If you’re wondering what CBD stands for, here’s the short answer: Cannabinol (CBD).
And CBD has come a long way.
Sure, hemp has been around since ancient times, but this doesn’t mean it didn’t have to jump through a few hurdles to acquire acceptance and status.
It’s a non-psychoactive compound with a primary goal of delivering therapeutic benefits.** Many people confuse hemp and cannabis because they both come from the cannabis plant.
The main difference in the two is hemp plants contain no more than 0.3% THC, while cannabis plants can go upward of 30%.
This confusion left hemp entangled with the legal status of cannabis for quite a long time. However, things have drastically changed over the last few years, and hemp is now able to shine like the superstar it is.
A Brief Historical Recap of Hemp
Many are just catching wind of all the capabilities CBD can provide for us. However, hemp dates back to ancient times—all the way back to 2727 BC in China.
Although there is little documentation on the matter, the first recorded use of hemp goes back to the Chinese emperor, Sheng Neng, who used hemp tea for several health issues. China used hemp for many things, such as clothing, rope, and more.
If we fast-forward to early American times, hemp made its grand appearance in 1606. It was grown and utilized by some of our forefathers—Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington.
They all utilized hemp in different ways, but for the most part, it was used for paper, rope, lamp fuel, and many other products. In the 1700s, farmers were legally required to grow hemp since it provided such a vast amount of resources.
For some reason, the country turned its back on hemp in the early 1900s. Hemp somehow got wrapped up in a bad status with its close association with marijuana. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 enforced the war of drugs and heavily taxed the hemp industry.
This went on for a while until it eventually fell under a schedule I drug category with the Controlled Substance Act in 1970.
A Huge Victory for Hemp
Hemp remained in a classification that didn’t make sense until a few years ago when The Farm Bill of 2018 decriminalized the agricultural production of hemp.
One thing’s for sure, hemp has come a long way. But you know what they say, good things don’t come easy.
Now that you have a full understanding of CBD’s history, let’s move on to some of the basics.
The Basics of CBD
So, you know CBD stands for cannabidiol, but you’re probably wondering what this means?
The hemp plant produces over 100 different types of cannabinoids, with cannabidiol being one of those cannabinoids. They all possess their own special skill set and effects for the consumer.
CBD doesn’t produce any psychoactive effects for the consumer. It provides therapeutic relief for a variety of health concerns.**
It’s well-known for its calming abilities.** Since many of us have a hard time achieving this on our own, this is a huge reason many people find CBD helpful.
The Endocannabinoid System: A Huge Discovery
CBD can achieve such effects because it works naturally with our endocannabinoid system. Interestingly, the endocannabinoid system was only discovered a short time ago, in the early 1990s.
It’s an intricate system we’re all equipped with which sends signals to different parts of the body through different receptors’ interactions. The cannabinoids we take in from our CBD products interact with the ECS and specific receptors, CB1 and CB2.
This system plays a vital role in some of the human body’s primary functions, such as sleep, pain, mood, and much more.
Many people don’t know your body produces cannabinoids naturally, whether you partake in any type of CBD product or not.
The ECS is still being studied as there’s still much to learn with such a complex signaling system only discovered such a short time ago.
How CBD Oil is Made
The farming methods used are a huge part of what makes for a high-quality hemp product. Hemp is a bio-accumulator, so it absorbs any and everything present in the soil.
This is why you should always look for companies growing their hemp organically. It makes for a cleaner product, overall.
Once the crops are grown and ready for extraction, there are three different types of CBD oil you will see produced. There is full-spectrum oil, broad-spectrum oil, and CBD isolate.
The hemp plants are crushed down into oil with all of the plant’s cannabinoids, terpenes, and essential oils still present in the oil with full-spectrum extraction. This includes trace amounts of THC, which is less than 0.3% for hemp.
Broad-spectrum oil goes through an additional extraction process, removing detectable amounts of THC, but it still contains some cannabinoids and terpenes.
CBD isolate is 99% pure CBD—no terpenes and no other cannabinoids.
So Many CBD Products to Choose From
Since the legalization of hemp in 2018, the CBD market has gained impressive momentum.
Companies across the board are coming up with innovative formulations that combine everything we love about CBD with valuable health and wellness aspects.
There are many different CBD products to choose from. Here are the main categories.
CBD Tincture Oils: Tincture oils were among the first CBD products to hit the market. Many people still gravitate towards them because they have an impressive bioavailability rate compared to some other product categories. Additionally, there are many formulations available that work to enhance health and wellness with helpful vitamins and nutrients.**
CBD Gummies: Gummies provide consumers with a little more flexibility and discreteness when it comes to getting their daily serving on CBD. Plus, some formulations have the added edge of health and wellness additions.
CBD Topicals: Topicals are great for people who need targeted relief in one specific area. The CBD works its way through multiple layers of skin until reaching the troubled area and providing comfort.
CBD Vape Pens: Perhaps one of the newest products to hit the market, but quickly becoming a crowd favorite. We assume it has a lot to do with the convenience the vape pen provides and the high bioavailability level. Since it’s going straight into the bloodstream through the lungs, the effects can be felt only a few minutes.
So, What Does CBD Stand For?
Hemp has been around for what seems like the beginning of time.
Today it the question of “what does CBD stand for?” means more than an abbreviation for cannabinol. It’s a question that speaks volumes to the culture of CBD itself and the industry as a whole.
In this sense, CBD stands for a movement that’s based on the realities of CBD and it’s effect on those that use it.
It’s gone through many ups and downs before “the powers that be” fully grasped the full potential of CBD; furthermore, the fact many people need it and benefit from the effects.
If you don’t take anything else away from this conversation, remember CBD provides therapeutic benefits for all kinds of things—some of which you may not realize. It’s come a long way to be full-legal and capable of being dropped off at your doorstep.
Now you’re up to date on the basics of CBD—which product are you going to try?
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