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“The international market for Cannabis is projected to hit $31.4 billion by 2021”
Source: Cannabis Market Research Firm, The Brightfield Group
Of the massive total global market sized potential for recreational and medical marijuana world-wide, the lion’s share of that market will be delivered in the form of Cannabis oils. When derived from whole Marijuana Cannabis, these combined THC & CBD oils can be used both for recreational and medicinal purposes in states where they are legal.
When derived from Hemp Cannabis alone, CBD extract oils have proven remarkable medicinal, healing effects on humans and animal mammals alike. And since the passing of the US Farm Bill in late December of 2018, CBD extract oils are now legal across the entire United States for sale or production.
The two main components of whole plant cannabis oils are CBD and THC. Ironically, the majority of consumers and cannabis oil producers have conflicting understandings of the nature of these two key components.
To realize the full potential of the exciting new legalized combined recreational/medicinal marijuana market in many states, a precise knowledge of what THC and CBD are—both the important differences and the similarities in how they compare, is essential.
Comparing the differences between CBD and THC is more fascinating and complex than most people assume, even though these two natural bio-chemical substances come from the same Cannabis plant.
The nature of this complexity stems from the difference between Hemp and Marijuana Cannabis. These are the two main species of the Cannabis plant.
Hemp Cannabis contains much lower levels of THC than CBD. Hemp was, and is still grown for industrial purposes including rope-making, fabrics, paper, Hemp seed foods, building materials and even environmentally friendly bio-degradable plastics to name a few. A lot of Hemp must be harvested for CBD derivatives but these CBDs contain, by the nature of the Hemp plant, only 0.3% THC and are excellent for medicinal purposes WITHOUT the psycho-active “highs”.
Marijuana Cannabis occurs naturally in two basic strains, Indica and Sativa Cannabis, but is now mainly available in hybrid combinations that have significantly higher levels of THC than CBD. Roughly over the last 70 years, Marijuana has been bred specifically for its psycho-active effects and some strains of Marijuana reach as high as 35% THC combined with much higher levels of CBD as well.
To many people, the difference is cut and dry:
THC is psycho-active while CBD is not.
THC is recreational while CBD is medicinal.
These over-generalized misconceptions become apparent after you take an overview of scientifically established factual similarities and differences:
The bio-chemical components, or compounds of the Cannabis plant are called CANNABINOIDS. Unless they are intentionally separated in the extraction process, THC and CBD always appear together in various ratios depending on the Cannabis plant strain.
There are 85 known cannabinoids and hundreds more waiting to be discovered in the Cannabis plant. The two significant ones are THC & CBD.
*THC is the acronym for the most commonly known cannabinoid:
“delta-9 TetraHydroCannabinol”.
*THC has a psycho-active effect on the brain after it interacts with the brain’s cannabinoid
receptors that control pleasure, memory, coordination and movement. THC is misunderstood
as an exclusively recreational drug.
*THC produces different psycho-active effects. A majority of people find these effects
pleasurable, while many do not. Every INDIVIDUAL reacts differently to THC.
*THC in many people creates intense feelings of pleasure, creativity and elation while in
others produces overwhelming feelings of fear, anxiety and paranoia to name a few.
*THC does have startling health benefits beyond the, “High”. THC has already been proven to
reverse many forms of cancer tumours by medical scientists in clinical studies. One of
these significant studies will be highlighted momentarily…
*CBD is the acronym for the recently popular cannabinoid: “CannaBiDiol”.
*CBD has a broad range of effects on the entire human physiology after it interacts with CBD
receptors located throughout our entire mammalian physiology. CBD is naturally, medicinally
therapeutic.
*CBD produces a healing anti-inflammatory effect throughout the entire body for
whatever ails it. CBD connects with millions of cannabinoid receptors, producing balance, or
what is known medically as “Homeostasis” throughout our entire physiology.
CBD corrects these imbalances we perceive as “sickness” or “illness”.
*CBD however, cannot be called a panacea or “cure-all”. Because every individual requires
unique amounts in various treatment schedules and doses of combined THC/CBD ratios,
each person must discover what ratios are best to meet their needs.
