Diving into the world of hemp products can be exciting, but knowing the type of product that best fits your needs is an important part of the process. While this is an important part, it can also be one of the most difficult for many. Understanding the difference between hemp-derived cannabinoids and the products made from them can have a direct impact on your experience as a whole.
What is a Cannabinoid?
Before we even begin talking about CBD or THC, we first need to explore what a cannabinoid is. According to information from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, “some evidence suggests modest benefits of cannabis or cannabinoids for chronic pain and multiple sclerosis symptoms.”
At the time of this writing, there are more than 100 known cannabinoids found within the hemp plant. CBD and Delta 8 THC are two of the more abundant cannabinoids. However, cannabinoid content is largely determined by factors such as genetics, growing conditions, and curing methods.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, is one of the primary cannabinoids naturally produced by the hemp plant. Over the years, extensive cultivation and selective breeding have made it the most prevalent cannabinoid found in hemp. CBD has gained popularity for its soothing effects and potential to reduce inflammation. But beyond its relaxing qualities, continued research has revealed some truly compelling insights.
Scientific Backing
CBD is often associated with a wide range of wellness benefits, but its most well-supported use comes from its impact on specific forms of childhood epilepsy. Harvard Health Publishing highlights that the most convincing evidence surrounds CBD’s ability to help manage severe epilepsy syndromes like Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome—conditions that typically do not respond to traditional seizure medications.
What is Delta 8?
While Delta 8 is a common cannabinoid present within the hemp plant, it is found in much smaller quantities than CDB. Once again, this is thanks to hundreds of years of selective breeding for specific traits. Delta 8 is most commonly known to produce similar effects as Delta 9, though much milder.
The Journal of Cannabis Research states, “Most delta-8-THC users experienced a lot or a great deal of relaxation (71%); euphoria (68%) and pain relief (55%)”.
Types of Products
There are dozens of different types of products that can be made from hemp-derived cannabinoids. Each one has its own unique benefits and uses. Some of the most common popular products made from hemp-derived CBD and Delta 8 include (but are not limited to);
- Smokable hemp flower
- Vapes/cartridges
- Tinctures
- Gummies
- Topicals
How to Choose the Best Product for Your Needs
Choosing the best product for your needs starts with a very important question – what goals are you trying to achieve? Do you want something that promotes hemp’s anti-inflammatory properties? Or maybe one that showcases calming or sleep-promoting properties?
Once you know the goal you are trying to achieve, the next step is to determine the type of product you want. For example, if you want to focus on a specific part of your body like a shoulder or knee, you would want to use a topical rather than a tincture. A topical will give you more target results whereas a tincture will give you a more all-over effect.
But before you buy just any hemp-derived product, you also need to make sure it is a good one. Shoppers can verify a brand and a product’s quality in several different ways. Some of the most common ways to check if a brand produces high quality products include the following;
- Contact information for the brand (usually multiple options)
- Certificate of Analysis (or COA for short) is available for shoppers to read
- An emphasis on educational content
- Transparency surrounding the products and how they are made.
Sometimes finding the right hemp product for your needs can feel like a daunting task. However, with the right information, shopping for hemp products can be a fun experience. Understanding the different types of cannabinoids and what makes them unique is the first step to expanding your knowledge about the wonderful plant we call hemp.