Key Questions when buying Cannabis Oil
May 19, 2019

Key Questions when buying Cannabis Oil

CBD stands for 'Cannabidiol' and it is just one of hundreds of cannabinoids found in the Cannabis plant - with very few of these being well-researched. THC stands for 'Tetrahydrocannabinol' and it is this compound that makes you intoxicated or high. Let's take a look at some of the key questions you should ask when purchasing Cannabis Oil. 

1.) What extraction method was used?

There are a number of extraction methods that can be used, here we look at some of the most common examples: 

Butane Hash Oil: also known as BHO, as the name suggests butane is used as the main solvent. There are different consistencies of BHO (mostly determined by temperature). For example: shatter, honeycomb, crumble. One should exercise caution as the THC content can be extremely high. It is very important that this type of oil is tested for purity and residual solvents as it may not be fully purged (you would be consuming Butane).  

Rick Simpson Oil: This method uses 99% ethanol as a solvent and it is known as RSO (Rick Simpson Oil). There are many DIY instructions online but one has to be extremely careful when making this oil. Evaporating the ethanol is a big problem for most people making RSO. One should exercise caution as the THC content can be extremely high. Typically RSO contains very little CBD. It is very important to test for purity and residual solvents. 

 Supercritical CO2 Oil: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a supercritical fluid so it converts to a liquid when subjected to low temperatures and pressure. In this state it exhibits special properties and when reheated and pressurised it will become supercritical (somewhere between a gas and a liquid). This can then pass through cannabis plant material in order to extract active compounds. This is very expensive and requires hi-tech equipment which at the time of writing this blog is not available in South Africa. 

Supercritical C02 extractions are considered the gold standard as it ensures a very potent, very pure extract that contains the maximum amount of active cannabinoids and it does not leave behind residues. This extraction process does not contribute to atmospheric carbon emission increases. This method is not only used in the cannabis industry but also other industries such as manufacturers producing decaffeinated coffee. 

All Peach & Moon CBD products make use of C02 Supercritical extraction. 

2. IS THE OIL FULL-SPECTRUM CBD OR CBD ISOLATE?

CBD isolate: CBD that has been isolated from the plant. It is a powder consisting of only CBD. CBD isolate has less of a taste due to the lack of terpenes. 

Full-spectrum CBD contains cannabinoids and terpenes and the inclusion of these compounds enhances the natural therapeutic properties of CBD - this is known as the entourage effect. Peach & Moon products are full-spectrum hence the earthy strong flavour. 

 Peach & Moon CBD oil contains cannabinoids and terpenes provided by the cannabis flowers and small leaves - this is known as a whole plant extract (a term often used interchangeably with full-spectrum). 

3. IS THE CBD OIL SOURCED FROM INDUSTRIAL HEMP vs HIGHER THC CANNABIS STRAINS?

Industrial hemp simply refers to a variety of Cannabis Sativa L that contains under 0.3% THC - it is merely a legal classification. Industrial hemp was traditionally bred for textiles and building. CBD that comes from industrial hemp is still the same compound as CBD that comes from a plant containing higher levels of THC. CBD oil is not to be confused with hemp seed oil which is made by pressing the seeds of a hemp plant. 

Say you have two bottles of CBD oil, one sourced from cannabis and the other from hemp. The CBD molecule is exactly the same. The difference is the terpenes, resins, and other cannabinoids. Finding the right hemp strains for a hemp CBD oil can take some homework in order to get the benefits of everything surrounding the CBD as hemp generally has lower terpene and cannabinoid counts. 

Hemp plants usually contain 2-5% CBD so a lot of hemp is required. Peach & Moon extract contains 16.5% CBD. One has to be very careful about where and how the hemp plant was grown as they are bioaccumulators - meaning they suck up all contaminants and heavy metals with their root systems. There are many companies importing cheap industrial hemp from China without consumers knowing. 

For exactly the same reasons, one also needs to be careful about where cannabis plants with high THC are grown. For all cannabis plants it is a matter of soil conditions, growing conditions and horticultural inputs. 

4. DOES THE CBD OIL HAVE A THIRD-PARTY LAB REPORT?

 Third party lab reports are very important to prove that the product is what it says it is and that there are no contaminants. 

 

     

       

       

       

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