What is CBD?

The extraction of CBD is carried out on the basis of cannabis varieties entered in the European Community Register and accepted for cultivation for industrial use. These are cannabis with a low THC content (always below 0.2% as required by law). At the beginning a raw extract is obtained from the hemp plant. In this extract there are many components of the plant, CBD and smaller amounts of other cannabinoids, chlorophyll, wax, terpenes and everything that can be extracted from the plant we find in the first extraction phase that looks like a dark molasses and that preserves the whole spectrum of molecules of the hemp plant.

Starting from this first extract, various phases of refining follow one another, which gradually lead to an ever greater purity in the final product. The more we refine the product and the more we focus our attention only on a specific molecule, the more we find high percentages of CBD in the final extract and a much lower quantity of all the other substances. Once the threshold of 80% purity of CBD within the extract is exceeded, it begins to solidify or, using the specific term, to crystallize. Only at this stage can the first crystals in the extract be detected.The refining process continues until everything other than pure cannabidiol is eliminated and a final extract 99% pure and above is obtained: in practice, with the crystal we have the pure cannabidiol molecule (CBD).

CBD (Cannabidiol) has acquired in recent years much importance for its application in the therapeutic field. There is still a long way to go both from medical research and institutions but, since the first studies have highlighted its beneficial properties, cannabis has enjoyed some great attention.

Let's go back to the two main cannabinoids present in nature: THC and CBD are used, with different purposes, in therapy. Both have benefits for human health: THC is antispamodic, analgesic, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, and can stimulate appetite and antiematic properties. CBD has anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, antipsychotic, antioxidant, neuroprotective and immunomodulatory effects.

What are the differences between THC and CBD?

THC has psychotropic characteristics as opposed to CBD, which is able to counteract the action of THC. A further difference between THC and CBD lies in the ability of the former to bind to the CB1 receptor, which is present in the central nervous system, as opposed to cannabidiol, which interacts with the CB2 receptor, which is present in various areas of the human body, especially in the immune system.

Let's try to clarify a little bit. First of all, "What does Cannabis Light mean?" The so-called term - perhaps too simplistically with this ending - is to be understood as the whole range of various preparations derived from dried cannabis inflorescences in which the THC concentration is between 0.2% and 0.6%. Light is the adjective that indicates a very low concentration of the active substance that is responsible for the psychotropic effects of cannabis. In this historical moment, for the majority of people CBD and cannabis light are associated mainly with inflorescences for technical use due to the great commercial development they have had on the territory, with the opening of many dedicated shops. But CBD is present in different forms. Let's see which ones.