Medicinal Cannabis Oil – The Facts about THC & CBD

Medicinal Cannabis oil is a concentrated oil extracted from the cannabis plant.

The cannabis plant has been used medicinally for over two thousand years, Most online information will tell you that it has evolved into two main strains, Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica. Cannabis sativa evolved in the cooler northern climates and is generally taller than its cousin Cannabis Indica. The fact is these classifications are pretty much irrelevant in todays modern world where cannabis plants have been genetically selected and bred for specific qualities. The main differentiation between cannabis plants is made on a legal basis regarding the amount of THC they contain. The reality is that the biological world shows a huge variation in phenotypes and cannabinoid profiles between different cannabis plants and between the same species grown in different soil conditions.

Cannabis with low levels of THC under 0.3% and high levels of CBD is commonly called Hemp or Industrial hemp or agricultural hemp. Cannabis with higher levels of THC is sometimes called marijuana or weed. Industrial hemp is normally grown for its fibre and cannabis with high THC has been used medicinally or as a recreational drug far back into antiquity.

Origins of Medicinal Cannabis as a medicine

Cannabis Indica was first observed by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1785 a french biologist travelling in India who noticed the differences in the plants.

In the 1880’s William Brooke O’Shaughnessy, an Irish doctor introduced the plant medicinally to the west after seeing it used in India and was the first person to publish a method to manufacture medicinal cannabis oil.

Cannabis was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1851 until 1941 until marijuana was outlawed in the USA. The first commercially produced medicinal cannabis oils were sometimes made with 80% Alcohol to make a tincture.

What’s the difference between Medicinal Cannabis Oil with high levels of THC and Medicinal Cannabis Oil with high levels of CBD?

Medicinal cannabis oil can be made from any type of cannabis plant or industrial hemp. Cannabis plants can have varying levels of levels of THC and CBD. Hemp generally has low levels of THC and high levels of CBD. In the past few years many hybrid strains have emerged that have a 1:1 THC CBD ratio or other variations since getting the right ratio of cannabinoids has proven effective for certain medical conditions.

THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the cannabinoid that gets you high or stoned. CBD (Cannabidiol) is non psychoactive and won’t get you high. THC is also illegal in many countries so unless you live in a place that has legalised marijuana you risk getting in trouble with the authorities for manufacture or possession of high THC medicinal cannabis oil.

In most countries CBD rich medicinal cannabis oil is perfectly legal but we advise that you check first before purchasing or trying to make you own so you fully understand the legal framework and risks in your jurisdiction

Is Medicinal Cannabis Oil better with more THC or more CBD?

This is a tricky question to answer and one that even within the industry is still hotly debated. People like Rick Simpson, the creator of Rick Simpson oil or RSO and the man behind the documentary “Run from the Cure” is convinced that for treating diseases like cancer it’s the THC that is important. Rick Simpson claimed to have cured his skin cancer by making his own homemade medicinal cannabis oil and has taught others how to make it.

Due to Rick’s documentary there is a lot of misinformation on the web that claims that THC is the only cannabinoid that affects cancer but this is clearly not true and is not upheld by proper scientific research or clinical trials. There are many other Cannabinoids like CBD, and CBDa that may also have anti cancer effects but so far these trials have been on rats or cell cultures in a laboratory not on humans.

High CBD medicinal cannabis oil came to the public attention through the story of Charlotte Figi whose parents treated her rare form of epilepsy, Dravet Syndrome using CBD extracted from strains that were high in CBD and low in THC.

There has not been enough research or medical trials to say for certain which is better and from a legal standpoint as manufacturers of CBD oil we cannot give any medical advice concerning the effectiveness of cannabinoids for treating disease.

Is Hemp Oil the same as Medicinal Cannabis oil?

It’s easy to get confused between hemp oil and medicinal cannabis oil, since they are both made from the same plant and also because hemp oil is very beneficial containing a lot of antioxidants and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.

Hemp oil is normally pressed from the seeds of the hemp plant, which means it does not contain the same amount of cannabinoids found in medicinal cannabis oils which are extracted from the whole plant.

Hemp oil does have trace amounts of CBD, normally less than 25 parts per million (ppm) compared to medicinal cannabis oil extracts that typically contain between 3% and 30% CBD (30,000ppm – 300,000 ppm)

Many manufacturers label their CBD products as hemp oil, and a lot of CBD Oil uses hemp oil as the carrier base oil which is what creates some of the confusion.

