Illinois Dispensaries & Doctors

So what’s the difference between hemp CBD oil which is legal for all residents of Illinois and marijuana CBD oil which, by the time you read this, may be legal for all residents 21 or older? And why would you want to purchase one instead of the other? Let take a look.

There really is only one difference between hemp CBD oil and marijuana CBD oil (which is commonly referred to as cannabis oil). Marijuana CBD oil contains THC, and hemp CBD oil does not. Most people would say that the difference is that one will get you high and the other won’t. But not all cannabis oils will get you high.

CBD Oil from Marijuana (21+)

Cannabis oil can be made from marijuana strains with levels of CBD ranging anywhere from 0% to 25%. And the limit of just how much cannabinoids a cannabis plant can produce is probably not much higher than 25%. That means if the CBD levels come up in a strain, then the THC levels must go down.

While a ratio of CBD to THC of 1 to 1 is common and popular, some strains have a CBD to THC ratio as high as 25 to 1. If you’re taking a dose of 25 to 1 CBD oil which contains 10 milligrams of CBD then you’re only getting about 0.4 milligrams of THC which is not enough to produce a noticeable high — in most people. It is, however enough THC to potentially make a difference in other effects such as boosting pain relief or reducing the anxiety-busting effects of CBD.

On a side note, it’s important to understand that cannabis oil is a natural herb with scores of active compounds, and because everyone’s bodies are different it will have different effects on each individual. Just because one person experiences superior results with a product containing THC doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have the same results.

Another thing to be aware of if you plan on using CBD oil made from marijuana is that it could cause you to fail a THC drug test. So, if your job requires that you be tested for marijuana use, then you definitely want to avoid using CBD oil made from marijuana. Another thing to be aware of that is ingesting THC puts you at risk of failing a roadside sobriety test and being charged with a DWI.

There is one more caveat. Raw cannabis doesn’t actually produce THC, it produces a precursor of THC called THC acid, or THCa. THCa does not cause a high. In order to convert THCa to THC, it must be heated to a particular temperature for some minimum amount of time.

Cannabis oil can be produced using a cold extraction method or a hot extraction method. So it is possible to produce a CBD-rich cannabis oil that will not get you high. However, even aside from the buzz, there are some differences in the effects of THC vs. THCa.

The process of refining the raw extract does require heat, therefore the vast majority of CBR-rich cannabis oils will contain some THC, might get you high, and will likely cause you to fail a drug test or roadside sobriety check.

Legal CBD Oil from Hemp

Not everyone wants to get high — not even a little. And some people aren’t willing to take the risk of failing a drug test.

CBD oil which is produced from hemp, because it’s essentially devoid of THC, is completely non-intoxicating and non-addictive. It will not get you high and will not cause you to fail a drug test. Aside from these things, is there any difference between a low-THC CBD-rich cannabis oil and a no-THC hemp-derived CBD oil? That depends on your condition and makeup.

Some CBD oil users claim that the addition of THC makes the product more effective for reducing pain, seizures, tremors, and so on. Others, such as many people who use CBD to reduce anxiety, feel that hemp CBD oil with no THC does a better job. So determining which is best for you, personally, will require some experimentation.

There is another kind of CBD oil that you need to be aware of. Full-spectrum CBD oils contain all the original cannabinoids and terpenes found in the plant. However, this full-spectrum oil can be further refined to produce pure CBD.

In some cases, manufacturers will simply add pure CBD to an oil base and call it CBD oil. Many edibles also contain only pure CBD and not a full-spectrum oil. In many cases, though not all cases, this product will produce inferior results compared to full-spectrum products that contain scores of active compounds such as other cannabinoids and terpenes. Again, do your homework.