. But CBD is known to be relaxing so you may feel a sort of subtle “high” and relaxation. For some CBD will be too sedating; others will find that the sedating effects of CBD are great for insomnia.

CBD is not psychoactive in the way that THC is psychoactive and it will not get you high. However CBD can have an effect on your mental state. Many users of CBD report feeling a very subtle feeling of relaxation, alertness, or mental clarity from taking CBD.

No. Hemp seed oil is a food product, not a drug. Hemp seed oil comes from hemp seeds – a good source of nutrition and protein.

CBD hemp oil is made from hemp while CBD Cannabis Oil is made from marijuana plants. CBD Hemp Oil will contain little to no THC. CBD Cannabis Oil can contain significantly more THC than CBD Hemp Oil. CBD Cannabis Oil can contain an equal amount of THC to CBD.

No. CBD oil is a medicinal product. CBD oil is a liquid concentrate of CBD. Another term for CBD oil is CBD tincture. Hemp oil is a food product made from pressed hemp seeds. Hemp oil is a highly nutritious food product which contains no CBD.

CBD has shown to have the following effects: non psychoactive (does not cause a high), alerting in low to moderate doses, sedating in high doses, reduces pain, reduces muscle spasms, anti-inflammatory, stops nausea/vomiting, reduces anxiety/depression, counters psychotic thoughts, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, neuroprotectant, and anti-tumor.

Source: Cannabis Revealed, Bonni Goldstein M.D.

Anxiety is a complex condition. For some users, CBD may cause them to experience anxiety or increase their existing anxiety.

For many users, CBD will act as a powerful anti-anxiety drug. CBD has been well studied as an anxiolytic and anti-psychotic drug. Anti-anxiety is one of the most common reasons people seek out and use CBD.

CBD has been shown to be safe to use in high doses. CBD will not cause a fatal overdose. However it is possible to take too much CBD. A consequence of taking too much CBD is the increased chance of negative side effects like lethargy or drowsiness.

Yes. CBD is metabolized by a group of enzymes called the CYP450. These enzymes are responsible for metabolizing many commonly used drugs. CBD can inhibit the activity of the CYP450 enzymes. While CBD-drug interactions are more likely with high doses of CBD and CBD isolates, precaution must be taken when using CBD alongside life preserving medications for serious conditions (i.e. epilepsy medications).

People are finding that CBD is useful for many conditions which have not responded well to convential treatments. New ailments which CBD can help treat are being discovered every day. However the most common uses of CBD are treatment of chronic pain, anxiety, and epilepsy.

CBD edibles are food products infused with CBD. Common CBD edibles products are chocolates, gummy bears, or CBD gum. CBD edibles are an oral route of administration of CBD.

Hemp extract refers to the raw extract which is taken from a hemp plant for later processing into CBD oil or CBD products. The most common methods of extraction are CO2 and ethanol extraction.

CBD gummies are a form of a CBD edible: a food product (in this case gummies) infused with CBD.

CBD isolate or otherwise called “pure CBD” is the CBD molecule separated from the the rest of the compounds it normally occurs with. CBD isolate usually appears as a crystalline white powder. CBD isolate can either be synthesized in a lab (synthetic CBD) or made from a CBD containing plant like marijuana or hemp.

“CBD powder” likely refers to CBD isolate. Please question above “What is CBD isolate?”

A CBD vape oil or CBD e juice is a liquid made for vaping which is infused with CBD.

A CBD tincture is another term for a CBD oil. In the cannabis industry the word “tincture” and “oil” are used interchangeably. A CBD tincture or CBD oil is a liquid concentrate which contains CBD

CBD tinctures are taken by placing the dose under the tongue where it can be absorbed sublingually – through the mucous membrane in the mouth.

The length of time it takes for CBD to take effect will depend on the route of administration. The fastest effect will be felt from smoking or vaporization (onset of effects in minutes). Topical administration of CBD will be felt quickly as well. The next fastest effect will be felt from a sublingual dosage (onset of effects in 15 – 60 minutes). The slowest effect (but the longest lasting) will be felt from oral ingestion (onset felt in 90 minutes). Source: Cannabis Revealed

No. CBD is not an FDA approved pharmaceutical or dietary supplement. You may purchase CBD without a prescription.

Yes. Anyone living in a state or country where it is legal to use CBD can buy CBD oil. CBD oil may be purchased over the counter without a prescription.

