Many cannabidiol (CBD) products are assumed or advertised to be free, or mostly free, of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). A new study finds this is not always the case.
THC and CBD are very similar in chemical composition but can have different positive and detrimental effects on the human body, which are still under investigation. They are also regulated differently by the U.S. government. All of these variances between the compounds make the findings of a new study important for people producing, consuming or regulating these products. Recently, researchers from the chemistry lab Ellipse Analytics in Denver, Colorado, tested 250 of the most popular over-the-counter hemp-derived CBD products and found that 46 percent of them also contained THC.
Hemp-based CBD products that contain less than 0.3 percent of THC were federally legalized in 2018 through a Farm Bill. While similar federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation has not yet materialized, CBD has flooded health and wellness markets and now reaches tens of millions of people in the U.S. Testing of CBD products often reveals high levels of THC not disclosed on labels, along with chemicals like synthetic cannabis or diluents, which may be unhealthy for consumption, Merry Jane reports.
"In the absence of a federal definition of THC-Free, consumers are essentially being misled to believe their CBD products are free of THC," Senior Vice President of Innovation and Operations at Ellipse Analytics Dr. Sean Callan told Market Insider. He also explained that his lab tested one CBD product that did contain less than 0.3 percent of THC, but, at the same time, 78mg of THC were in the product. “To provide context, the maximum amount of THC that a brand can have in a single recreational marijuana product in Colorado is 100mg,” he said.
You can learn more about the discoveries of THC and CBD and how they are different and alike in the short video clip below.
Article Sources: Merry Jane, Howcast, Market Insider