As an AGCO licensed cannabis store who sells products only available from the Ontario Cannabis Store, our staff does it's best to make sense of all the information first time cannabis consumers are being presented with. Our goal is to share this easy to use Canadian CBD Buyers Guide with people who are new or experienced with using CBD. If you are familiar with CBD products available in Toronto Dispensaries, shop our CBD BRANDS.
HISTORY OF CANNABIS IN CANADA
As quoted from the Senate of Canada, Library of Parliament, Green and Miller, "In 1962 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police reported only 20 cases connected with cannabis. In 1968 the number of cannabis related cases had risen to over 2300, and in 1972 there were nearly 12000 cannabis convictions in Canada." Some would go on to say that the increase in cannabis usage in Canada can be correlated with the " Hippie " movement in the United States of America.
In the early 1970’s the Le Dain Commission was appointed in Canada to undertake a complete and factual study of marijuana use and its effects. It concluded that, “Canada’s prohibition laws had only served to create a sub-culture with little respect for the law and law enforcement, as well as diverting law enforcement capability, clogging the judicial system, and providing a base of funds for organized crime."
Despite this and many other positive movements to decriminalizing cannabis in Canada, it wasn't until the 1990's that things really changed.
HISTORY OF CANNABIS ON DRAGONS’ DEN
Fast forward to 2021 and by now Canadian television shows like the Dragon's Den host cannabis entrepreneurs excited to talk about their business in the newly emerging THC / CBD marketplace. It was interesting to see a season 13 contender walk away without an investment from the Dragons. They felt like CBD chocolate may be too appealing to youth and that others would use it to self medicate.
WHAT IS CBD AND DOES IT GET ME HIGH?
When you hear about someone growing cannabis or smoking weed, most people usually relate this to the THC experiences that Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle had gone through in their 2004 film. However, the cannabis plant actually contains hundreds of chemical substances, NOT just THC. CBD is the second most common cannabinoid found in cannabis. And in order to produce CBD in Canada, you need to abide by the Cannabis Regulations set out by Health Canada.
CBD is not intoxicating and may reduce some of the effects of tetrahydracannabinol (THC); however, it does have an effect on the brain and body. The benefits of CBD have been widely discussed and mostly recently the Harvard Medical school published evidence of the benefits of CBD. For a more comprehensive understanding of cannabis and cannabinoids, visit this Health Canada post.
Now that CBD is allowed for purchase in Canada at licensed cannabis stores, more and more first time buyers are beginning to explore using CBD.
IS CBD OIL RIGHT FOR ME?
With an increased demand from consumers for CBD, recreational cannabis brands are adapting their grow rooms to create CBD products. With so many new brands offering CBD products, it may be a little tricky to determine if CBD oil is right for you. We've actually found that consumers may prefer trying CBD edibles or CBD beverages because they are already pre-dosed and find the experience to be more consistent. Some first time CBD users find understanding the CBD dosage to be a bit difficult so they try an alternative that is already pre-measured, like CBD capsules.
There are many CBD brands that are competing against each other to be the “Best CBD Oil Company.” With these brands having so many competing priorities, iit can be a bit overwhelming to determine which is the best CBD oil to buy. The staff at our cannabis dispensary are a great resource that you can access for more information on CBD brands. The staff at cannabis stores tend to have some great first-hand consumer insights they can share.
The staff at Budders Cannabis does our best to provide education on CBD. Knowledge is power and it's going to be a key factor in determining IF and what CBD oil is right for you.
We hope that this CBD guide will serve as a unbiased source of information. We believe that its one of our duties as a cannabis store to provide our consumers with a basic understanding of what’s actually in YOUR CBD Oil, capsules, topicals, drinks and more.
Types of CBD Available in Canada
When first-time CBD users begin their search for what CBD does.... one of the biggest areas of confusion is over the many “types” of CBD that exist. And we aren't even talking about capsules, oil, drinks, topicals. We sometimes see some confusion around industry-specific terms like “full-spectrum,” “broad spectrum,” and “isolate,” so we'll give you a breakdown of what they all really mean.
In order for us to help you fully understand what you’re getting when buying CBD oil, let’s explore the most common types of CBD and what they mean to you. If you need more information, please consider visiting a Budders Cannabis Dispensary near you.
What is Broad-Spectrum CBD?
An easy way to think of broad-spectrum CBD products is to consider them the in between full-spectrum CBD and CBD Isolate. Full-Spectrum CBD products contain trace amounts of THC and CBD Isolate products are just pure CBD.