*CBD produces positive, generalized feelings of relaxation from the nature of its therapeutic
physical effects.
Hundreds of previously documented clinical studies are recently coming to light. The “delayed reaction” is due to years of suppression by North American governments because of “illegality”. Certain states in the US have legalized Medical Marijuana but not Recreational Marijuana, while some states like California and Colorado have legalized both.
Hemp has been completely legalized as of the 2018 Federal US Farm Bill in late December of 2018. Canada legalized Medical and Recreational Marijuana on October 17, 2018 while ironically Hemp in Canada is still prohibited for sale and growing without a license.
CBC News recently discovered that, in the state of Colorado where Cannabis has been legal for quite some time, there are more Cannabis dispensaries in every community in Colorado than MacDonald’s and Starbucks combined!
Dried cannabis flowers which contain both THC and CBD with all their health benefits are available for sale in licensed dispensaries across Canada and legalized US states.
Lately, the preferred method of using Cannabis has shifted from smoking dried flowers to super potent Cannabis oils. Because Hemp and all its products are now completely legal, in The United States of America, Hemp oils still sit in a strange legal limbo. It is safe to say however, that if a Hemp oil has an independent lab analysis of 0.3% or lower, it can be legally bought and sold throughout the United States.
Not only are the CBD and THC extracted, concentrated cannabis oils many more times as powerful then the flowers from which they are derived, are being sold in a multitude of different ratios and combinations.
Both Canadian and in many states so far, American governments must decide on these “potency” and “combination” issues. The length of time America and Canada takes to do this however will be worth it. The scientifically documented health benefits of Cannabis oils promise that North Americans will not be disappointed.
Regardless, it’s safe to say that most citizens around the world and especially in North America are still “in the dark” as to exactly what these fabled health benefits actually entail. All anyone needs to do to be enlightened however, is sample the established scientific facts.
The remarkable health benefits of THC and CBD can be obtained from THC or CBD extracted oils. Scientific research world-wide (hundreds of studies of which are now available for examination on the website Project CBD.org) is showing however, that the most effective treatments are obtained from correct ratio combinations of the two main cannabinoids. In cancer treatments for example, a 1:1 ratio of THC with CBD has shown significant tumour reduction from THC which is modulated with CBD. In effect, the CBD side of the ratio modulates the “High” psycho-active effects of THC so patients can still function at normal levels during treatment.
With children suffering extreme seizures from epilepsy, CBD becomes the dominate active ingredient to eliminate the seizures while the THC is included to optimize the effectiveness of the CBD. Mixed in at ratios where CBD is the much greater of the two, scientists find that these ratios must be formulated specifically to the individual patient.
Unlike pharmaceuticals which are designed to treat one “condition” or a specific “illness”, unique CBD/THC formulations are tailor-made to the individual. There are many reasons for this and it is best to understand how and why these reasons work effectively, by comparing the health benefits of the two cannabinoids:
*A study funded in 1988 by the National Institute of Health identified both THC and CBD as having,
“very potent neuron-protectant, anti-oxidant properties with the ability to neutralize the damaging effects of free-radicals in the body to protect neurons and brain cells from degeneration.”
*According to Project CBD. org, in scientific studies performed in Israel, THC and CBD have been shown scientifically to trigger, “Neurogenesis”.
Neurogenesis is the creation of new brain cells from neuro stem cells (something thought to be medically impossible 30 years ago!).
*CBD as a single molecule in “pure” form has been shown in scientific studies, (and freely
available to read on the Project CBD website in clinical laboratory experiments) to have:
*Whole plant CBD is the naturally occurring combination of both CBD and THC from a single cannabis plant. Single molecule CBD or THC is available but must first be separated in the extraction process.
*CBD and THC work best together in their naturally occurring synergistic relationships.
*Maximum therapeutic results are obtained from CBD and THC working together in individual patient-centred ratio formulations so that they enhance each others effects.
*THC enhances CBD’s pain-killing effects.
