2018 has been a great year in terms of the legalization of Hemp and Cannabis. The U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Agricultural Improvement Act or 2018 Farm Bill (commonly known) on the 20th of December.

The bill made industrial hemp-derived cannabidiol legal throughout the nation, meaning the use of CBD from hemp as long as the THC level is 0.3 percent or lower. This bill happens to serve as an enormous change in this industry; whether or not cannabis and its use are made legal.

American barn

The legalization has other certain aspects such as regulatory restrictions, state boundaries and federal growth of hemp and the sale of hemp products. States assemble their law and abide by the regulations. Furthermore, these regulations and new build guidelines may differ from state to state.

Cannabis might be a new ingredient to many but hemp has been around us for decades. And is contributing to the manufacture of health products that are available in stores, for cooking, healthcare, and skincare purposes.

However, cannabis has been witnessing a series of controversies mainly due to the presence of psychoactive chemicals, where THC (Also known as tetrahydrocannabinol) is the primary one among a lot of natural substances responsible for the psychoactive effects. And there are non-psychoactive ones as well, like cannabidiol, or CBD for which you have to a grasp into the bigger picture associated with these products.

Hemp Oil vs. CBD Oil: What’s the Difference?

All the products like Hemp, Marijuana, CBD oil comes from a single genus of a plant commonly known as Cannabis (Cannabaceae). Hemp and marijuana are two different species of the same plant. They may look similar but are not when it comes to the THC and CBD levels. THC is a psychoactive agent.

Difference between cannabis, hemp, and marijuana

What is Hemp Oil?

Hemp oil is the extracted product from the seeds of Cannabis Sativa. Hemp seeds have different chemical composition compared to the leaves and flowers. For instance, hemp seeds only contain a traceable amount of CBD, whereas hemp leaves contain more than 40 % of CBD and are more potent.

What is CBD oil?

CBD oil or cannabidiol is extracted from flowers, plant stalks, and leaves. CBD is an active cannabinoid found in the form of Cannabis Sativa. And CBD oil is mostly drawn-out from the hemp plant from CBD rich Indica strains of the marijuana plant.

Let’s Get into the Details

Some of the cannabis plants are rich in cannabinoid, commonly known as THC, and it is responsible for that high feeling. On the other hand, hemp leaves only consist of 1 percent of THC, which means that it will get you less high (however 1 percent THC should not be noticeable), CBD cannabinoid makes one feel relaxed without any psychoactive affair.

Note: THC stands for Tetrahydrocannabinol & CBD stands for cannabidiol

Hemp: Contains more than 20 % of CBD and has less than 0.3 % of the THC chemical, that gives you the feeling of being high.
Uses: Hemp can produce paper, fuel, rope, clothing, and the list goes on.

Whereas,

Marijuana: Typically contains more than 10 % of CBD levels and more than 20% of THC.
Uses: It’s medicinal uses are chronic pain, migraine, mental health, insomnia, and many more.

Homegrown Cannabis, and marijuana-derived CBD products are illegal on the federal level but happen to be legal according to a few state laws.

The 2018 Farm Bill abiding by the Controlled Substance Act (Section 12619)

• The act has removed hemp from the definition of marijuana according to section 102(16) abiding by the Control Substance Act, 21 U.S. C § 802 (16).
• THC is listed as a Schedule 1 controlled substance according to section 202 © abiding by the Control Substance Act, 21 U.S. C § 812 (c).

Advantages associated with Hemp Oil vs. CBD Oil: A vivid Insight

Even though these two products have a lot of similar elements, the main difference arises in the proportion. When it comes to benefits, both are equally advantageous, just in different ways.