What’s important is the mg(milligrams) of CBD that you are buying. If it doesn’t say it on the label then assume that what you are buying is just plain old hemp oil and not medicinal cannabis oil.

What are the side effects from taking Medicinal Cannabis oil?

There have been no documented deaths from taking medicinal cannabis oil. Although it is generally agreed that high THC cannabis oil may have a strong psychoactive effect that is different from person to person depending on your experience and tolerance. The effects will vary depending on the strain and the particular THC to CBD ratio. Some types of cannabis oils have a very euphoric effect while others are more sedative and relaxing.

The side effects can be both positive and negative. Generally all cannabis oil gives you a sense of relaxation and wellbeing, some people get the giggles while others get the munchies (appetite stimulation). On the negative side you might experience slight dizziness or nausea and a few might experience paranoia, panic attacks or hallucinations. Most effects wear off completely within 24 hours and even if you do overdose you will normally just fall asleep.

CBD tends to reduce the psychoactive effects of THC which is why many manufacturers are experimenting with different THC : CBD ratios in their products.

Can you treat Cancer or Epilepsy with Medicinal Cannabis Oil?

For any medical advice concerning medicinal cannabis oil we suggest you do your own research Projectcbd.org is a good starting place. You might also consider consulting with a qualified health practitioner. Research is very promising but there is no conclusive evidence based on human clinical trials.

Is Medicinal Cannabis Oil Legal?

The legality of medicinal cannabis oil often depends on the plants that it was derived from and the amount of THC it contains. If you live in a country or state where medicinal marijuana is legal then you can buy high THC oil or get a prescription from your doctor. If THC is illegal then you may be still be able to legally use high CBD medicinal cannabis oil.

In countries like Australia, THC and CBD are only available if you qualify under certain medical conditions and there is a lot of red tape to overcome.

Does Medicinal Cannabis Oil get you high or stoned?

This depends on the THC content. A high THC content will have a psychoactive effect and you may feel stoned. Medicinal cannabis oil sourced from Industrial hemp has a low THC level and High CBD level and while having a mild sedative effect much like drinking a beer or a glass of wine, won’t get you stoned.

Where can I buy Medicinal Cannabis Oil online?

At Eternal Plants we supply a range of medicinal cannabis oil made from agricultural hemp that have varying amounts of CBD and very little THC (less than 0.3%)

Check out our webshop for more details about our products.

What are the dangers when buying Medicinal Cannabis Oil?

The biggest danger when buying medicinal cannabis oil online is a lack of quality control. There are no government agencies or industry standards to protect the consumer from unscrupulous marketers. Unless the manufacturer follows GMP (Good Manufacturing practices), laboratory tests all their products for impurities and labels their products clearly with exact amounts of CBD & THC you have no real idea what you are buying.

‘Bud Buddies’made a documentary highlighting the dangers of buying homemade cannabis oil. Cancer patients were put under pressure to buy over priced poor quality merchandise, some of which didn’t even contain any active cannabinoids and was just plain old olive oil.

Our advice is to only buy from a reputable manufacturer or to make it yourself.

Conclusion: Medicinal Cannabis Oil

Medicinal cannabis oil is a concentrated oil extracted from the cannabis plant.
Medicinal cannabis oil can be made from any cannabis plant or agricultural hemp.
Many Cannabis plants have higher levels of THC and low levels of CBD. Hemp has low levels of THC and higher levels of CBD. Some Hybrids have a 1:1 CBD THC Ratio.
There is a lot of misinformation on the web that claims that THC is the only cannabinoid that affects cancer but this is clearly not true.
Hemp oil and Medicinal cannabis oil are not the same : Hemp oil does have trace amounts of CBD, normally less than 25 parts per million (ppm) compared to medicinal cannabis oil extracts that typically contain between 3% and 30% CBD (30,000ppm – 300,000 ppm).
The side effects of medicinal cannabis oil can be both positive and negative, CBD tends to reduce the psychoactive effects of THC.
The legality of medicinal cannabis oil often depends on the plants that it was derived from and the amount of THC it contains.
The biggest danger when buying medicinal cannabis oil online is a lack of quality control.