Currently, the legal status of CBD is not clear. CBD is legal to use in states which allow medical and recreational cannabis use. CBD is legal in states with allow for the use of hemp products (see the Interactive Marijuana State Legislation Map). CBD and cannabis laws vary from state to state and it is up to you to know the exact laws for where you live.
Make sure you read our full articles: “Is CBD oil Legal?”

While nearly anything in the world can be addictive, no CBD is not known to be an addictive drug. In fact, CBD has shown strong potential to be a useful tool to help people break addictions to harmful substances.

CBD is produced inside cannabis plants. CBD is produced by both marijuana and hemp plants. CBD is mostly produced in the resinous trichomes of cannabis flowers. Smaller concentrations of CBD can be found on the stalk and leaves of cannabis plants.

The endocannabinoid system is the collection of cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids, and enzymes involved in the production and break down of endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids are naturally occurring cannabinoids found within our body. The two most studied endocannabinoids are anandamide and 2-AG. The two most studies cannabinoid receptors are CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are located mostly in the brain and CB2 receptors are located mostly throughout the immune system.

CB1 receptors are located primarily in the central nervous system (the brain and spinal chord).

CB2 receptors are located primarily in the immune system.

The endocannabinoid system acts a homeostasis regulator in the body. Its purpose is to maintain balance.

No. Lotion made from hemp seeds contains no significant amount of THC and thus will not make you fail a drug test.

No. Hemp protein will not make you fail a drug test as it contains no THC.

Hemp seed oil is a highly nutritious oil made from pressed hemp seeds. Hemp seeds and hemp seed oil do not contain significant amounts of CBD. Hemp seed oil is often confused with CBD hemp oil but they are not the same thing. CBD hemp oil is a CBD tincture – a liquid concentrate of CBD. CBD hemp oil however can be suspended in hemp seed oil as a carrier of the CBD. Other common carriers of CBD hemp oil include coconut oil or MCT oil.

Yes. Hemp plants contain CBD in varying concentrations depending on the variety of the hemp. The highest concentration of CBD in hemp plants will be found in the resinous flower of a flowering hemp plant.

Whether the CBD oil comes from hemp or marijuana, the best CBD oil is a full plant extract which contains terpenes and flavonoids naturally occurring in cannabis. The best CBD oil is one which has been lab tested to ensure its potency and safety as a clean oil fit for consumption.

The entourage effect is a the synergistic relationship of the naturally occurring compounds found in cannabis plants. The cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids found in cannabis have shown to work better when they are taken together as opposed to in isolation from each other.

No. Drug tests look for THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid found in marijuana. Drug tests do not test for specifically CBD. But some CBD cannabis oils and CBD hemp oils will contain either a small amount (in the case of CBD hemp oil) or significant amount of THC (in the case of CBD cannabis oil). These amounts of THC, even if they are tiny, can cause a failure of a drug test when a person is using CBD oil. Even if the amount of THC is very small as in the case of CBD hemp oil (which does not allow for a presence of THC higher than 0.3%), a drug test failure can occur if the person using the CBD hemp oil in large quantities. Caution must be taken with drug tests and CBD oil.

Cannabinoids generally work by binding to our body’s cannabinoid receptors (CB1 or CB2). Cannabinoids like CBD can work in other ways by targetting non cannabinoid receptors in the body.

No. But CBD and other cannabinoids can be formulated to act as if they are water soluble. Source: http://blog.sonomechanics.com/blog/water-soluble-cbd

Raw CBD oil refers to the first extraction of the CBD oil which can be bought for usage by CBD users. The raw CBD extract will not be decarboxylated or filtered and will thus contain not only CBD but also CBD in its acid form: CBDa. Decarboxylation is the application of heat which converts most of the CBDa into CBD.

Endocannabinoids (cannabinoids produced naturally in the body of mammals) are not neurotransmitters. Endocannabinoids are neuromodulators – they are released on demand to alter the activity of neurotransmitters. A good example is glutamate. Glutamate is a primary, stimulatory neurotransmitter. When glutamate is present in excessive amounts, pain and cell death can occur. The release of endocannabinoids functions as a stopping mechanism for the release of glutamate. THC and CBD can act in the same way as our own endocannabinoids. Source: Introduction to the Endocannabinoid System

There are many different ways to use CBD. The four main ways are sublingual tinctures/sprays, topical lotions/balms, oral edibles/capsules, and inhalation by vaporization or smoking. At CBD School we think sublingual tinctures and sprays are one of the best ways to use CBD because you can get the dosing very precise, you can easily check for the quality of the product by requesting a lab report from the manufacturer, and by the reasonably fast onset of effects