Cannabis has been a controversial topic for many years. Some people love it for its recreational and medicinal uses, while others see it as a gateway drug. Even though federal prohibition was in effect, state-legal and black-market cannabis cultivation and sales continued for many years, favoring high-THC varieties over high CBD Flowers.
Over the past decade, however, there has been a huge shift towards high CBD and low THC flowers. A survey has shown that 33% of Americans have tried CBD. This is quite remarkable considering that only a decade ago, almost no one knew what CBD was.
We’ll be taking a closer look into the rise of low-THC, high-CBD cannabis and examining the reasons people are choosing strains with higher CBD.
THC: Always Stealing the Show
The most well-known cannabinoid in cannabis, delta-9 THC, has been the star of the show for decades. For many decades, THC has been used in palliative care for cancer patients and aids patients to increase appetite, relieve nausea and alleviate chronic pain.
It is also the cannabinoid responsible for cannabis users feeling high. It was, up until recently, the most studied cannabinoid despite the fact that there are over 100 other cannabinoids in cannabis and hemp plants.
It is likely that both cannabis growers and consumers favored high-THC strains due to a lack of education and research about other cannabinoids (including delta-8 CBD).
CBD Steps into the Spotlight
The Stanley brothers from Colorado bred and cultivated a high-CBD, low-THC cannabis plant. This was around ten years ago. The original name of the strain was “hippie’s disappointment”, due to its lack of high, but it soon became Charlotte’s Web after being used to treat a severe form of epilepsy in a young girl called Dravet’s Syndrome.
The good news spread quickly and other parents began to flock to Colorado where marijuana was legalized for recreational use in 2012 and for medical use in 2000. They were eager to find a cure for their rare and hard-to-treat epilepsy forms.
The Therapeutic Uses of CBD
However, there was growing evidence that CBD wasn’t just providing relief from seizures.
This was also the time when scientists had been studying CBD for many decades. While a lot of research was preclinical (conducted on animals in the lab), evidence strongly indicated that CBD had many desirable properties. These included the ability to reduce anxiety and pain, improve sleep quality, and improve mood.
In America’s opioid crisis, CBD and CBG’s analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties were particularly appreciated.
CBD is used for pain relief by 40% of CBD users. People were searching for an alternative to prescription drugs that was more natural and healthier, and CBD offered an effective and non-addicting option.
Legalization leads to better availability
All forms of cannabis, including hemp, were illegal at the federal level. Access to CBD Flower was therefore restricted for both personal and research use. When the Farm Bill was passed in 2014, CBD was defined as hemp and cannabis. This refers to cannabis that has a THC content of 0.3% or less. In 2018, federal law legalized industrial hemp and all its derivatives.
After legalization, there was a huge increase in the number of CBD extraction facilities and CBD hemp flower brands. Soon, CBD was available online and in-store.
The Rise of Low THC CBD Cannabis Flower Strains
It is no secret that people have used cannabis for thousands upon thousands of years in order to relieve a variety of ailments from arthritis to nausea. However, a recent rise in high CBD hemp strains has allowed people to finally access the health benefits of marijuana without getting high.
These high CBD hemp strains were rich in terpenes which appealed to many people, even those who have never smoked before.
In August 2019, it seemed that the battle between CBD and THC flowers had reached a tipping point. BDS Analytics reported 54% of edible marijuana consumers in fully legal states now prefer CBD content to THC.
The study also revealed that 58% of respondents preferred cannabis products with higher CBD levels, lower THC, or no THC. To balance the effects, many people mix CBD flower with THC Flower.
In a mere ten years, high-CBD cannabis has changed the face of the wellness and health market. As research, awareness and education continue to grow about CBD, it is clear that the growing popularity of CBD high CBD flower strains with low THC shows no sign of slowing.
Hemp flower’s utility and availability is well-known. It is now known that you can make your own CBD products using lotions, oils, and homemade gummies.