How longstanding confusion has led to the misrepresentation of a common cannabis product of today.
Do you hate going to the supermarket? You might if you’re one of those people who hate spending 15-20 just trying to find a few things in a store filled with a million different options. Some of the shelves are too tall. Some aisles are poorly labeled (do we really consider honey to be an ‘ethnic food’?). At the end of the shopping trip, you’d be lucky to leave with what you intended to find. It’s frustrating to know what you’re looking for but not be able to find it. Sadly, this type of situation is popping up in the CBD industry.
There’s Always a New Product To Rage About in the Cannabis Industry
Under the War on Drugs, the cannabis industry was afforded very little creative freedom. However, things have changed. These days, there’s always a new product to rage about in the cannabis industry. Vape pens, dab rigs, accessories galore!
With so much innovation in an industry that is still improperly regulated in many respects, the door has been left open for both confusion and deception.
Thankfully, we can examine the confusion without having to point any fingers of blame. Any person or brand that uses deception to confuse their consumers is simply taking advantage of the opacity in most people’s understanding of cannabis.
More importantly, the confusion started long ago. When Henry Anslinger unofficially launched the War on Drugs before it was popular to do so, he lumped highly potent cannabis plants into the same category as low-THC hemp. The general misunderstanding of cannabis at the time, then, is partially what has led to the systemic confusion now.
Thankfully, the air is being cleared in the smoke of confusion around hempseed oils. While some may claim they offer the full range of benefits found in other cannabis products, we know that hempseed does not contain the same phytocompound profile THC-heavy varieties [1]. In other words, if you’re looking for the benefits of cannabinoids in hempseed oil, you’re not going to find the same results as if you’d purchased a full-spectrum cannabis oil.
So, if you’re heading out to go shopping for a CBD product and see a similar product that’s derived from hempseed oil, don’t leave the store without the product you came for.
References
- Cinzia Citti et al. “Analysis of cannabinoids in commercial hemp seed oil and decarboxylation kinetics studies of cannabidiolic acid (CBDA).” Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Volume 149. 2018. Pages 532-540.
