CBD oil and hemp oil have different scientific elements, but both claim to fight common ailments that are giving the oils a growing fan base. With marijuana usage rising as more U.S. states legalize the controversial but commercially available herb, a cottage industry has developed around the use of marijuana with various claims of healthy attributes on multiple medical fronts. Officially, marijuana is deemed as Schedule I herbal substance by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, meaning the drug offers "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse," according to the federal government. That categorization was adjusted after the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which included a provision that separated hemp from marijuana, as noted in the Controlled Subject Act. Millions of users and a growing number of health specialists disagree with any negative tone, noting that marijuana (Cannabis) has health-improving components that deserve a closer look by the medical community. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The plant contains the mind-altering chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related compounds. Extracts can also be made from the cannabis plant." Virtually all of the health care products derived from the cannabis plant centers around two primary components - CBD (Cannabidiol) oil and hemp oil. Each is used and sold as natural health remedies and, even as they share certain characteristics, they have some important differences, too. CBD Oil. vs. Hemp Oil Let's take a closer look at hemp oil and CBD oil and see how they compare - and how they differ. What Is CBD Oil? CBD oil is derived from the Cannabis sativa plant and is known scientifically as cannabidiol. CBD is one of 120 known chemical compounds embedded in marijuana plants and differs from hemp in that it contains Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the primary psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis. THC levels vary from plant to plant and CBD is largely considered by scientists not to be psychoactive on its own, but foes contain health-improving components that aid individuals suffering from a wide array of medical issues, including high blood pressure, anxiety, and trouble sleeping, among other maladies. What health care providers want from CBD is the oil - the main component in the growing number of CBD-based alternative health care products on the marketplace. CBD oil is extracted from the cannabis plant and then mixed with other herbs and oils to create the CBD oils most often seen in health care products and sold to the public, with varying degrees of validation from health care professionals. Related: cbdMD and Bubba Watson on Their New Partnership What Is Hemp Oil? Hemp oil is also derived from Cannabis sativa, which contains the chemical element trans-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabis component that gives marijuana its psychosomatic kick. Hemp oil is extracted from the leaves, petals and seeds from a hemp plant. Yet Cannabis sativa plants have different levels of THC and that is a major factor in defining hemp oil versus CBD oil. Basically, any cannabis sativa plant that contains more than 0.3% of THC is considered to be marijuana. Anything less than 0.3% THC is considered hemp. Thus even though Cannabis sativa and hemp a derived from the very same plant species, they are different based on the levels of THC embedded in the plant. What both CBD oil and hemp oil do have in common is neither is linked to THC and therefore won't provide that psychological "high" so often attributed to THC. Instead, the human body manages cannabinoids through its endocannabinoid system, also known as ECS, which can process CBD and hemp oil through the body and is managed by the human brain, which uses cannabinoids to regulate the body's physiological reactions to the herb, and help better manage key human elements like eating, sleeping, dealing with pains and illnesses, and improving mood. Structurally, the primary variance between hemp oil and CBD oil is that hemp oil can only be extracted from a hemp plant. That's not the case with CBD oil, which can be extracted from a variety of plants, including hemp plants, marijuana plants, and select other plants, as well. CBD Oil and Hemp Oil Potential Uses CBD oil and hemp oil do share similar chemical attributes and are touted as health care solutions to various ailments. CBD oil and hemp oil are often used as a natural supplement to improve human health in the following areas: Anxiety. CBD oil is known as a relaxant, with little or no side effects with regular usage. Depression. According to a number of clinical studies, CBD seems to positively impact serotonin receptors in the human brain, which improves a person's emotional state and supports better emotional well-being. That's a helpful attribute for anyone suffering from depression. Pain relief. Some health experts say that CBD oil can help alleviate chronic pain, primarily by curbing inflammation that can trigger waves of pain on the human body. The