What Is Hemp-Based CBD?

Mountains and a river

86% of Americans have heard it. 18% have tried it. 60% of consumers use it for some form of unwinding (relaxation, relieving stress).

The above statistics are from the 2020 U.S. CBD Consumers Report: Archetypes and Preferences. They are more proof that CBD continues to grow in popularity as more people incorporate it into their daily lives.

So, what exactly is CBD anyway? To answer that question, let’s first look at the hemp cannabis plant. It contains over 450 known organic compounds. At least 113 of which are “cannabinoids.” The most prevalent cannabinoid in hemp is “cannabidiol”— what is commonly referred to as CBD. CBD accounts for about 40% of the hemp plant’s extract.

The most notorious cannabinoid is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is responsible for the psychoactive effects in cannabis. This is not an issue with CBD made from the hemp plant because, by law, it must contain less than .3 percent of THC, which is not enough to get you high.

Some of the other notable cannabinoids in hemp are Cannabigerol (CBG), Cannabinol (CBN), and Cannabichromene (CBC), to name just a few.

The cannabinoids in cannabis are known as “phytocannabinoids” — “phyto” means plant. Now, it’s our good fortune as humans who want to be healthy that our bodies also contain and need cannabinoids. The cannabinoids in our bodies are referred to as “endocannabinoids” — “endo” means internal.

The Endocannabinoid System

Endocannabinoids are part of our body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is named after the cannabis plant because the cannabinoids in the cannabis plant led to its discovery. Besides cannabinoids, the two other components of the ECS are receptors and enzymes.

There is still much to learn about the ECS, as it was only discovered in 1992. But many experts have called the ECS “the most important physiologic system involved in establishing and maintaining human health.” That’s because the ECS acts on multiple systems in our body, including the cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive, and nervous systems. It plays a role in regulating a range of processes and functions, including sleep, mood, appetite, memory, reproduction, and fertility. (If you’re familiar with CBD, you most likely are aware that CBD is also used to improve the wellbeing of pets, especially dogs. That’s because all vertebrates and invertebrates have been found to possess ECS systems.)

Legal in all 50 states

Why has CBD been gaining so much press lately? While scientists have been aware of CBD since 1940, it remained underappreciated. The focus was more on THC. Many growers were actually trying to breed CBD out of cannabis plants because they weren’t aware of its benefits. It’s only within the last ten to fifteen years where people began to appreciate and understand the effect that CBD has on our general wellness.

But it was because of the passage of the 2018 United States Farm Bill which legalized CBD derived from the hemp plant, that CBD really came into its own in the cannabis marketplace. The 2018 Farm Bill made CBD derived from hemp legal at the federal level, and now at the state level, CBD is legal in all 50 states.

One reason for CBD’s growing popularity is it’s made with natural ingredients. Plus, CBD has limited side effects; it’s not addictive, and you can’t overdose on it.

CBD for Overall Wellness, Healthy, and Vitality

This has created a huge demand. The hemp-based CBD market is expected to grow to $22 billion by 2022 (up from $327 million in 2017) according to the market research firm, the Brightfield Group. That’s a 572 percent increase in just five short years!

Growth like this only happens if a product generates a healthy word-of-mouth buzz fueled by delivering solid results. If you’re looking for a product made with natural ingredients to aid with stress management, more healthy restful sleep, relief from aches and pains, or just something to support your overall wellness, health, and vitality, CBD might be just what you’re looking for.