Guide to CBD

Guide to CBD

Cannabis Without the High

“CBD has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and anti-anxiety properties without the “high.”

  Cannabis contains many compounds, with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) being one of the more popular and well known. However, a new cannabinoid is stepping into the spotlight – CBD (cannabidiol). Where THC provides a psychoactive effect (the “high” feeling), CBD has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and anti-anxiety properties without the “high.”

  Some of the more popular CBD strains are: Harlequin, ACDC, Trident and Charlotte’s Web. As with all cannabis products, different strains have different characteristics. Various CBD strains also interact best with different health conditions. As of right now, the main producers of CBD strains keep it small and produce mainly for family and friends with medical needs. There is no one producing CBD on the scale needed for it to be studied, therefore little information is available.

  Charlotte’s Web is one of the more famous CBD strains, and has become popular for treating seizures. With high CBD levels, it has little to no psychoactive effects. It was created for a young girl named Charlotte suffering from relentless seizures caused by Dravet Syndrome, a severe type of epilepsy.

  Harlequin is known for treating pain and anxiety. With a 5:2 ratio of CBD to THC it is a fairly high CBD strain.

ACDC is a much higher in CBD, with a CBD to THC ratio of 20:1. Having such a low THC level means this strain induces no psychoactive effect.

  ACDC is known for treating pain, anxiety, epilepsy, negative effects of chemotherapy, and multiple sclerosis.

  Trident is notable for its high CBD content, most effective for managing pain. Although it has low THC levels, it may still produce a mild high.

  A local business development consultant, Nate Whittington, walked me through the business side of CBD. Depending on how you grow and harvest cannabis you can manipulate the levels of THC and CBD. The growing conditions and process can have as much or greater effects than the actual genetics of the plant, Whittington said.

  Growing CBD strains is not necessarily a money maker, he said. Traditionally, the more THC potent the cannabis is, the more profit. But with CBD it’s about the medicinal value without the high. An OG Kush plant will make about three times the money that a CBD strain could make, Whittington said.

  Manufacturing and processing CBD can be cheaper than THC strains. CBDs are typically harvested sooner than THC strains which brings maintenance costs down. Also, because CBDs are more effective in oil form, trimmers are not needed.

  Compared to traditional sinsemilla cannabis strains, hemp contains very little THC. Hemp itself is not psychoactive. Some say that CBD strains with less than 1% THC could be considered hemp. Because hemp is considered an agricultural plant, it could open the doors for CBD strains to become legalized.

  Medican, a medical cannabis developer and distributer, is currently working on dosage guides for standardization of CBD medicine. They are working to get a good enough understanding of what CBD strains do, and how to grow them efficiently and effectively. Wonderland Nursery in Garberville, California are moving CBD genetics forward. Hoping to push the discussion, they give CBD plants to patients for free.

  An emerging CBD strain is OG 78. It has a 2:1 ratio of CBD to THC. Whittington said that they are finding that tighter CBD:THC ratios are good for a lot of ailments and yield a more stable plant.

Whittington said that the discussions people need to be having are about optimizing the potency, physiology, and cannabinoid levels of CBD strains. CBDs are meant for medicinal use and will continue to do amazing things for those with their backs against the wall.