CBD: An unfortunate misunderstanding?

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the words: Cannabis, Hemp, Marijuana, CBD and THC? Some of these words are not known to everyone and some others consist taboo words. In the next few weeks, I will try to explain these terms and present some of the similarities, differences, benefits and contraindications.

Let’s get started!

What is CBD
CBD (cannabidiol) as well as THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are two of hundreds of chemical compounds, or cannabinoids as they are also called, found in the cannabis family of plants. Plants in the cannabis family have been divided into two categories: Hemp and Marijuana. CBD and THC compounds appear in both hemp and marijuana plants and their concentration depends on whether the plant was sourced from hemp  or marijuana.

Let’s make it clear!

What is the difference between Hemp and Marijuana? 
Hemp is the non-psychoactive variety of the Cannabis sativa plant and it is the main source of CBD. You may also see it as industrial hemp, because different parts of the hemp plant are used to create fabrics, paper, automotive parts, furniture, construction materials, food and beverages, personal care products, and more.

Marijuana is primarily grown for medical and recreational purposes and comes from either Cannabis indica or Cannabis sativa plant. It contains a high amount of the psychoactive compound THC and has been used as a drug for centuries.

Hemp and marijuana also look different. Hemp is a taller and skinnier plant, with thinner leaves concentrated toward the top. Marijuana has a bushier appearance, with wider leaves and thicker buds.

While both plants are part of the same cannabis family and share many similarities, there are different regulations regarding their cultivation and usage. The greatest difference between hemp and marijuana is the legislation, which differentiates depending on the amount of THC in the plant. Hemp plant contains less than 0.3% THC, whereas marijuana plant, contains more than 0.3% THC (namely up to 30%).


Source: Patel, R. (2019). The CBD Oil Solution (1st edition). Alpha.

Is CBD legal in Switzerland?
Yes, CBD is legal, as it is not a psychoactive compound. Instead, THC is responsible for the narcotic effect of cannabis. According to the Swiss Confederation, cannabis plants that contain very little THC (less than 1%) are not banned under Swiss narcotics legislation and the products made from these plants can be bought and sold legally.

Thank you for reading my first post!

In my next post I will explain the difference between CBD and THC compounds and their most common usage.
Stay tuned!

Let me know in the comments below if you found this article interesting!

Disclaimer:
I would like to clarify that everything written in this post is pure data collection from several sources that you can find below and it is not my personal opinion. My only aim is to raise awareness on the topic.

Sources:
cbdoil.org/what-is-cbd
cbdoil.org/what-is-hemp
ch.ch/en/cannabis
swissmedic.ch
Patel, R. (2019). The CBD Oil Solution (1st edition). Alpha.

Vasia Theodoropoulou

Hello everyone! My name is Vasia and I am coming from Greece. I am an OBM master student and my goal is to become a digital marketing expert! Living in Basel, I enjoy walking by the Rhine river and having BBQs with friends. For the upcoming weeks my goal will be to raise awareness on a relatively taboo topic. Follow my posts to find out more!

View all posts by Vasia Theodoropoulou →

10 thoughts on “CBD: An unfortunate misunderstanding?

  1. Wow. I never knew parts of the hemp plant served as other useful purposes in furnitures, papers etc. Simple and informative on the differences 🙂 Thank you Vasia!

    1. Thank you very much for your comment Megan! I am happy that you found my post interesting and informative! 🙂

    1. Thank you very much George! I am glad you found it useful! Stay tuned for my next posts! 🙂

  2. Very interesting post Vasia! There is definitely a lot more to learn from this topic than I imagined.

    1. Thank you very much Paam! I am happy that you found it interesting! Follow my posts to find out more about the topic! PS. My second post is up! 🙂

  3. I had really my doubts about it! However, this post helped me realize that CBD cannot be harmful!

    1. Thank you Katerina! Although more and more people are using CBD products, there is still lack of information. I am glad you learned something new from my post! 🙂

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