What Is THC Free CBD?

by Quinton Charles, Op-ed blogger

If you’re new to the world of CBD, you may find all of the different terms surrounding it to be a bit daunting. You may also be worried about whether taking CBD will make you high – or cause you to fail a drug test. It can be hard to decide whether to take CBD or not if you don’t understand exactly what it is…and what it isn’t.

CBD has been legal in the United States since 2018, with the passage of the Hemp Farming Act. Under this law, industrial hemp grown in the U.S. can contain trace amounts of THC (cannabinoid that has a psychoactive component found above .3% in marijuana but also found in trace amounts in the hemp plant). If you are concerned about consuming any amount of THC, you can also purchase CBD products that contain Zero THC CBD.

To help you understand more about CBD oil and THC , we are breaking down the science behind hemp. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about whether CBD is right for you.

The Endocannabinoid System(ECS)

In the United States, the growth and production of the cannabis plant has been illegal for most of the past century. Hemp, a member of the cannabis species of plant, was included in this broad ban. Even after the production of hemp was legalized in 2018, there is still a lot of confusion about the hemp plant and hemp oil with CBD.

Plants in the cannabis genus contain over 100 naturally-occurring compounds, known as cannabinoids. Two of the most well-known cannabinoids are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Both of these compounds can be found in the hemp plant, along with many other cannabinoids that you may have heard about including CBN, CBG, CBDA, CBBC, THCV, THCP and the list can go on and on.

Each of us has an endocannabinoid system that produces endocannabinoid receptors.  These  participate and regulate internal functions in our body, and our body produces them as we have need for them. Experts believe that a humans endocannabinoid system contributes to homoeostasis, or balance in our internal systems.   The hemp plant and marijuana plants produce something similar to endocannabinoids, these are called phytocannbinoids.  Each of these phytocannabinoids interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) producing different effects.  The US Library of medicine published a review stating;

“Recent neurological uses include adjunctive treatment for malignant brain tumors, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, neuropathic pain, and the childhood seizure    disorders Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes. In addition, psychiatric and mood disorders, such as schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, addiction, postconcussion syndrome, and posttraumatic stress disorders are being studied using phytocannabinoids including.“

Difference between CBD and THC.

One of the most important differences between CBD and THC  is that THC is psychoactive, while CBD is not. This means that consuming THC may make you feel stoned, while you won’t feel high after taking CBD.

Generally speaking, THC and CBD have an inverse relationship. This means that as the level of CBD in a cannabis plant increases, the level of THC decreases (and vice versa). As a result, when you buy a product made from a CBD-rich plant like hemp, the THC content will be very low.

Under federal law, hemp grown in the United States can contain no more than 0.3% THC. By contrast, marijuana plants may contain as much as 30% THC. Most CBD products manufactured in the U.S. are made from industrial hemp, with trace amounts (or no) THC. In states where marijuana is legal, you may be able to purchase CBD products made from cannabis, with a higher level of THC. At Green Wellness Life, we only sell products made from industrial hemp grown in the United States – none of which contain more than 0.3% THC, and many of which are THC-free.

What Is Zero THC CBD?

Zero THC,  THC-free or CBD isolate products are exactly what they sound like: CBD with absolutely NO THC. You can buy almost any type of CBD product with Zero THC, including THC free CBD oils, THC free CBD edibles, THC free capsules, THC free topicals, and THC flower and vape cartridges.

Making THC  free CBD involves an extra step in the extraction process. First, the flowers, stalks, and leaves of the hemp plant go through the extraction process (using a variety of techniques, such as supercritical carbon dioxide). Second, once the oils from the hemp plant have been extracted, the resulting concentrate is put through a purification process to remove trace levels of THC. This CBD is then used to make a variety of products.

To determine whether a particular product has THC, check the label to see if it is described as full spectrum, broad spectrum, or as a CBD isolate. A full spectrum product will contain all of the beneficial compounds in the hemp plant, including CBD, trace amounts of THC, flavonoids and terpenes. Taking a full spectrum product can produce the entourage effect, which can boost the benefits of CBD.

A broad spectrum product will contain these same compounds as a full spectrum product, minus the THC. Finally, CBD isolates only contain CBD, with none of the other compounds found in the hemp plant. Therefore, if you’re looking for a THC free CBD product, you’re actually looking for a broad spectrum or isolate CBD product.

After choosing a type of CBD product, you should then check its certificate of analysis. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate CBD. As a result, the only way to know for sure that you are getting what you are paying for is by reviewing the independent lab results for a particular product. A reputable CBD company should have all of its products tested by an independent laboratory, and make those results available online. Among other things – like CBD concentration – these results should list the product’s THC content.

Why Should I Take THC-Free CBD?

There are a lot of good reasons why you may choose to take a Zero THC CBD product. First, if you are drug tested for work, taking a THC-free CBD product may make sense. While the miniscule amount of THC in industrial hemp should not lead to a positive drug test, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Second, if you are a competitive athlete, you may choose to take a Zero THC CBD product. While most governing bodies have removed CBD from their lists of banned substances, taking THC is generally against the rules for many sports. Again, it is unlikely that you will fail a drug test while taking CBD, but if you have any concerns about the possibility, your best choice is to buy broad spectrum CBD or a CBD isolate.

Third, if you are taking CBD to help with a certain condition – like anxiety – you may want to avoid any THC at all. THC and CBD interact with our bodies in different ways. One side effect that many people experience when consuming THC is anxiety. If you are trying to reduce your anxiety with CBD, you may want to avoid even trace amounts of the compound.*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5938896/

Whatever your reason may be, if you want to take a CBD product that is THC-free, be sure to only purchase a broad spectrum or CBD isolate. You should also double check the manufacturer’s website to ensure that a third party laboratory has confirmed that the product contains 0% THC.

What Zero THC Products Are Available?

You can buy almost any CBD product in Zero  THC form. At Green Wellness Life, we make finding a THC-free product easy. Just go to our shop page, and then click on the “ZERO % THC” button. It’ll take you to our entire inventory of THC-free CBD products, including both broad spectrum and CBD isolate.

Some of our favorite 0% THC products include:

We even have great THC products for your pets, like the cbdMD Pet CBD Balm for Dogs. If you have any concerns about buying a CBD product that is 100% THC-free, we are always available to help.

Buy CBD from a Source You Can Trust

If you’re in the market for CBD, you want to buy a product that delivers what it promises. The best way to do that is to only purchase independently-tested CBD products made from industrial hemp grown in the United States. At Green Wellness Life, all of our CBD products meet this criteria.

While we aren’t doctors, and cannot diagnose or treat any medical condition, we can offer you our own experience as well as the latest research on the health and wellness benefits of CBD. We can also provide guidance on choosing the best CBD product for your specific needs – including THC-free CBD. If you would like to learn more, give us a call at (888) 772-7875 (M-F, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST), press the live chat button, or fill out our online contact form.

Sources:

Relative GWL Blogs