*A scientific study conducted at the California Pacific Medical Centre in 2010, shows how
CBD magnified THC’s inhibitory effects on brain cancer:
“CBD enhances the inhibitory effects of delta-9 TetraHydroCannabinol on human blastoma cells proliferation and survival. When combined together, there was a stronger effect than either had alone.”
*CBD can lessen or eliminate the THC “High” in cancer patients who find the psycho-active “High” uncomfortable.
*Cannabis oil concentrates with varying ratios of CBD to THC can be continuously adjusted according to individual patient needs so that dosages are precise.
*Therefore, there is no one ratio dosage that is right for everybody.
*An individual’s adverse sensitivity to THC is a key factor in determining a particularly effective THC/CBD dosage ratio.
*The role of Cannabis therapeutics allows patients to administer consistent measurable doses of a CBD-rich remedy that has as much or as little THC in the dose as the person is comfortable with.
*THC-A is a non-psycho-active component of the main THC cannabinoid that is found in the raw THC dominant strains of cannabis. It has therapeutic qualities if consumed raw, or in cannabis oil extract concentrates made from raw flowers. THC-A has synergistic effects added with CBD and THC ratios.
“THC-A is having profound therapeutic effects on human test subjects suffering from extreme forms of epilepsy that have not responded with current CBD/THC ratios that other epilepsy test subjects have seen success with in the past.” Martin Lee, Project CBD
When it comes to shopping for the correct therapeutic THC/CBD oil concentrate that’s right for you, remember that effectiveness is synonymous with purity. After 33 US states legalized Marijuana Cannabis products containing CBD and or THC, the main issue for both consumers and producers is now purity.
Many people trying CBD/THC oil products for the first time have been disappointed: either because the product they purchased had no effect or effected them adversely. This is due to severe undisclosed impurity issues from dubious internet-based non-certified, unlicensed companies with no 3rd party lab testing to verify their products.
*Does the label on the cannabis oil bottle clearly display relevant information?
*Are exact ratios between CBD and THC easily apparent?
*Does the bottle or edible product contain unhealthy additives such as corn syrup, toxic chemical flavouring and trans-fat oil “fillers”?
*Does this oil product contain carcinogenic polypropylene glycol thinning agents?
*Has this product been lab-tested to be proven free from mold, pesticides, solvent residues, toxic contaminants, chemical preservatives, and artificial additives?
*Does this oil product originate from organically grown high-resin Marijuana Cannabis plant strains?
*Has this oil been extracted with toxic solvents like butane, hexane, or other hydro-carbons?
*Is this CBD/THC oil product derived from the only two proven quality extraction processes, either super-critical CO2 or a super-cooled, high-quality food grade Ethel alcohol?
Since Hemp Cannabis is now qualified legally as a legitimate agricultural product, due to America’s US FARM BILL of 2018, businesses developing Hemp-based products exclusively have the proverbial “Green Light” to pursue unlimited profits where only the sky is the limit.
Even though Cannabis oils in general still remain in a dubious legal limbo, Hemp CBD oil business products specifically with a lab-stamped verification of THC levels at or under the 0.3% legal limit, are now facing unrivalled profit potential for their exciting medicinal effects. Marijuana Cannabis oils are soon to follow across America as remaining states are legalized for both medical and recreational use.
No matter what sector of the Cannabis industry your business is in, you can grow confidently with Cover Cannabis insurance protection designed specifically for your Cannabis business needs. The leader in Cannabis-specific insurance, Cover Cannabis is equipped with the most years of experience and solid professional expertise. Cover Cannabis will fully protect your interests so you can rest easy, moving forward with profit and confidence knowing you have the strongest financial back-up in the industry you can depend on.
Theresa Graves is a Senior Commercial Insurance Specialist at Cover Cannabis. A veteran of the commercial industry, Theresa has been in the commercial industry for over 20 years, with 16 of those years devoted to doing commercial insurance. She began her career writing contractors insurance, and took on the cannabis industry in 2007, now an expert in this growing field. Theresa joined Cover Cannabis over 10 years ago, and has grown to be one of the top Producers and an integral part of the team.
If you are looking for a Commercial Insurance Agent, feel free to contact Theresa, she is here to help you.