How is CBD Extracted?

Medical marijuana consumers in Texas who have decided to try CBD products may wish to deepen their knowledge of CBD and CBD extraction. In this article, we will discuss:

What CBD is and how it is used
How CBD is extracted
The pros and cons of using CBD extract as an isolated compound

What Is CBD?

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a commonly found compound in medical marijuana plants. Unlike THC, it is not psychoactive, which means that it will not get you high — even if you ingest, smoke, or vape a large amount of it. Though it is not smoked or consumed for the same reasons THC is, researchers are finding that it possesses a lot of valuable qualities. Several top institutes, including Harvard, have taken an interest in isolating CBD for its purported health properties and conducting studies that further examine its effects on humans. The FDA has even approved a medication made with CBD for seizure disorders in children.

CBD products are sold nationwide, and they are not legally as restricted as products containing THC, which may make them more attractive to a broader audience. Many people use CBD to address symptoms of chronic pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other chronic conditions that may not respond well to traditional medical treatment. Everybody is different, so if you are considering using CBD for a health-related reason, please speak with your medical provider to learn more about integrating CBD with your already existing treatment regimen.

You may be curious about how CBD is extracted from medical marijuana or hemp plants and deposited into oils, gummies, vape liquid, and more. For the science-curious among us, below are listed two specific extraction methods and how they work.

CO2 Extraction

This method utilizes a pressurized chamber to compress carbon dioxide gas until it becomes a liquid. As this liquid comes into contact with medical marijuana, it helps release the cannabinoids from the plant material. When the CO2 is converted back to gas, what’s left is the CBD that was extracted. This method can be used to extract cannabinoids and terpenes as well.

Solvent Extraction

This method uses butane, ethanol, or propane in a closed-loop system similar to the one you may see in CO2 extraction, but it’s quicker and easier to process because of the materials used. When the solvent’s (one of the compounds listed above) temperature is raised or lowered to the correct degree, the CBD “gathered” in the extraction process will be released. Solvent extraction may not create as pleasant-tasting products as their CO2-extracted counterparts, but one benefit of this method is that it’s cheaper. With that being said, neither of these methods is suitable for experimentation at home.

Is CBD Extraction The Best Way To Use CBD?

Your choice of product will often be impacted by what’s legal in your state and what type of effect you are trying to achieve with the product. If you seek a high THC-level, you obviously won’t get this from a CBD product; however, this does not mean that CBD products aren’t helpful and beneficial in their own way.

Many people use CBD to address symptoms of some medical issues, as stated above. Read on to discover why the laws in your area may govern what you can buy and discover why using CBD as an isolate may not work as well as you think.

The legality of Medical Marijuana

When considering how to use medical marijuana and its cannabinoids medicinally, it’s always a good idea to consider where you live and the laws related to the possession and consumption of medical marijuana products. Like Colorado, California, and recently New York, some states allow the use of both medical and recreational medical marijuana. In contrast, others like Ohio and Florida only let people purchase and use medical marijuana products for medical purposes (and they often must possess the state’s medical marijuana card from a licensed medical professional to do this).

Other states like Texas and Kentucky discourage medical marijuana use, but they can legally sell CBD products. As you can see on this map, many legal loopholes and different statuses around the country allow for medical marijuana to be consumed for a specific purpose. The legality of medical marijuana products is rapidly evolving, and there’s often no clear way to tell what will happen next, so be sure to check back for updates. You may have to wait a while to consume or smoke medical marijuana recreationally in your area, or your state may send a surprise your way and legalize medical marijuana by the end of the year!

Entourage Effect Theory

When CBD first became popular, one of the biggest draws to CBD products was that people of all ages could use them. Even pet product manufacturers now include CBD in pet treats and food to address a wide variety of animal-related ailments like sore joints and anxiety. Is CBD extract the best way to consume your CBD? Maybe — but maybe not in all cases.

The “entourage effect” suggests that CBD products that include certain terpenes, or aromatic compounds found in medical marijuana plants, may produce a stronger effect than CBD isolate alone. CBD extract containing terpenes such as myrcene, linalool, and limonene, may work synergistically with your CBD to create more significant benefits for you. Now that you understand the basics of common extraction methods, you can see that CBD can be extracted alone (as an isolate) or with terpenes that may boost its effects.

Choose Fluent

Learning more about the products you buy is a great step to take if you want to become more involved in the medical marijuana community. Whether you have specific medical marijuana-related questions or you just want to chat about your favorite CBD products in Texas, we’re here for you! Give us a call at 833-735-8368 or contact Fluent in Texas with this handy form to speak to a knowledgeable representative today.

Featured Image: Near D Krasaesom/Shutterstock