Advertiser Disclosure: Some links may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these

Controversial CBD Oil: What is it? Is it safe if I take it?

Oil collected from the cannabis or hashish plant is the new hip oil that’s sweeping nations not only with its benefits but also considering the controversy and stigma circling its plant source, which is the hemp, hashish or cannabis. In this post, we are going to look deeper into what this oil is and whether it is safe to take.

Unlike Virgin Coconut Oil which was the “golden oil” of the moment some ten or twenty years ago, oil collected from the hashish plant is much more controversial and considered a little taboo. But first, let’s try to answer what it is.

CBD Oil: What is it? How do you produce it?

CBD oil or Cannabidiol oil is extracted from the hashish plant or hemp. Cannabis is more widely known for its mind-altering properties. There are more people who are more familiar with the hashish plant’s use as a recreational drug than a medicinal drug.

In order for hemp to transform into a medicinal drug, it undergoes special derivation processes. Varying derivation processes yield varying kinds of cannabidiol oils which are seen in the market today. To get you acquainted, oil that is collected from the hemp plant can come in the form of full-spectrum, broad-spectrum or Isolate.

Full-Spectrum

Manufacturers derive a full-spectrum variety of oil using the entirety of the plant. In order to get a full-spectrum variety of oil, manufacturers use the plant’s flowers, leaves, as well as the stems. If manufacturers utilize cold derivation procedures like Carbon Dioxide otherwise known as CO2 derivation or cold alcohol, the resulting concentrate then contains an entire spectrum of cannabinoids (compounds that interact with our body’s receptors in cells that change the neurotransmitter release in the brain), flavonoids (important for their antioxidant properties that fight against abnormal cellular multiplication), chlorophyll, waxes, and even terpenes (substances that help in boosting mental activity and lessen muscular inflammation, etc).

Broad-Spectrum

In order to get broad-spectrum cannabidiol oils, manufacturers may use the same parts of the hashish plant in the case of full-spectrum variety of oil from this plant. With the process that the hemp plant undergoes, some of the components that we mentioned in the full-spectrum variety of oil can be lost. One of which is the THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol component. THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol is the mind-altering component of the hashish plant, which is deemed illegal to have in the body in most countries.

Among the ways that manufacturers can get the broad-spectrum oil is by initially setting apart the pure cannabidiol (which results in what is called an isolate) and then adding the other cannabinoids as well as terpenes after the cannabidiol derivation part.

Due to the method of filtration and derivation from the full-spectrum variety of oil, some unstable terpenes are lost.

Isolate

Isolates are thought to be the purest form of cannabidiol. Tests have shown that Isolates is composed of up to 99% cannabidiol. A special process is needed in order to derive only the purest form of cannabidiol. Part of the number of processes done to isolate cannabidiol from the oil’s other components is chromatography. After which, the cannabidiol then crystallizes. Once the crystallization stage is reached, it means that the cannabidiol has been successfully isolated.

Setting apart Full-Spectrum, Broad-Spectrum, and Isolates

What sets apart the full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolates is the amount of cannabidiol present.

For people who want to take the full advantage that the hashish plant can offer, you can try the full-spectrum cannabidiol where other cannabinoids together with terpenes are still present in the oil. The risk, however, is that since the full-spectrum variety contains all of the hashish plant components, a little THC might still be present in the said oil.

Broad-spectrum and Isolates can be better choices for you if you don’t want to risk having some THC present in your system.

How is CBD Oil Safely Extracted?

The most common derivation procedures that manufacturers use to derive cannabidiol substance from hashish are through carbon dioxide extraction (supercritical), using alcohol, and liquid nitrogen.

Carbon Dioxide Extraction

This method of derivation is the most expensive because it will require special types of equipment to become successful. In this derivation process, Carbon Dioxide is pressurized and then heated in order for it to become a solvent for the hashish plant. Carbon dioxide is able to pull out all cannabidiol, terpenes, and even THC.

Carbon dioxide derivation sounds tedious because it really is. This derivation method is usually done by experienced professionals. The yield, however, is safe for consumption and considered pure and free from any other foreign materials like chlorophyll.

Alcohol Extraction

As the name implies, alcohol derivation uses ethanol and sometimes, butane. These two forms of alcohol are safe to use even for consumption. This method is considered easy because all you have to do is mix the alcohols into a container with the hashish plant.

While this is considered food-safe, the resulting oil can have some impurities, among which, is chlorophyll. To remove this, one can proceed with further filtration, however, this may also reduce the efficacy of the said oil. Butane is more efficient at extracting a purer form of cannabidiol, but it can contain irritants that can hurt a person’s lungs.

Alcohol Extraction

As the name implies, alcohol derivation uses ethanol and sometimes, butane. These two forms of alcohol are safe to use even for consumption. This method is considered easy because all you have to do is mix the alcohols into a container with the hashish plant.

While this is considered food-safe, the resulting oil can have some impurities, among which, is chlorophyll. To remove this, one can proceed with further filtration, however, this may also reduce the efficacy of the said oil. Butane is more efficient at extracting a purer form of cannabidiol, but it can contain irritants that can hurt a person’s lungs.

