What does CBD mean? Understanding this hemp-derived molecule
Definition of cannabidiol (CBD)
As mentioned above, CBD is simply the acronym of its full name: cannabidiol.Let's take a closer look at the word cannabidiol through its etymology. The first part that stands out is the root "cannabi", which comes straight from the word "cannabis", the plant that contains many cannabinoids, including the CBD molecule. The word "diol" comes from glycol, a chemical compound. Within this molecule (very close to the alcohol molecule), there is hydrogen and oxygen atoms. That does not make cannabidiol an alcohol molecule, however: by definition, it is an organic molecule that comes from the cannabis plant.
CBD is originally an integral part of the cannabis plant, but this molecule has been extracted to create cannabidiol-based products. The first cannabidiol-based product to be marketed was CBD e-liquid for electronic cigarettes.
What are the effects of CBD?
For the consumer, CBD has no high-inducing effects, depending on how it is taken, nor is it a narcotic. Whether you use it as CBD oil, CBD flowers or CBD resin, you will not experience the "stoned" effect associated with THC. Better still, a CNRS neurobiologist specialising in addiction even reports that cannabidiol could help address anxiety-related problems and also block the addictive effects caused by certain drugs.
The researcher prefers to warn of a possible discovery by the scientific community which, if proven, would show that CBD releases dopamine and is psychoactive in the same way as THC. The meaning of CBD would then change: it would no longer be a food supplement but a drug. Fortunately, this is not the case today, and much of the research points in the opposite direction.
Growing and consuming CBD
Consuming THC is strictly prohibited in France if your product contains a THC level above 0.2%. The law does not prohibit cannabidiol but regulates hemp, the plant from which cannabidiol is derived. In the eyes of the law, it is still prohibited to produce, manufacture and transport products derived from the cannabis plant. A real headache for those working in the hemp farming sector.
A magistrate explains that certain hemp varieties with a THC level below 0.2% are authorised for cultivation. There are exemptions for the hemp plant so that it can be produced in the agricultural and commercial sectors; the industry around this plant is indeed subject to many controls.
The meaning of CBD leads us to think that it does not stop at three letters: it is far more complex than you might think. There are still ins and outs that the industry, scientists, politicians and, finally, end consumers do not yet have a grasp of.
Problems linked to selling CBD
The problem with selling CBD in France is that the THC level in finished products must be equal to 0.0% THC. This is impossible, and the whole hemp industry is well aware of it. That is why the meaning of CBD has been at the centre of discussions for some time, as cannabidiol is promoted as wellness cannabis or cannabis light, as opposed to so-called recreational cannabis.
Since the Kanavape case set a legal precedent in October 2020, CBD shops have expanded rapidly all over France. As a reminder, the company was convicted in January 2018 and then acquitted in October 2020. This case is considerably helping the CBD market to grow.
Everything behind cannabidiol is therefore far broader than its abbreviation CBD, and this molecule is enjoying genuine success. A whole industry is developing around it.
A little history and meaning around CBD
The hemp plant has not always been popular, and that is still not entirely the case. Part of the population still thinks of the cannabis plant that gets you "stoned". Yet it is a plant that humans have cultivated since the dawn of time. Since the Neolithic period, hemp has been grown for its medicinal benefits and its fibre for textiles. Traces of it have been found in human cultures in Asia dating back to 10,000 BC.
Hemp and cannabis have always been used, and yet the meaning of CBD and its composition were unknown. It was not until the early twentieth century that cannabinoids were discovered and studied, and the hemp plant contains nearly a hundred of them.
A group of researchers at an American university reportedly managed to isolate the CBD molecule around the 1940s. At first, they did not suggest that this molecule might have therapeutic properties. It was mainly thanks to an Israeli researcher, Raphael Mechoulam, well known for his extensive work on cannabis as a whole, that the properties of CBD were brought to light.
Various studies have been carried out over many years, highlighting the benefits of cannabidiol. Since the 1970s, we have discovered that CBD has very encouraging qualities for combating pain and nausea. In the late 1990s, researchers showed that CBD may protect neurons and also reduce their degeneration. Since the 1990s, we have known that CBD is useful in helping to fight Alzheimer's disease.
Cannabidiol is therefore an incredibly complex molecule that has not finished surprising us and revealing all its secrets. One thing is certain: the meaning of CBD really does not stop at its three letters or its benefits. Today there are many products made with cannabidiol, such as CBD sweets or CBD vape, and more. Knowing that cannabidiol is good for us, why go without?
The Cali Weed team