Cannabidiol [ ka·nuh·bi·dee·ol ] (CBD) is a compound that is found within various strains of the Cannabis plant. To understand CBD we first need to understand the different types of Cannabis. Cannabis is part of the Cannabaceae [ can·uh·bay·see·aye ] family of dicotyledonous [dai·ko·tuh·lee·duhn·uhs ] plants.
All known flowering plants can be grouped in to two categories, Dicotyledonous, also known as dicots and Monocotyledons [ mon·uh·kot·l·eed·n ], also known as monocots. Dicots are identified by the seed containing two leaves within the embryo, broad mature leaves with a network of veins, the main stem containing a vascular bundle in a ring pattern, tap roots that resemble a carrot rather than sprawled out fibrous roots and an odd number of leaves on the flowering part.
Within the Cannabiaceae family there are two genera, Humulus [ Hu·mu·lus ] and Cannabis. Genera is plural for Genus which is a plant category that ranks above species and below family. Humulus are more commonly referred to as Hops which are used to make and flavour beer.
Cannabis is the term used to describe all varieties and strains of the plant and in agriculture they are all known as cannabis. Within law the definition is broken down based on primarily on the Tetrahydrocannabinol [ teh·truh·hai·drow·ka·nuh·buh·nol ] (THC) content which is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces the high sensation. So, this varies around the globe. But for most of Europe the plant is considered to be Hemp if it is below 0.3% THC, in the UK it is 0.2%, some parts of Europe now allow up to 1% THC and Marijuana is the term used to refer to plants with above these levels of THC. This is the law in regards to how it is grown, however in the UK there are many limbs to the law, for instance a maximum of 1mg of THC is the legal limit within a sealed container or product and in addition to this Zero THC is allowed within food products which is classified as anything consumed orally. Regulations are currently being clarified and enforced but it is currently split across many departments of government. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) are responsible for the food safety elements and novel foods. Trading Standards are responsible for health claims and advertising as well as enforcing the removal of products as advised by the FSA. The Home Office is responsible for the agricultural growing laws and licences, ensuring only EU approval strains are being grown, under licence and adhering to set growing and harvesting practices as well as ensuring products for sale do not contain illegal levels of controlled compounds such as THC. Finally, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are responsible for monitoring if any medical claims are being made or medical delivery methods are being used as CBD is not considered a medicinal compound it is not allowed to be sold in medical delivery devices such as an inhaler or transdermal patches. Body and Mind Botanicals are fully licences and adhere to all regulations, they are registered food manufactures with the FSA and have a primary authority partnership in place with Trading Standards.
Because of the regulations many manufacturers have opted to chemically remove THC from their products and have coined the phrase of Broad Spectrum, there is no formal definition for Broad Spectrum, and this is purely a marketing term. When the THC is removed often other cannabinoids [ka·nuh·buh·noydz], terpenes and flavonoids are destroyed which does impact the products effectiveness. Some other manufactures choose to use CBD isolate powder to make their products which is probably the least effective method but is the cheapest to manufacture. Isolate is a powder that is created through a harsh solvent-based extraction method and the result is almost pure CBD powder with no other compounds which is then blended into products. Isolates have not been proven as a safe way of consuming CBD yet and are currently being investigated by the FSA. Body and Mind Botanicals are the only manufactures in Europe with a unique approach, as the growers and manufacturers BMB have chosen to grow an EU approved strain that naturally has zero THC and this is the basis of the whole range of products that naturally have zero THC.
Every strain of cannabis has a different chemical makeup, there are over 100 known cannabinoids, over 60 terpenes and over 30 flavonoids. Each variant will have different levels of each compound, the two most notable being THC and CBD. On the black-market growers specifically grow high THC and cross breed to remove any CBD. This is because CBD counter acts the psychoactive effects of THC. What Body and Mind Botanicals have done is the exact opposite to grow an EU approved strain of cannabis with Zero THC and high levels of CBD blended with other botanicals to deliver improved wellbeing, help with sleep and relaxation, increased immunity, muscle and joint health as well as lifting your mood.
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Many thanks
Michael Fitzgerald
Co-founder
