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Home , Hash oil, Hemp oil

Meeting a high demand

In recent years, the plant has Although cannabis is mostly associated with being a begun to shed some of the sti gma that has traditi onally haunted it. recreational , demand for cannabidiol (CBD) oil and While cannabis sti ll remains an illegal products is growing for medical and skin care applications. substance in most parts of the world for recreati onal use, legislati on has begun to What exactly is CBD and what is driving the increasing relax, especially in North America. Canada and US states such as demand for it? lle Kauppila and have legalised the recreati onal use of cannabis, hoping that compounds called , the two cannabis oil produced through the the now taxable drug can bring in some most common ones being cannabidiol above-described extracti on process is a income for state authoriti es and lower (CBD) and (THC). thick and molasses-like . The most the number of people arrested for minor THC induces psychoacti ve eff ects (a important thing, however, is the high level infracti ons of drug laws. ‘high’) while CBD does not contain any of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the But even in places where recreati onal psychoacti ve properti es. fi nal product. Although the levels of THC cannabis remains illegal, the medical contains a very low concentrati on vary wildly between diff erent products, opportuniti es of the plant are being of THC (0.3% or less) while has Pradolin says cannabis oil generally has a explored. Several countries and states in 15%-40% THC. Because of this, hemp THC content of anywhere between 4% both the Americas and Europe now allow is mainly grown for industrial purposes and 35%. the culti vati on and use of cannabis for while marijuana is grown for recreati onal “CBD oil, on the other hand, does medical purposes. and medicinal purposes. However, with not contain high levels of THC and is Beyond medical use, cannabis products the fast-growing popularity of CBD, hemp therefore not psychotropic, nor does it are also fi nding their way into skincare is also used to produce a wide variety of produce a ‘high’.” products and health foods, with Coca- THC-free CBD products. The industrial hemp plant used in CBD Cola even looking to introduce These diff erences explain the disti ncti on producti on is a strain of Cannabis sati va into new “wellness drinks”. between cannabis oil and CBD oil. that has been used for fi bre producti on Cannabis oil – someti mes called hash for more than 10,000 years. The actual Cannabis vs hemp vs marijuana oil – is a general label for oleoresins (a THC content found in industrial hemp So what exactly is the diff erence between mix of and resins) extracted from the diff ers according to regional laws, with the cannabis, hemp and marijuana? Cannabis fl owers of the marijuana plant (making allowable limit in Europe set at 0.2% and is a family of plants with two primary it cannabis oil) or all parts of the plant the USA at 0.3%. classifi cati ons – Indica and S a ti v a . While (making it ) using a , such as Despite a disti ncti on in the chemical marijuana can be considered a member or . properti es of the two oils, diff ering of either classifi cati on, hemp is a member Demi Pradolin, community manager regulati ons between diff erent regions of the S a ti v a family (see Figure 1, following at Netherlands-based hemp product keep muddying the . In the USA, page). and CBD oil producer Endoca, explains for example, even low-THC products Cannabis contains a variety of diff erent to Oils & Internati onal that the are someti mes labelled as “cannabis oil”, u