Liquid Nitrogen Extraction

The liquid Nitrogen derivation method is one method you can really try at home if you have enough of the materials needed.

Per process, as much as 3 pounds of liquid nitrogen is used and the yields are not as high quality. Add liquid nitrogen to the plant and the liquid nitrogen will freeze up all the trichome resins. Once this happens, you can proceed to filter the resins using a mesh bag.

How Safe is CBD on Treating Ailments?

With all the numerous and tedious processes of derivation, the question remains: Is it safe to use? Several research studies have documented its safeness of use as well as its efficacy in treating symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, as well as in stress and pain management.

Anxiety and Insomnia

A study at the University of Colorado looked into the effects of using CBD oil to manage children’s anxiety and insomnia. The experiment involved a who was experiencing PTSD which resulted in her having anxiety and insomnia. Over the period of study, the child took CBD oil in capsule form and her sleep was monitored through self-reporting.

This study was able to prove that cannabidiol oil is safe to use as a treatment for anxiety and insomnia. In fact, the results were observed to have been duplicated by another research that looked at children’s anxieties alone. In the other study, a mother reported that their son’s anxiety was more manageable through the use of cannabidiol oil.

Of course, the other goal of the experiment was to provide the children with long-term effects without the dependency on cannabidiol oil.

Stress and Pain Management

In terms of stress and pain management, researchers also saw the potential of CBD as a medication to manage chronic pain. One study looked into patients suffering from chronic pain due to peripheral neuropathy or damage to the peripheral nerves. The participants who used the cannabidiol/Tetrahydrocannabinol spray reported less pain and experienced better sleep quality. Furthermore, this research also showed no new safety concerns for the use of CBD products to manage pain.

Safety for Pet Use

Just like us, our pets can also suffer from trauma and anxiety. Because of these, our pets can also suffer from it which could also be manifested in their loss of appetite. A review of different researches somehow supports that the oil extracted from the hemp plant that contains cannabidiol could be used to address this problem and was found to be generally safe for your pet’s consumption.
[mydivider]

The booming CBD craze, explained

[mydivider]

The Bottom Line

In general, CBD is safe. Derivation procedure also makes it even safer because they are able to filter out any impurities that might make the oil unsafe, such as chlorophyll. There’s still a wide opportunity for researchers to know the oil’s benefits. What research tells us so far is that cannabidiol oil is generally safe to use as a treatment for chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia. Research is also very supportive of its use to treat loss of appetite in pets.

We cannot stress it enough that this controversial drug remains open for further studies and research. Do take enough caution when taking any new substance such as CBD. Approach your doctor if you must to have a better understanding of this oil. If you do decide to use, let me introduce you to five of the CBD oils I’ve personally used and short reviews of the other CBD products that they have in their list.

by Darion Robinson


Flashlight

3 Comments

  1. mariomartin1975 Reply

    replying to comment from girl yuppie. Hey! I’m on the same boat! i actually have prescriptions to manage my anxiety. and sometimes i have really bad attacks. I’m on lexapro right now. used to be on zoloft but my doctor said it wasn’t right for me. I am sumpplementing lexapro with cbd oil. it’s really amazing. no complaints, no regrets. Even though I would still recommend to check with your doctor before taking cbd. and that it’s really safe for you. i got clearance from my doc to use cbd before i went ahead and bought mine.

  2. girlYuppie Reply

    I want to share my experience with using CBD oil.

    I’m a marketing executive and my job is to always be on-the-go, be on the look out for key accounts to bring in money to my company. You know, the works. It’s crazy how much time I spend glaring over my anxiety before meetings and I’ve tried it all to calm down before these meetings and presentations. It hurts my heart how weak i would feel before these presentations. It hurts how, a perfectionist such as myself, will often have such anxiety before going into a meeting room that would always feel too big, too wide, too daunting!

    One of my friends who recently took CBD oil then recommended it to me. According to her, CBD has helped her get the sleep she’s always needed. I knew to take her recommendation because she’s a lawyer by profession and i know how stressful her days also get.

    So, one day, I finally did. It won’t hurt, she gave me a spare bottle for me to try. The brand, I won’t mention, because it’s not one in your list. Her cbd oil didn’t have the THC, she guaranteed that because, again, she’s a lawyer.

    By some weird miracle, taking some drops days before my biggest presentation had me feeling like a calm wind on a summer day. it was the best!

    I believe in CBD oil and you should do too.

  3. MariaAntoinette Reply

    If you really want to have a lengthy deep sleep, you should try using CBD oil. Yes, it is safe, people just assume it’s bad because you can get it from the same plant that people smoke. But honestly more people should have access to this oil because of its benefits. I am amazed by how well it works to manage the chemotherapy symptoms and the seizures. I saw a video of it on youtube. I’m just saying that this is the future of parkinson’s disease treatment. I know, because, my dad has been using this to manage his tremors and I can see how well it works. So, it’s not just a fad, these are facts, people! big pharmaceutical companies are making millions from depriving people of natural and herbal medicines, by poisoning us of what they have. More awareness, more lives saved.

Write A Comment