What does CBD mean? Understanding this molecule derived from hemp

Definition of cannabidiol (CBD)

Let's take a closer look at the word cannabidiol through its etymology. The first word that stands out is the strain "cannabi", which comes straight from the word "cannabis", the plant that possesses multiple cannabinoids, including the CBD molecule. The word "diol" comes from the word glycol, which is a chemical compound. Inside this molecule (which is very similar to an alcohol molecule) are hydrogen and oxygen atoms. This doesn't mean, however, that cannabidiol is an alcohol molecule; in fact, it's an organic molecule derived from the cannabis plant.

Initially, CBD was an integral part of the cannabis plant, but this molecule was extracted to create cannabidiol-based products. The first cannabidiol-based product to hit the market was CBD e-liquid for electronic cigarettes.

What are the effects of CBD?

For the consumer, CBD has no high depending on how it's administered, nor is it a narcotic. Whether you take it in the form ofCBD oil, CBD flowers or CBD resin, you won't get the "high" that THC does. Better still, a CNRS neurobiologist specializing in addiction even reports that cannabidiol could help to resolve 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 put forward the fact that CBD would release dopamine and be psychoactive in the same way as THC. The meaning of CBD would then change from a dietary supplement to a drug. Today, fortunately, this is not the case, and much research is pointing in the opposite direction.

CBD cultivation and consumption

Consumption of THC is formally prohibited in France if your product contains a THC dose in excess of 0.2%. The laws do not prohibit cannabidiol, but regulate hemp, the plant from which cannabidiol is derived. In the eyes of the law, it is still forbidden to produce, manufacture or transport products derived from the cannabis plant. A real headache for hemp growers.

A magistrate sheds light on the fact that certain varieties of hemp, with THC levels below 0.2%, are authorized for cultivation. There are derogations for the hemp plant to be able to produce in the agricultural and commercial sectors, and the hemp industry is subject to many controls.

The meaning of CBD leads us to believe that there's a lot more to it than just three letters. There are still ins and outs that the industry, scientists, politicians and, ultimately, end consumers don't understand.

Problems associated with marketing CBD

The problem with marketing in France is that the THC content of finished products must be equal to 0.0% THC. This is impossible, and the entire hemp industry is well aware of this. This is why the meaning of CBD has been at the center of conversations for some time now, as cannabidiol is being promoted as cannabis bien-être or cannabis light, as opposed to so-called recreational cannabis.

Since the Kanavape case set a precedent in October 2020, CBD stores have been expanding rapidly all over France. As a reminder, the company was condemned in January 2018 and then acquitted in October 2020. This case is helping the CBD market to grow considerably.

There's a lot more to cannabidiol than its CBD abbreviation, and the molecule is a huge success! A whole industry is developing around it.

The history and significance of CBD

The hemp plant hasn't always had the wind in its sails, and that's still not entirely the case. Some people still think of the cannabis plant as a "high". Yet this plant has been cultivated by human beings since the dawn of time. Since Neolithic times, hemp has been cultivated for its medicinal benefits and its fiber for textiles. Traces of hemp can be found in Asian cultures as far back as 10,000 BC.

Hemp and cannabis have always been used, yet the significance of CBD and its composition were unknown. It wasn't until the early twentieth century that cannabinoids were discovered and studied, and the hemp plant possesses nearly a hundred of them.

In the 1940s, a group of researchers at an American university succeeded in isolating the CBD molecule. At first, they had no idea that this molecule might have therapeutic virtues. It was mainly thanks to an Israeli researcher, Raphaël Mechoulam, well known for his work on cannabis in general, that the virtues of CBD came to the fore.

Research into the benefits of cannabidiol has been ongoing for many years. Since the 70s, we've discovered that CBD has some very encouraging properties in the fight against pain and nausea. In the late 90s, researchers demonstrated that CBD protects neurons and reduces their degeneration. Since the 1990s, we've known that CBD is useful in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.

Cannabidiol is therefore an incredibly complex molecule that continues to amaze us and reveal all its secrets. One thing's for sure: there's a lot more to CBD than its three letters and its benefits. There are many cannabidiol-based products on the market today, from CBD candies to CBD vape. Knowing that cannabidiol is good for us, why deprive ourselves?

The Cali Weed team