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and medical industries,” says Pradolin. “Currently scientific research into the benefits of CBD is considered limited, but there are some promising studies and literature that support CBD as a therapeutic alternative to prescription medicine.” Endoca has carried out reviews of scientific literature surrounding the use of CBD in medicine. The studies suggest that CBD is effective in the areas of pain relief, neurological disorders and autoimmune disorders. In pain relief, CBD helps to stimulate the body’s to produce more of a pain-fighting called . This natural compound works to regulate pain and high levels of anandamide can reduce pain responses. This could be useful for patients suffering from, among others, arthritis pain, multiple sclerosis, migraines, Figure 1: The cannabis family – hemp compared with marijuana Source: Endoca and nerve pain. Medical marijuana is already prescribed as a pain medication u according to Spanish cannabis seed firm companies joining the space every day, in certain parts of the world, so it makes RoyalHow i sQueen the oil p Seeds.roduced ? How much is produced globaandlly? a quantity that is correct today will sense that CBD oil would also work in In Europe such labelling practices are most likely be out of date by tomorrow.” similar roles. notThe allowedoil can be and,prod utherefore,ced in a wid thee va rlow-THCiety of way s, from tinHowever,cture form wshehic hsays requ thatires t htheree use hasof a sbeenolven t On 25 June 2018, the US Food and like or vegetable glycerin to extract the vital plant molecules, to the industry gold standard of product is called . But, going a huge increase in the demand for CBD Drug Administration (FDA) approved C02 extractions which is what we do here at Endoca. ​ ​ back to the other side of the Atlantic, products globally, and production is a medicine called Epidiolex for the hempThis re qoilui randes th CBDe plan toil m aareteri amorel to be or pu lesst int o a chambeconstantlyr where the growing.temperatu Accordingre and press utore Pradolin,of the treatment of seizures associated with two interchangeableC02 is set and com pterms,ressed ,even turnin thoughg the C02 an in to a fine mtheist wCBDhich ‘industrywashes’ t hise ppoisedlant ma toter ibeal a worthnd rare and severe forms of epilepsy, namely Americanextracts all “CBDthe vita oil”l pla nproductt compo uoftennds. O nchase t hae pressurUS$22bne is release dby, t h2020.e plant material and extracted Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet higher CBD content than an American While global production numbers for syndrome. The effective substance in “hemp oil” product. CBD oil are vague, the extraction methods Epidiolex is CBD, and the drug does not It is no wonder that with such wildly are easier to explain. “The oil can be contain THC, according to the FDA. fluctuating labelling practices, neither produced in a wide variety of ways,” says Studies reviewed by Endoca showed regulators, consumers or the industry are Pradolin, “from tincture form – which that CBD could also help with other quite clear on what exactly all the different requires the use of a solvent-like alcohol neurological conditions including kinds of cannabis-derived oils are. And or vegetable glycerin to extract the vital schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s this is all without even mentioning the plant molecules – to the industry gold and strokes.

hemp used in cooking. standard of CO2 extraction, which is what In the area of autoimmune disorders, As a general rule of thumb, however, Endoca uses.” Endoca says CBD works as an antioxidant the distinction suggested by Pradolin will In CO2 extraction, plant material is that can help fight inflammation by

suffice in most situations: cannabis oil placed into a chamber. CO2 is pumped stimulating the body’s vanilloid pain contains THC while CDB oil is virtually into the chamber, and its temperature and receptors. This activity prevents the body THC-free. pressure are set. The gas is compressed, from destroying the previously mentioned which turns it into a fine mist that anandamide by inhibiting a process known Production and extraction ‘washes’ the plant material and extracts as amide hydrolase (FAAH). One China is the leading industrial hemp the desired plant compounds. medical condition where this property producer in the world, being responsible “Once the pressure is released, the might prove beneficial is Crohn’s disease. for some 70% of total world output. plant material and extracted compounds An Isreaeli study – the first of its kind – Far behind it, France is the second remain separated. This is what we refer to found in October 2018 that a treatment largest hemp producer, growing roughly as our ‘first extract’ and it is then used to with cannabis oil containing 15% CBD 25% of global output. Together, these formulate various CBD products.” and 4% THC showed a significant two countries dominate global hemp reduction in the symptoms of Crohn’s production with a nearly 95% share, Medical applications disease. However, the same study said while 30 more countries produce globally One of the major applications where that despite cannabinoids’ “profound negligible amounts of hemp. cannabis and CBD oils are gaining traction anti-inflammatory effects”, the researchers However, when it comes to global is the field of medicine. Many medical found that the medicine did not impact CBD oil production, Pradolin says that benefits have been attributed to the oils, the gut inflammation associated with estimating outputs becomes increasingly particularly low-THC CBD oil, but the Crohn’s disease. difficult. “The global amount of CBD or topic remains contentious. In addition to these fields, Endoca says even cannabis oil itself is not something “Using CBD oil as medicine is a hotly that CBD could help in regulating anxiety I can give an answer to. There are new debated topic within both the cannabis and panic attacks, combating addictions