Benefits of Hemp Oil:

hemp seeds can be cold-pressed to create hemp seed oil

• Hemp Oil is very rich in vitamins and essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6. It is present in the 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 -Omega 3. And the presence of this fatty acid can be beneficial for beauty products like hair care, skin care, body lotions, and shampoo.
• It contributes to keep the heart of an individual healthy by maintaining proper cardiovascular functions and could help prevent several degenerative diseases.
• The fatty acids in Hemp oil also include docosahexaenoic acid( DHA), which play a crucial component to maintain the health of the brain as well as the retina. A pregnant woman can consume hemp seed oil to contribute to the health of the brain and eyes of the developing baby.
• The omega-6 fatty acid is home to many other efficient and useful properties, and one of them is gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) that regulates the body balance by maintaining the hormones.
• The fatty acids in hemp seed oil have many other properties and use as well. It can help to maintain the health of intestines and also promotes enhancement in the immune system.

Benefits of CBD Oil:

CBD Oil in a tincture

• CBD Oil is home to a combination of essential fatty acids, healing terpenes, antioxidants, and vitamins.
• CBD Oil has many healing properties if compared to Hemp Oil. Oil of CBD contributes to many health-related factors such as pain, stress, sleep, migraine, anxiety, and the list goes on.
• CBD oil a pain reducer and known for healing physical pain in the body. It also helps to reduce the stress level to make you keep active.
• The terpene interacts with the cell receptors and that, in turn, helps in regulating the immune system.
• The chemical properties in CBD oil can alter your brain activity and can act as a mood-changer, apart from that, it can reduce the anxiety level if consumed in the first hours of the morning.
• CBD oil is commonly known for acting against insomnia. If you consume it in the evening, it can start its action by the time you decide to sleep.

How and Why to Incorporate these Oils into your Daily Life?

Hemp Oil Uses

The rich components present in essential fatty acids and vitamins have different activities and have specific purposes in keeping us healthy. Hemp Oil is nutrient-dense, and can be used for cooking; however, you must keep in mind that hemp oil has a smoking point of 165 degrees celsius (330 °F), whereas sunflower oil is 230 degrees Celsius (450°F). Hemp oil can be used instead of olive oil to get more Vitamin B, vitamin E, and magnesium.

Hemp-oil can also be used in industry as a biofuel.

It can be used in making skincare products such as moisturizers, skin cream to keep a help balance between oily skin and dry skin and also maintains the hydrating level.

It is used in shampoo and hair colors for better textures.

CBD Oil uses

CBD Oil can be vaped or taken orally to enhance relaxation. It can also be used as a cream to increase anti-inflammatory action. The cream can fight against acne flare-ups, irritation in the skin, and redness.

CBD oil, if taken orally, can give you relief in joint and muscle pain. CBD is used in a variety of products such as chewing gum, capsule supplements, cooking, and pet supplements too, such as treats for dogs/ horses that are anxious or are in pain due to cancer.

Hemp Oil: Making a Difference

As discussed in brief hemp oil can be used for several purposes. It contains plant matter which has additional compounds such as CBD. Hemp seed generally contains low levels of these compounds, but higher concentration can contribute to many health benefits.

Skin Health

Oil applied to the skin

Hemp seed oil comes with highly nutritious properties like vitamins and fatty acids that serve to maintain healthy skin and can prevent an abruption from breaking out. A study in 2014 revealed that it is rich in healthy oils and fatty acids.

The properties of fatty acid are an excellent choice to nourish the skin keeping it protected from oxidation, inflammation, and other aging causes. The study even revealed that the application of hemp oil could tighten saggy skin naturally and helps to prevent infections.

Hemp oils application can act on a variety of skin issues. The essential properties of fatty acids in hemp seed oil help to regulate skin functioning and do not allow acne growth by preventing inflammation.

Research recently found out, CBD plays a core role in reducing the production of sebum which acts proportionally to chronic acne production. That is, the less the sebum, the less the acne. There are several other skin problems that can come under control due to hemp oil usage:

• Acne rosacea
• Dermatitis
• Psoriasis
• Eczema
• Varicose eczema
• Lichen planus (Inflammatory skin issues)

The health of the brain

Pure hemp oil does not contain CBD or THC; You can think of it more as a vegetable oil. Hemp oil, however, does provide a large quantity of Omega-3 and Omega-6, making it useful for healthy brain functions.

