What is CBD?

CBD is becoming increasingly popular in Europe with an increasing number of CBD-infused products coming onto the market, including tea, coffee, oils, cosmetics, shampoos & soaps. There are several misconceptions when it comes to CBD, its uses and what is does to the body - all of which are addressed below so let's dig in!

Firstly, What is CBD?

CBD is short for cannabidiol, one of more than 100 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant - a cannabinoid describes any compound found in the cannabis plant that interact with the cannabinoid receptors in the body, but I will dig deeper into this later.

As mentioned, there are many cannabinoids found in cannabis plants however CBD and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are the most widely known and sought after - each for different reasons! THC is the psychoactive component, or "high", that people get with marijuana.

What is the difference between hemp, marijuana and cannabis?

In short, the difference between hemp and marijuana is their chemical composition. Hemp contains low (or no) levels of THC, i.e. there is no high, and high levels of CBD. In contrast, marijuana consists of high levels of THC and low levels of CBD.

Both hemp and marijuana are plants that fall under the Cannabis family

People have grown hemp for hundreds of years, using it to make rope, clothes, sails, food, and much more.In most cases, manufacturers extract CBD from the flowers and leaves of hemp plants for CBD products.

Marijuana on the other hand is what people generally associate cannabis with - getting high and euphoric effects. THC content can vary among cannabis plants. Some strains are bred to be higher in CBD or THC than others. In the United Sates and Europe, “marijuana” refers to cannabis that has more than 0.2% THC, however Irish legislation requires hemp products to contain 0% THC.

Will it get me high?

As mentioned above, CBD does not get you high - THC is the compound responsible for psychoactive effects. All of our oils are THC-free, and therefore will not produce a high.

Is CBD legal?

Yes, CBD is legal in Europe however some countries have taken it upon themselves to increase or decrease restrictions on hemp products, for example the varying THC levels present. For example, in Ireland THC falls under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1997, so 0% THC is allowed, whereas Austria allows CBD products with THC levels up to 0.3%. Most European countries allow THC levels up to 0.2%.

For athletes; you do not need to worry about drug tests as CBD does not fall onto the list of illegal substances. Some CBD oils with high levels of THC may show up on drug tests, another reason why our oils contain 0% THC.

Is CBD safe?

In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) came to the decision that CBD is "does not appear to have abuse potential or cause harm". They also commented that CBD does not cause dependence, addiction or withdrawal effects. Similarly, it does not appear to have a stimulus, intoxication, physiological or psychotic effects.

"An orally administered dose of 600mg of CBD did not differ from placebo on the scales of the Addiction Research Centre Inventory, a 16 item Visual Analogue Mood Scale, subjective level of intoxication or psychotic symptoms.”

In contrast to the dopamine (happy hormone) release in cells that occurs with most drugs of abuse, during animal testing CBD showed no such release. As well as this, THC use has been connected to anxiety and increased heart rate, but these symptoms have not been found in volunteers in CBD trials.

What are the other uses for hemp?

While cannabis seeds essentially contain no cannabinoids, which is why people extract cannabinoids in the flowers, leaves, and stalks, where they are in higher concentrations.

Those looking to experience cannabis’s beneficial effects often turn to cannabis flower, which can be smoked or extracted into tinctures and edibles.

Strains low in THC but higher in other cannabinoids, like CBD, may also produce beneficial effects but won’t get you high.

Hemp can also be grown to create other kinds of products, including:

• paper
• clothing
• textiles
• animal feed
• plastic
• food products, such as hemp seed, hemp oil

Because hemp grows faster than trees and other crops, it’s considered to be a more sustainable way of making products like paper and textiles.

Hemp seed is also quite nutritious, as it’s a complete protein that’s also high in fiber.

Please note: always talk to your doctor before starting a new supplement routine, as well as any potential effects with current medication. CBD is a food supplements, not a medicine, and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical conditions.