FAQs

Q: What is CBD?

A: CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a chemical compound from the cannabis plant that unlike its cousin THC it does not produce a “high”. CBD acts on the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system.

Q: Is CBD Legal?

A: First, a little background. Industrial hemp was legal in the United States until Congress passed the Marihuana Tax Act in 1937. (“Some of our early presidents grew hemp,” notes Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish, a cannabis industry attorney based in Oklahoma.) Nearly 80 years later, the 2014 Farm Bill took the position that states can regulate the production of hemp and, as a result, CBD. Then last year, President Trump signed a new Farm Bill that made it federally legal to grow hemp.
This means that “consumers everywhere if they’re compliant with their state, can grow hemp and use hemp products,” Parrish explains, “and among those will be CBD.”

In other words, the latest bill removed hemp from the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA’s, purview. “Hemp can now be grown freely under federal law, which, of course, is huge,” Parrish says. “But while it’s legal under federal law, it’s up to each state to set their own policy.”

These policies vary widely. Marijuana and CBD are currently fully legal for both medicinal and recreational purposes in Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C. In 23 states, it’s legal in some form, such as for medicinal purposes. Another 14 states permit just CBD oil. But both are illegal in Idaho, Nebraska, and South Dakota. For more information, the organization Americans for Safe Access has a helpful guide to the specific laws in each state.

“It’s kind of ironic,” says Parrish. “With marijuana, we have got the federal government saying ‘No’ and a bunch of states saying ‘Yeah, it’s OK’—but with hemp, the feds say ‘Yeah, it’s OK,’ but we still have some states saying it’s not.”

Q: Will CBD show up on a drug test?

A: It depends on which CBD Product you choose. Anything that is considered FULL SPECTRUM means that it contains 0.3% THC or below which means that there is a chance, although slim that it COULD register on a urinalysis. To be safe only purchase BROAD SPECTRUM CBD or ISOLATE CBD as they contain non-detectable amounts of THC.

Q: Can I travel with CBD?

A: That same 2018 Farm Bill means you can now travel between states with legit CBD products. “Flying with CBD should pose no issues now,” Parrish says. However, if you’re traveling with a tincture, be mindful of TSA limits on how much liquid you can carry on an airplane, she adds. (You can also mail CBD products, just like “companies that comply with the Bill can ship their hemp-derived CBD products anywhere in the U.S.,” Parrish notes.)

Q: I’ve heard of edibles, tinctures, vape pens… What’s the best way to take CBD?

A: It really depends on what your goal is and why you’re taking CBD in the first place.
Some people don’t want to ingest anything and therefore prefer a topical CBD cream or ointment. You can apply it to muscles, joints, and ligaments and still get a nice, localized release.

The biggest differences between tinctures, edibles, and vape pens are speed of delivery and how long the effects last. Vape onset is faster but wears off faster too—usually in about two hours.

Tinctures and edibles take longer to work but last four or five hours. A tincture looks like a little liquid that you put under your tongue, and you feel the onset within half an hour or so. If you prefer to taste something, you can choose an edible, whether it’s a capsule, gummy, or baked good. However, we believe the sublingual tincture to be the best for long term effect as it will build up in your Endocannabinoid system. It is better for the CBD products that you take to bypass the liver so as not to lose the potency of it. Edibles are good for short term effect but are not ideal, in our opinion, for lasting effects.

Q: What is the Endocannabinoid System?

A: The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a biological system composed of endocannabinoids, which are endogenous lipid-based retrograde neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors, and cannabinoid receptor proteins that are expressed throughout the vertebrate central nervous system (including the brain) and peripheral nervous system.

Two primary endocannabinoid receptors have been identified: CB1, first cloned in 1990; and CB2, cloned in 1993. CB1 receptors are found predominantly in the brain and nervous system, as well as in peripheral organs and tissues, and are the main molecular target of the endocannabinoid ligand (binding molecule), anandamide, as well as its mimetic phytocannabinoid, THC. One other main endocannabinoid is 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) which is active at both cannabinoid receptors, along with its own mimetic phytocannabinoid, CBD.
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Q: Is there a difference between CBD Oil and Hemp Seed Oil?

A: Absolutely! CBD is a cannabinoid that is derived from the stalks and flower of the Hemp plant while Hemp seed oil is derived strictly from the seed. Hemp seed oil has no real therapeutic benefits outside of aromatherapy. Many companies are pushing Hemp Seed Oil as if it were CBD and there is a MAJOR difference between the two. Don’t be fooled. Hemp seed oil is NOT the same as a CBD product.