Cannabis oil, hemp oil, THC or CBD oil: which differences?

How to orientate oneself in the increasingly rich world of oils extracted from the cannabis plant

It is very common to come across online articles utilising expressions like “cannabis oil ”, “THC oil” or “CBD oil” as if they were the very same thing. This is not the case. The boom of the cannabis market has meant that much attention by the public was generated, but at the same time that it was possible to witness a major confusion regarding the correct terms used for describing the substances and products which are very different from each other.

What is meant by cannabis oil?

The Cannabis sativa plant is the one from which the oils are extracted. In these oil the active principles of the plant are present, in particular THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). When one talks about cannabis oil one should mean the kind of oil containing values of THC superior to the maximum threshold established by Italian law, of 0.2. Cannabis oil, thus identified, is utilised – on prescription – by many individuals suffering from specific (and severe) pathologies. This category includes the various THC oils: oils extracted from plants and by means of processes guaranteeing a high content of THC and which can be bought and consumed on specific medical prescription or in those nations which have permitted its use.  

What is hemp oil?

With hemp oil, on the other hand, should be meant the oil obtained from cold pressing of the seeds of Cannabis sativa. In hemp oil amino acids, vitamin A, E, B1, B2, PP e C, mineral salts and cannabinoids are present, in particular CBD. It includes a very low– if not zero – level of THC, it has a pleasant fragrance and is commonly used during meals, for the dressing of various dishes. Hemp oil, in fact, helps to lower levels of the cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, acting in a preventive way against various possible pathologies.  

What is the difference with CBD oil?

CBD (cannabidiol) oil is an oil produced, as is the case in Italy, from varieties of cannabis listed in the European community register and authorised for cultivation for industrial purposes.

We are talking about cannabis with low THC contents (always below 0.2% within the limits provided for by the law). This type of cannabis, having to fall under a production process which respects a series of very precise quality standard requirements, is also cultivated according to the most recent guide lines dictating the principles for guaranteeing a quality product, from cultivation up to sales: from the beginning to the end of the production chain. This vegetable product is shredded and, subsequently, passed through an extraction site. The extraction site produces an extract from which THC has been removed by means of separation and this extract, in turn, is monitored in order to asses both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the cannabinoids as well as their microbiological characteristics. When also these analyses have been carried out, the extract is diluted in hemp seed oil.

The solutions in hemp oil, allow to obtain the various types of hemp oil present on the market. Enecta proposes High quality CBD oil, of which the initial extract is diluted to 3%, 10% and 24%.