Where Does CBD Come From?

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a compound that’s found within the hemp plant.  It can be isolated and added to various products, including lotions, edibles and salves.  CBD that’s been taken from hemp is usually more prevalent because there are less legal issues surrounding it, as compared to CBD that’s been extracted from marijuana.  Hemp is only considered to be hemp if it has less than 0.3% THC, so that’s important to keep in mind when discussing legality.  It is possible for CBD to be extracted from marijuana (which is also a cannabis plant but categorized as such for having more than 0.3% THC), but there can be some legal complications surrounding that, so it’s the less common option. 

Because marijuana has higher amounts of THC than CBD, many find that it’s not as ideal for CBD extraction as hemp is.  However, CBD is the same compound whichever plant it’s extracted from. 

CBD is extracted from hemp. The modern extraction process produces three different types of CBD, so understanding the three types is important when you’re first starting to shop. Full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum CBD, and CBD isolate are made differently, so it helps to know which one a product uses.