Have you ever wondered why our full-spectrum CBD products are federally legal, despite having trace amounts of THC? Well, the answer isn’t necessarily straightforward, but we’re here to break it down for you with some hemp 101!

Hemp 101: The Top 3 Things You Should Know

Is hemp cannabis?

While many people do consider hemp and THC-dominant cannabis to be different, scientifically that’s a bit inaccurate. Both hemp and THC-dominant cannabis are classified by botanists as Cannabis sativa, a plant indigenous to Eastern Asia. For thousands of years, Cannabis sativa has historically been used worldwide to create industrial materials, medicine, recreation, and spiritual and religious experiences.

In the United States, cannabis products can be broken down into two distinct categories: THC-dominant cannabis, which is legal on a state-by-state basis, and non-THC-dominant cannabis, which is referred to as hemp. Prior to 2018, the distinction between hemp and THC-dominant cannabis was a gray area, but the 2018 Farm Bill drew a hard line — cannabis with less than 0.3% THC, otherwise classified as hemp, became federally legal, whereas the legality of THC-dominant cannabis was left to each individual state to decide.

Therefore, on a scientific level, hemp and THC-dominant cannabis are one and the same. From a legal standpoint, on the other hand, hemp and THC-dominant cannabis are different.

But doesn’t cannabis get me high?

While all of our Equilibria products are made with full-spectrum CBD containing small, trace amounts of THC, it’s always less than 0.3%. This means that our CBD products are federally legal and that they are not potent enough to elicit psychotropic effects. In other words, they won’t get you high.

THC-dominant cannabis, on the other hand, is notorious for those psychotropic effects and has historically been used both medicinally and recreationally. At this time, there are 36 states that have legalized cannabis for medicinal use, while 16 states (and Washington, D.C.) have also legalized THC-dominant cannabis for recreational use among individuals aged 21 and older.

So, what else should I know about hemp?

• Hemp naturally absorbs many compounds in the soil around it, making it a fantastic option for farmers looking to clean up their fields. However, this also means that it’s extra important to ensure that you are only purchasing hemp-derived CBD products from a company that uses organic farming practices — otherwise, any pesticides or toxins in the soil may wind up in your CBD!
  
  Here at Equilibria, we’re owners in our own partner farm, where we utilize organic farming practices to ensure that all of your full-spectrum CBD is free of nasty pesticides and toxins. If you ever want to double-check, all of our Third-Party Lab Results (Certificates of Analysis) on our website are always available to back up our claims.

• The majority of the therapeutic compounds (like phytocannabinoids and terpenes) in the hemp plant are located in the flowers, with very little in the seeds, stems, and leaves. In particular, these therapeutic compounds can be found on the trichomes of the flower, which are delicately attached and easy to knock off. The highest potency hemp-derived CBD products will only utilize the flowers of the plant, as including the seeds, stems, and leaves can “water down” a product.
  
  Our partner farm hand-harvests all of our hemp flowers, which allows us to protect these delicate trichomes prior to extraction. Additionally, they use a subcritical CO2 extraction method to ensure that the cannabinoids and terpenes we worked hard to protect through harvest are protected through extraction as well.

• Not all hemp is created equal! Just like THC-dominant cannabis, there are many strains of hemp, some with an abundance of cannabinoids and terpenes, and others with less. In order to maintain consistent products over time, you need to ensure that your CBD extract comes from one singular source. Brands that use “white label” CBD risk inconsistent quality and efficacy over time.
  
  We partnered with a group of seed geneticists and doctors at our partner farm to develop a proprietary strain of hemp boasting approximately 3-5x the amount of cannabinoids and terpenes compared to other leading brands. All of your EQ CBD products are formulated from the same hemp strain, which allows us to guarantee quality and consistency batch after batch, harvest after harvest.

Now that you know a little more about the source of our CBD, let us hemp you on your journey toward balance! Not sure where to start? Check out our range of premium, full-spectrum products and bundles, or reach out via email at http://myeq.com/contact to get recommendations directly from our Member Education team.