What's the difference between CBD vs. Hemp?

We understand how the world of hemp terminology is confusing, but don’t worry.  Since the hemp industry is relatively new, there are many terms like “CBD,” “full-spectrum,” or even “hemp” that seem like the same thing, but they’re not. 

“I’ve heard about CBD, but what exactly is hemp?” 

In short, when most people say “CBD,” they’re actually referring to hemp. The problem with this is that hemp and CBD are two different concepts entirely, so it’s important to learn the difference between them. 

What is hemp?

The word “hemp” is officially defined by the U.S. 2018 Farm Bill as: 

“... The plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.”

That same Farm Bill declassified hemp as a schedule 1 drug so long as the dry hemp plant contains less than 0.3% THC.  

What is CBD?

Hemp contains terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids. There are over 100 different cannabinoids in hemp, and CBD is simply one of them. Bace capsules are not made from CBD, they’re made from hemp extract that contains the broad spectrum of hemp’s compounds including CBD. 

The term “CBD” is an unofficial title given by hemp brands, but it’s actually an abbreviation for cannabidiol, a cannabinoid found in hemp. CBD is a “phytocannabinoid,” which is a fancy term for a cannabinoid created by hemp plants. Cannabinoids produced by humans are called “endocannabinoids.” 

Why do we use the term hemp instead of CBD?

We prefer to use Hemp mostly because it's actually just more accurate! Hemp contains much more than just CBD, as CBD is just one compound found within the hemp plant. As mentioned before, there are over 100 different cannabinoids in hemp such as CBC, CBGA, and CBN. Hemp extract also contains many other terpenes and flavonoids, but we’ll explain those later on. 

Researchers are still investigating each cannabinoid for individual therapeutic benefits, but it’s important to recognize how there are many cannabinoids present in hemp extract outside of CBD.