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and treating hormonal and digestive To be able to sell CBD products in the issues. However, Pradolin calls for more EU, the seller must apply for novel food research to be performed on CBD’s ‘The global market authorisation from the EU. benefits. Apart from the legal question, there is “There needs to be more support for value for also the matter of public perception. For double-blind, placebo-controlled studies a long time, cannabis has been presented looking at CBD and its benefits. Without CBD hemp oil alone to the public as a drug and parts of the this scientific research behind us, we will population continue to regard it as such. continue to see a stigma surrounding the will reach US$1.11bn In recent years, though, attitudes have use of CBD as a medicine,” says Pradolin. begun to change and the demand for by the end of 2025 hemp and CBD products is skyrocketing. Skincare use Market research firm QY Research, in a Outside the medical field, cannabis with the entire February 2019 study, forecasts that the and CBD oils have found popular use global market value for CBD hemp oil in the skincare products industry, with alone will reach US$1.11bn by the end Hollywood stars and the public in the USA cannabis market of 2025 with the entire cannabis market embracing the ‘cannabis craze’. poised to grow to US$22bn by 2020. In a presentation for the American poised to grow to It sees the cosmetics industry, alongside Academy of Dermatology, Dr pharmaceuticals and food, to be the Jeanette Jacknin says the skin has an US$22bn by 2020’ market drivers for CBD hemp oil through endocannabinoid system that helps 2025. regulate the production of various “Technological advancements – such hormones and with research January 2019, four men were arrested in as the rising usage of CBD hemp oil in suggesting that cannabinoid receptors Oklahoma on suspicion of drug trafficking the form of tincture, spray and vape in the skin can affect epidermal after law enforcement officials discovered – is expected to boost demand in the differentiation and skin development. they were transporting nearly eight coming years. Rising concerns for various Jacknin says several studies have tonnes of industrial hemp, worth some neurological disorders, an increasing shown that cannabinoids produce lipids US$850,000. Police tests discovered number of chronic diseases such as that regulate acne and seborrhea. Due undisclosed levels of THC in the hemp diabetes, and growing awareness of to their anti-inflammatory properties, batch, which led to the arrests. depression and stress among youngsters CBD may also help in fighting eczema The shipment was intended for Panacea have led to increasing usage of CBD hemp and atopic dermatitis. Jacknin notes Life Sciences, a hemp and wellness oil in the healthcare sector. CBD hemp that hemp oil’s “anti-inflammatory and company specialising in hemp-based oil also helps in the treatment of skin moisturising properties make it wonderful therapeutics. “This is such a grey area,” problems such as acne.” for skin care”. It no surprise, then, that Panacea Life Sciences president Jamie Pradolin also agrees that the future the cosmetics industry is one of the Baumgartner told Hemp Business Journal. might hold great promise for cannabis major end-users of cannabis oil products “We’re trying to work to clarify the and CBD oil. According to her, more and and that the CBD skincare boom is now situation that this was industrial hemp. We more people across the globe have come looking to cross the Atlantic to the EU. also hope that this is going to be a test to recognise the therapeutic benefits of case so that there is better clarification in CBD and cannabis and it is beginning to Hazy legal status the future for the transportation of what become more commonplace. However, the big obstacle standing in the is an important agricultural product.” However, she says the explosion way of cannabis and CBD products is that One of the issues in the USA is the in demand has led to huge levels of they are extracts of a plant best known cannabis field test kit provided to local production with many companies for illicit . That means that they will police officers simply detects the presence doing so without the attention to detail inevitably run into two majors hurdles – of THC and not whether its levels surpass or understanding, so regulation and regulations and public perception. the legal federal limit. education “are still incredibly important”. Despite recent legalisation and In the EU, the situation is similarly Pradolin says that she can see decriminalisation decisions, marijuana muddled. The bloc’s own CBD legislation regulation going one of two ways. remains an illegal substance in most parts is patchy and regulations vary wildly “The first, which is what we are hoping of the world for recreational use. With between member states. Germany and for, is that CBD becomes commonplace medical marijuana, the regulatory situation Finland, for example, allow medicinal in all homes. Whether that be in a trendy is slightly more lenient, with a good use and cultivation of cannabis while, food product, or in someone’s medicine number of countries having some kind of for instance, Sweden bans it altogether. cabinet, I think there is space for both prescription system in effect. However, However, these restrictions often apply and different companies will fill different cannabis and CBD oils keep running afoul only to smoked cannabis products. purposes in the industry. Nonetheless, we of cannabis laws, sometimes even in cases Whether they concern cannabis and do know it’s possible for legislation to go where their end uses are purely industrial. CBD oils is questionable, although CBD/ the other direction and for CBD to be a As mentioned earlier, the legal limit for hemp oil produced through cold pressing highly regulated and controlled medicine.” THC content in industrial hemp – from can currently be sold in the EU without For the time being, the cannabis which CBD products are manufactured – authorisation (within legal THC limits). industry is riding a high of great demand is 0.2% in Europe and 0.3% in the USA. However, CBD oil produced through and a promising future. Whether that high According to the Hemp Business Journal, certain extraction and purification turns out to be reality or just a pipe dream

the 2018 US Farm Bill effectively legalised techniques – such as the CO2 method depends on the regulators. ● hemp production in the USA but, in – is classified as a novel food product. Ile Kauppila is OFI’s former assistant editor

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