oil can also promote better sleep, which can, in turn, fight back against sleep interruption for people experiencing chronic pains, and help cure insomnia in the process. Skincare. CBD oil is also known to improve a variety of human skin issues, including acne, wrinkles, brown spots. CBD has the anti-inflammatory ingredients to help clear up and prevent acne, while it also has the anti-oxidants to curb aging skin. Blood pressure. Scientists say that CBD can also aid the lowering of blood pressure in humans, mainly by reducing the body's systolic pressure in the arteries as the human heart pumps blood. By taking a moderate dosage of CBD oil, some health experts say, an individual can improve blood flow, lower the heart rate and reduce the anxiety the stress often found in patients with high blood pressure. As a vitamin supplement. Hemp oil, in particular, holds high doses of important vitamins, like Vitamins E, B, B1 and B2. Hemp oil is also an invaluable source of protein and antioxidants and contains high levels of helpful body supplements like potassium, magnesium and fatty acids. (which can also help cure maladies like acne and psoriasis, and is known to improve the human body's cholesterol levels. Proper Usage of CBD Oil and Hemp Oil What are the best ways to use and inject cannabis oils? While delivery mechanisms can vary, the safest and most productive method of taking cannabis oils are as follows: Ingest the oils orally. CBD oil consumers can also take doses orally, usually by the chewing of hard candy, mints or gummies. Oral usage takes full advantage of the sublingual gland, located right under the tongue, which helps take in the oils faster and more completely, but in a safer and easier manner than injection. Via beverages. You can also drink cannabis-related beverages (like tea or juices) to intake the oils, but just know that anything that has to pass through the body's digestive system reduces the bioavailability impact of cannabis oils. Whatever course you take, keep your general practitioner in the loop and make sure to thoroughly vet any CBD or hemp oil products before hitting "buy" on your phone or dishing out cash at an alternative health product store. Like any other over-the-counter health care product, CBD oils and hemp oils can vary in the quality of the product, and there are certainly plenty of fly-by-night operators out there looking to rip you off with a no- or low-quality cannabis-based product. Do your due diligence, read up on cannabis oils, and ask around among family and friends to get their take on cannabis oils they've used. After all, the more research you do, the higher your chances of optimizing your CBD or hemp oil experience.<doc-sep>KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – People call CBD oil a miracle drug, a possible cure to the opioid crisis, but others say it is a mystery. The hemp derivative is available just about everywhere now. When we reached out to find people using CBD oil, we quickly realized we did not have to look far. John Houske works at WATE 6 on Your Side. He is up early in the morning working behind the scenes on “Good Morning Tennessee.” The 54-year-old has been using CBD oil now for about two months after a serious ankle injury stole some of his mobility. “There was a lot of times I couldn’t move as fast I as I generally would because my ankle would not respond the way I needed it to,” Houske said. “I was told I would never water ski again and I am an avid water sports person. I’m going to water ski someday.” Houske says a few drops of CBD oil a day gives him relief and the hope he can get back to some of the activities he loves. “After about 10 days, I didn’t have the discomfort that I had,” he said. MORE ONLINE | What’s your CBD IQ? Take our Quiz Many CBD stores are popping up in every corner of town. Belew Pharmacy also now sells CBD products. They are labeled as herbal or dietary supplements, but there are warnings as well. “If it were the miracle cure, we would all be doing it and it would safe for all of us,” Pharmacist Samantha Boldin said. “There are some things we need to look at before someone uses it.” Boldin says blood pressure and cholesterol medicines, as well as blood thinners, can have dangerous, even deadly interactions. While Boldin believes in the product and even uses it herself, she says you need to be educated and get your CBD from a trusted source. “That could be very dangerous for someone who doesn’t know what medications they’re taking or what’s in the bottle they are taking.” Boldin says when the laws in our state allowed more sales of hemp-related products this past year, Belew Drugs wasn’t sure what kind of response they would get, but now they are amazed at some of the success stories. “We have a lot of patients with a variety of problems from anxiety and insomnia to pain. We are in the middle of an opioid crisis, especially in our area, so we are looking at this as an alternative for these people not to get hooked on opioids.” Boldin says CBD does not have enough THC to give people the pychoactive effects or “high” that people get from marijuana use, but you could still get a false positive on a drug test. “I would recommend before anyone ever starts it, if there is a possibility for you to get drug tested for your job or you are going through a child support case, or anything where you wouldn’t want to have a positive drug screen on your record, I would probably stay away from it.”