The thought process behind broad-spectrum CBD products is that by producing a full-spectrum CBD product and then removing only the THC molecules from the mixture, you can create a great hybrid product for new CBD consumers.
What is Full-Spectrum CBD?
The CBD “full-spectrum” simply means that you get the full range of terps and cannabinoids that were actually present in the strain from which your CBD was extracted from. Hence the term, " full spectrum." It's important to note that this method will also includes trace amounts of THC. Generally speaking, the amounts of THC present in this shouldn't have an intoxicating effect, but we do not guarantee this. Especially if you are a heavy user, trace amounts of THC may build up in your system and COULD show up on a drug test. If you are sensitive to THC or want to avoid THC all together, we would not recommend trying a full-spectrum CBD product. Make sure you research the CBD brand and product or ask a budtender at a cannabis dispensary near you.
Another thing to consider about CBD full-spectrum products is that the method in itself does not guarantee a high or lower CBD potency. The potency of the full-spectrum CBD product is based on the potency of the strain that was grown.
What is CBD Isolate?
CBD isolate is considered to be the “purest” form of CBD on the market. That’s because isolates only contain CBD. Brands that make CBD isolate products do this through an extraction process that strips away all other cannabinoids and terpenes, leaving only CBD molecules behind.
As an update on a Leafly Post on CBD, The legal cannabis market in Canada has actually caught up and started to provide cannabis consumers with CBD isolates. CBD isolate-based products seem to be most appreciated by consumers getting into the world of cannabis-related products for their first time.
WHY IS HOW CBD EXTRACTED IMPORTANT?
It's exciting times knowing that Health Canada Licensed Producers are now in control of the regulated CBD products being put out in the market. We now have high standards of quality and production for our CBD products; that is some great peace of mind. Canadian CBD producers are making the right investments to help deliver fresh CBD to its Canadian consumers. That being said, there are essentially two methods in which Canadian Licensed Producers extract CBD from the plant.
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Ethanol Extraction
Ethanol extraction is perhaps the most known CBD extraction process. It's been known to be relatively simple and effective. In this method, high-grade grain alcohol (ethanol) is used as a solvent to separate CBD and other cannabinoids from the plant itself. We see this method used in 510 Vape Cartridges as well. Ethanol extraction can be done under warm or cold conditions, and is considered extremely time-efficient when compared to other CBD extraction processes like CO2 extraction. However, the drawback is around using the ethanol solution itself. Many veteran consumers prefer CO2 extraction vs Ethanol in our experience.
- CO2 Extraction - CO2 extraction is a method that involves using carbon dioxide that is under very high pressure and low temperatures. This process helps strip the cannabis plant of all cannabinoids and terpenes. CO2 extraction has been found to be highly accurate and has been known to produce some of the purest cannabinoid extracts when done effectively. With more licensed producers building out facilities with this type of expensive equipment, there is much to look forward to in the CBD market in Canada.
WHY BUYING LEGAL CBD FROM LICENSED CANNABIS DISPENSARIES MATTERS
According to the blog article on the OCS about the Value of legal CBD some may believe that buying illegal CBD may be harmless because, " CBD Doesn't Get you High." Well that couldn't be further from the truth. When you buy from GREY-market, you really have no reliable indicators on if you are even buying real CBD. Much less if it's pure CBD, broad-spectrum or full spectrum CBD. Who knows what's in those products.... they have no Health Canada licensed labs testing their products.
In case you're wondering what laboratories are licensed to conduct activities with analytical testing under the Cannabis Act... here is the link :
Labs licensed under the Cannabis Act
Now knowing this, we hope that you understand that CBD products that can be bought from illegal sources...such as vape shops, convenience stores or even at pet stores, are NOT regulated and have not been subject to any testing by an approved Health Canada Laboratory linked above.
SUMMARY AND HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE CANADIAN CBD BUYERS GUIDE
- CBD does not generally produce psychoactive effects, but it can have an effect on both the body and mind.
- illegal CBD products, aka the CBD products that are sold in store that are NOT licensed by the AGCO, are risky to buy.
- Legal CBD products can be found in a cannabis dispensary like Budders Cannabis. Buying legal CBD from a Health Canada Licensed Producer allows you to know the actual active ingredients you are consuming in the CBD product. Make sure to shop for CBD at a legal cannabis store near you.
- Legal CBD in Ontario can be consumed through CBD Oil, CBD Gummies, CBD Chocolate, CBD Beverages, CBD lotions.
- There are 3 Types of CBD Products - Full-Spectrum, Broad-Spectrum and CBD Isolate.
- The two most common extraction processes associated with CBD are Ethanol and CO2 extraction.
Thanks for reading!
