What is the difference in recreational, medical and CBD cannabis?
In general, the difference is what plant produces cannabis as there are four types of “cannabis” products:
Type 1 (THC-dominant) Recreational – High THC, lower CBD (psychoactive marijuana that is ingested primarily for the “high”)
Type 2 (THC & CBD) Medical – Mixed THC and CBD plants (psychoactive but not as much as THC dominant plants). Most medical patients need access to a broad or full spectrum of whole plant cannabis remedies, not just low THC products. CBD and THC enhance each other’s therapeutic effects.
Type 3 (CBD-dominate plants from flowers, not industrial hemp) CBD – high CBD, low THC)
Type 4 Hemp Oil (CBD from Hemp Oil and less than .3% THC) typically does not contain the beneficial CBD. Industrial hemp is not an optimal source of CBD-rich oil.
The key difference between hemp plants and medicinal plants is resin content. Most hemp plants are low-resin plants. Medicinal plants are high-resin plants. Industrial hemp plants are typically low-resin crops grown from pedigree seed, machine harvested and manufactured into many products. Medical plants are a high-resin horticultural crop, naturally grown from clones, hand-harvested, dried, trimmed, and cured.
The best source of the whole plant, CBD-rich oil is high-resin CBD-rich cannabis—regardless of THC variations—that is sustainably grown without pesticides or plant growth regulators.