Cannabidiol (CBD) isn’t and easy thing to explain.  It works by interacting with an almost unknown part of our body: the Endocannabinoid System (ECS).   And this little known system is primarily responsible for the regulating and maintaining balance in some of the most well known and talked about systems in our bodies.  The ECS (only “discovered” in the 1980’s!) is essential to maintaining balance in the systems that control our skin, sleep, hunger, pain, appetite, emotional states and more. 

And then there’s the 800 pound gorilla:  it comes from hemp!  And isn’t hemp the same as marijuana?  And isn’t that ILLEGAL!?!?

Hemp was made illegal in the U.S. in 1937.  Exacly why that happened is shrouded in mystery.  All I can say is they must’ve been high!  A toxic mix of racism, greed and anti-drug hysteria (which was also racist in large part) all came together in 1937 to give us one of the most ridiculous outcomes imaginable.

Amazingly, until 2018, hemp was considered a Schedule I Drug by the federal government. That put hemp in the  same category as Angel Dust and Heroin.  Nevermind the fact that Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and others praised it and that it was a ubiquitous legal crop for much of the nation’s history.

And that strange fact – strange both on the face of it and strange in that no other country in the world classified hemp that way – leads to one of the major stumbling blocks in developing a better understanding of CBD.  Because hemp was a Schedule I Drug, there was essentially no research done on it.  Then suddenly CBD is everywhere and people are saying it cures everything.  

These FAQs are an attempt to answer some of the most common questions we hear about CBD.  If you have any other questions, we’d love to hear from you!  If you’re interested in taking a deeper dive, go over to the posts.  We’ve got a growing list of articles that are full of links to sites other than High Times!

CBD is an abbreviation for “cannabidiol“.

Cannabidiol is a cannabinoid.  There are over 100 known cannabinoids.

CBD is just on cannabinoid out of over 100.  However, CBD is nearly always the cannabinoid that is found in the highest concentration. 

“CBD Oil” has become a common phrase to describe an oil that exists primarily as a delivery mechanism for CBD.  Technically, however, “CBD Oil” nearly always contains many other cannabinoids.  In this section when I say “CBD Oil” I’m referring to an oil where CBD is the main cannabinoid but there are others present.

Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that act on the cannabinoid receptors in our Endocannabinoid System (“ECS”).

There are three types of cannabinoids:

1.  Endocannabinoids which exist naturally in our bodies.

2.  Phytocannabinoids which exist naturally in plants (CBD is a phytocannabinoid).

3.  Synthetic Cannabinoids which are made in the lab.

Here’s a really good discussion of these issues.  It’s a bit deep but worth the read.

The ECS is part of our central and sympathetic nervous systems.  Receptors in the ECS interact with various cannabinoids to regulate a variety of physical and mental processes in our bodies such as appetite, pain, mood, memory. stress reaction and inflammation.

CBD Oil comes from the cannabis plant.  All of our CBD comes from industrial hemp plants which are grown in the United States.  It’s important to understand that industrial hemp is defined as a cannabis sativa plant in which THC comprises .3% or less of total dry plant weight.  That’s a scant amount of THC.

Hemp and marijuana are different plants.  Think of it this way:  are Chihuahuas and Rotwiellers both dogs?  Yes, and that’s about all they have in common.

In 2018 it was Senator Mitch McConnell who was the leader in pushing a bill to legalize hemp!  Think about that as you consider whether hemp is a dangerous or drug-related plant!

Here’s a discussion of the difference between hemp and marijuana.

No.  CBD does not create a “high” feeling.  That is caused by THC, another cannabinoid. 

7 Mountains CBD Oil is extracted from industrial hemp plants.  Extraction can be done in a number of ways.  The most common are CO2 and Alcohol.  We use only CO2 extracted oil.

Here’s a little more detail on the topic.

Full Spectrum CBD oil contains a full range of cannabinoids found in hemp, not just CBD.  So full spectrum CBD oil contains some THC, a small amount and not enough to get you high.

The “entourage effect” refers to the idea that when all of the cannabinoids which occur in the hemp plant are used, the overall effect will be better because they are working together in their natural state.  This is why we use full spectrum oil.

No.  CBD oil is the specific cannabinoid extracted from the hemp plant through one of the methods mentioned above.

Hemp oil is obtained by cold pressing hemp seeds.  Think of it like olive oil or grapeseed oil.

I don’t exactly know and I’m skeptical of anyone who says they do.  Our label recommends one dropper two times a day.  These are common amounts to take and we take that amount.

Generally, It stands to reason that you should take the minimum safe and effective amount.  Start low.  See how you feel.  Don’t increase until you have to.

Specifically, if you’re taking any other medication you should talk to your physician before taking CBD oil.

You can take it any way you like!  Sublingual administration (under the tongue) is recommended because the CBD will get into your bloodstream more quickly due to the high number of capillaries under the tongue.

While the absorption rate won’t be as good, you can also take CBD orally by eating our gummies .

Finally, because our bodies have CBD receptors in the skin, you can use our skin care products to get CBD as well.

Broad Spectrum CBD Oil contains all of the cannabinoids that were in the plants from which it was extracted except THC.  That has been removed.  So Broad Spectrum CBD Oil contains no THC

CBD Isolate, as the name suggests is only CBD.  No other cannabinoids are present.  Isolate is a white powder and is used in the full range of CBD products.

In many cases, yes.  CBD has documented analgesic (pain relieving) properties.  In many cases pain is a result of inflammation.  Think of arthritis.  CBD is a proven anti-inflammatory, so reducing inflammation in many cases also reduces pain. 

However, CBD generally doesn’t work like an aspirin to provide relief from generalized pain.

In my own experience, CBD lotion can have a dramatic effect on pain that results from over exertion.

Many of our customers use CBD Balm to ease neuropathy pain.  

Yes, definitely.  As I mentioned above, CBD works through the mechanism of the ECS.  Receptors that are part of the ECS are found in the skin.  

Our skin is an amazing thing.  The different dermal layers are host to a number of systems which ensure that our skin continues to keep out infections and protect us.  

Conditions such as psoriasis, acne, eczema and others occur due to imbalances in the dermal systems.  CBD is an effective method for dealing with these conditions which in many cases are far more than just a matter of appearance.

Research shows that to be effective, topical CBD should have fairly high concentrations of CBD.  That is the cornerstone on which we built our new skincare line of products.