<doc-sep>For years, I’ve experienced chronic knee pain, likely caused by too much jogging, biking and playing any sport with a ball. I’ve had tests performed on both knees, MRIs too, with more than one surgeon telling me to return to their office when my pain gets too much to bear. I’ve got a cyst in one knee, and a meniscus tear in the other. If I move my right knee a certain way, it feels like it’s being stabbed with a knife.<doc-sep>
CBD oil was in the news again this week when a great-grandmother was arrested outside Disney World for allegedly having the cannabis-based compound with purported medicinal benefits in her purse. The woman said her doctors recommended CBD for arthritis, and the charges were later dropped. But the arrest brought to light unanswered questions about the ingredient, which has been touted by celebrities like Kim Kardashian West and Kristen Bell and has gained a reputation as an elixir for ailments ranging from anxiety to diabetes. Specifically: Are the claims about CBD’s benefits true? And is it even legal? The answers are complicated. Does CBD Have Health Benefits? Dr. Kevin Hill, an addiction psychiatrist and Director of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, told PEOPLE in March, “It’s an extremely promising compound and there are a lot of studies that show its potential.” But he added, “While pre-clinical or animal studies show CBD may have anti-anxiety properties and may be antipsychotic, for the majority of uses, there is not a lot of evidence.” RELATED: Does CBD Oil Really Work? A Doctor Weighs In Short for cannabidiol, CBD is a non-intoxicating chemical in the cannabis plant. Unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD does not make you high. So far, though, the FDA has only approved a version of CBD for two pediatric epilepsy conditions, making the CBD market a “wild, wild west,” according to Hill. The lack of regulation means most of the CBD purchased online is not approved. “You’re not really sure what you’re getting,” he says, adding that a recent study showed only about 30 percent of commercial CBD products are accurately labeled. Kim Kardashian | Matt Baron/REX/Shutterstock The case of Hester Burkhalter, the 69-year-old woman arrested outside Disney World for allegedly having CBD oil, speaks to the problem of labeling: Burkhalter’s CBD oil tested positive for THC, despite the fact that the bottle reportedly claimed it contained zero milligrams of THC. Story continues That can be problematic when so many people are taking it. “While the compound itself appears to be relatively safe, we need to know more,” he says. “It’s not a great scenario to have millions of people using cannabidiol when we don’t have the level of evidence that we need about its long-term effects or interaction with other medications.” Is It Legal? Short answer: It depends which state you’re in. The federal 2018 Farm Bill lifted a nationwide ban on producing hemp, from which the oil is made, and which formerly was classified as a controlled substance. But the bill left states to follow their own laws, many of which still classify hemp as illegal, reports The New York Times. RELATED: N.C. Woman, 69, Arrested Outside Disney World After Security Finds Her CBD Oil for Her Arthritis That means farmers who legally produce hemp in Oregon and Kentucky — where hemp production is legal — may have their product seized and drivers arrested as it travels through Idaho and Oklahoma, where police still enforce the ban, according to the Times. Kristen Bell | Michael Kovac/Getty • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Complicating matters further is that state regulation may allow CBD oil in food and alcohol (for example, in Colorado and Missouri), which federal policy forbids without a doctor’s prescription, as it is in California and Georgia. RELATED: Kim Kardashian Is ‘Obsessed’ With CBD Beauty Products, Plus More Stars that Love the Ingredient Federal law still says CBD oils are legal to possess if they contain no more than 0.3 percent THC, a component in marijuana that, like hemp, also is derived from the cannabis plant. But authorities in Texas, Ohio and other states have arrested those who sell CBD products no matter the THC level, according to the Times. A public hearing this month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hear testimony on the safety of products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds such as CDB. The Tampa Bay Times reports the Florida Department of Agriculture has ruled it’s illegal to sell hemp or CDB in the state, but the state’s agriculture commissioner Nikki Fried has advanced legislation to make state law consistent with federal law. • With reporting by STEPHANIE PFEFFER and RACHEL DESANTIS