A recent study conducted by NCBI (U.S. Natural Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health) showed that the hemp seed extract, with the active compounds, helped to protect the brain against inflammation in mice. It is noticed that hemp seed oil contains Polyphenols, and that has acted as a protective layer for the brain.

Scientists are continually conducting research on hemp oil to elaborate on the benefits and how proper application can keep the brain cells active and healthy.

The health of the heart

The nutrient profile of hemp seed oil also contributes a vast extend to your heart. But, to be honest, studies are yet to be conducted to chalk out a significant number in daily use. The information about heart benefits is gathered from old studies where primarily animal models were incorporated.

A study related to Nutrition and Metabolism suggested that the nutrient profile of hemp seeds do have positive health benefits on various issues, like atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.

As mentioned earlier, one of the fatty acids in Hemp oil, which is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, helps in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The fatty acid known as Linolenic acid in medical terms is present in flaxseed oils and fish oils.

Hemp oil can also help in other minor health benefits such as muscle ache and tension. Hemp oil containing CBD helps people to relieve tension in the muscles. The anti-inflammatory property of CBD, automatically prevent stressing the muscles and promotes recovery from an excellent exercise session.

CBD oil: What Set’s it Apart?

pain spots in the body

The properties of CBD oil were put on research for years now, and the studies reveal that CBD can contribute to your health and benefit you significantly. CBD oil can be used for treating and controlling various health problems and needs.

Pain and Inflammation

Two of the most common problems due to which people seek CBD oil is to get relief from inflammation and chronic pain. CBD oil has multiple properties that help in relieving pain. And it’s anti-inflammatory properties help to fight infection.

CBD oil is rich in high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which helps to reduce joint and back pain. This escalates the other brain chemicals like serotonin which lowers pain recognition.

It can also be used for arthritis, and other types of chronic pain associated with migraines, cancer, headaches and there are several other benefits yet to be revealed as various research programs are ongoing for the time being.

Anxiety

The World Health Organisation (WHO) came up with an estimate that almost 300 million people suffer from an anxiety disorder, both chronic and acute. Many solutions to anxiety include using humanmade chemicals such as Xanax to treat the patient when a natural substance might be more appropriate and healthy.

Battling with anxiety can affect your daily life. A full-spectrum CBD oil’s combination of cannabinoids can help to improve symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Epilepsy Seizures

A clinical trial, conducted thrice, ensures the properties of CBD directly reduce epilepsy of 2 kinds, such as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.

Director of NYU Langone’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center in New York, Dr. Orrin Devisnky said: “Epidiolex has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Therefore it will be available for children and adults having these types of Epilepsies”.
The latest study states that properties of CBD oil helped several people suffering from Lennox Gastaut syndrome. And the result turned out to be positive as well as helpful.

Other Associative Health Benefits

CBD’s effect on the mind.

Full-spectrum CBD reveals that it contains ingredients and minerals that can help to produce a variety of useful elements like terpenes, fatty acids, and fibers. These minerals can be helpful for your body and can improve general health conditions. CBD oil is full of essential and useful components such as Antioxidants, Minerals, and Fatty acids.

Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are two commonly known neurological disorders. Even though limited research has been conducted CBD showed to improve the lives of affected persons.

Because of CBD’s high anti-inflammatory properties, it can prevent cancer cells from multiplying and even reduce hemorrhoids. It regulates the blood and due to which there is a chance of control in diabetes.

Wrapping it Up: A Promising Product

After going through all of the facts and evidence regarding the differences between CBD oil and hemp oil, now the choice is yours.

If you want, you can use both of these as well, but maintaining the balance should be the priority. But as always, too much of something can turn bitter in no time. So, you need to be cautious while using these products.

Overdose of any product and that too for a prolonged period can lead to symptoms of being acute fatigue. The effects on your healthy appetite are also pervasive. So, you need to understand your biological clock and act. Until the in-depth studies reveal their results, precaution and a proper guide are all you need.