Cannabis Oil Vs CBD Oil: Differences, Benefits, and Side Effects
“CBD oil”, “cannabis oil”, “marijuana oil”, and “THC oil” – All these names are confusing, right? It’s probably because all the mainstream media often use these terms interchangeably.
Many people who use cannabis or marijuana-extracted products such as marijuana oil or CBD oil may be unaware of the variations between these types of oils.
But it’s important to understand cannabis oil vs CBD oil. Because they are made with distinct ingredients, are separate products, and will respond differently in your body.
Well, it’s never too late to learn. In this blog, we’ll talk about the differences between cannabis oil and CBD oil, their benefits, and potential side effects. Finally, we’ll end our discussion by providing guidance on which oil is right for you.
Let’s start with some basics.
What is Cannabis Oil?
Cannabis oil may alternatively refer to as “marijuana oil” or “THC oil”. It contains high levels of THC because it is made from the extraction of recreational marijuana/cannabis or medicinal cannabis instead of industrial hemp plants.
However, manufacturers might confuse you by labeling “CBD oil” as “cannabis oil”. Keep in mind that It’s done only to attract customers. In reality, cannabis oil (aka marijuana or THC oil) shows a different cannabinoid profile compared to CBD oil.
That’s why the effects and benefits of cannabis oil differ from CBD (Cannabidiol) oil. For instance, in some regions, where THC or marijuana oil is legal, THC oil is used recreationally to produce euphoric sensation and intoxicating effects.
Of note, THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is a psychoactive compound that is responsible for causing a “high”.
Research suggests that cannabis oil or THC oil can work better to treat certain conditions than CBD alone. It clearly reveals why some patients should get THC oil instead of CBD oil.
However, this is noteworthy that the recreational use of cannabis has been legalized in 23 states, three U.S. territories, and D.C.
Also, cannabis products such as CBD syrups, or CBD gummies that contain more than 0.3% THC are illegal in much of the USA.
How Is Cannabis Oil Made?
You have learned what is cannabis oil. Now we’ll talk about the general process of making cannabis oil.
Cannabis oil is typically extracted from the flowers, leaves, and stems of the cannabis plant. Like any other cannabis sativa plant oil, marijuana or cannabis oil is made through a process called extraction. It separates the active compounds, including THC, from the plant material.
The common extraction methods used by manufacturers are carbon dioxide extraction, or butane or ethanol extraction. Let’s know the basic overview of the process.
1. Choose Your Cannabis: First, start with high-quality cannabis buds or trim. In the case of cannabis seed oil, it is cold-pressed from the seeds of the cannabis sativa plant. Note that the THC content impacts the potency of the cannabis oil.
2. Grind or Chop: Next, the cannabis is broken down into smaller pieces to increase the surface area for extraction.
3. Extraction Method: Several extraction methods are available. The CO2 extraction method is the most expensive and advanced. However, butane or ethanol extraction methods are quite inexpensive. In ethanol extraction, cannabis is soaked in high-proof ethanol to extract the cannabinoids. The liquid is then filtered and evaporated to obtain the concentrate.
4. Purification: The solution that is extracted is usually not pure and may contain impurities. That’s why it is further processed to remove any residual solvents or unwanted compounds.
5. Decarboxylation: To activate the THC, the concentrate is heated to a specific temperature to convert THCA (non-psychoactive) into THC (psychoactive).
6. Dilution: THC oil can be too potent for direct use. So, it’s diluted with carrier oil (e.g., MCT oil) to achieve the desired potency.
Advantages of Cannabis Oil
If you search “the benefits of cannabis oil” on Google, it will show results mostly about the benefits of CBD oil. But “CBD Oil” and “cannabis oil” are different in terms of cannabinoids, potency, and other ingredients.
That’s why to avoid any confusion, you also need to know about CBD Vs THC comparison. However, there are many advantages of cannabis oil.
You get those health benefits of cannabis oil due to the potency of THC, CBD, CBN, CBG, Phytocannabinoids, and some additional ingredients. In short, the thing you need to remember is that cannabis oil contains a considerable amount of THC.
The common ways to consume THC oil or cannabis oil include oral consumption (THC edibles, THC tinctures), topical (like creams, and balms. Or body rubs), and inhalation.
Here is a list of benefits of cannabis oil:
• Alleviates pain
• Controls epileptic seizures
• Soothe nervous tremors
• Treats bowel disease
• May help improve sleep quality, mood, and mental health
• May reduce the risk of certain types of cancer
Let’s talk about some of these advantages of cannabis oil in detail.
1. Reduce Seizures in Epilepsy
Studies have shown that THC in oil may decrease seizure frequency and intensity. THC oil interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system which plays a vital role in regulating various bodily functions. Research suggests that cannabinoids like CBD and THC can help calm overactive neurons which may reduce the likelihood of seizures.
2. Improved Sleep, Mood, and Mental Health
Cannabis oil has two variants available: “High-THC” and “Low-THC”. THC can lead to feelings of euphoria, and relaxation which can improve mood.
Besides, for some people, low to moderate doses of cannabis oil may temporarily reduce anxiety and stress. This can lead to improved mood. Besides, it can alter thought patterns and focus which can distract individuals from distressing thoughts.
Another advantage of cannabis oil is that it can act as a sedative due to containing high concentrations of THC. This can help people with insomnia and shorten the time it takes to fall asleep. Also, research suggests that it may increase the amount of deep, slow-wave sleep.
3. Effective Pain Relief
If you’re someone who is suffering from pain-related conditions such as migraines, arthritis, or any general chronic pain, cannabis oil can help you out.
Cannabinoids (e.g., THC, CBD, CBG, CBN) present in cannabis oil interact with the body's endocannabinoid receptors and help to regulate the body’s pain perception. Besides, cannabis oil can mitigate neuropathic pain which is often difficult to treat with traditional medicines.
Also, research suggests that some cancer patients may get relief from cancer-related pain using THC cannabis oil. It may help with the side effects of chemotherapy as well.
Potential Side Effects of Cannabis Oil
Cannabis oil or marijuana contains a high amount of THC. This may affect you adversely. The more THC you consume, the greater the risks are.
Here are some common side effects of cannabis oil which are mostly associated with THC:
• Psychosis
• Addiction
• Paranoia
• Distorted senses
• Altered senses of time
• Impaired body movement
• Delusions
• Memory loss
What is CBD Oil?
CBD oil is made from cannabidiol. It’s non-intoxicating and extracted from industrial hemp plants.
After extraction of cannabidiol (CBD), it is diluted with carrier oil such as olive oil, or coconut oil to improve its bio-availability. Unlike marijuana oil, CBD oil doesn’t contain a high amount of THC. Instead, its main focus is to provide a combined effect with CBD and a trace amount of THC.
This works synergistically and provides entourage effects. The good thing is CBD won’t cause “high” like THC cannabis oil. So, if you consume CBD oil, you’ll not experience the common side effects that THC oil has.
A lot of people choose CBD oil over marijuana oil due to its therapeutic benefits, effectiveness, and low side effects. Now, let’s find out how CBD oil is made.
How Is CBD Oil Made?
CBD oil is typically made by extracting cannabidiol (a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant). Then it’s diluted with carrier oil such as olive oil or coconut oil.
However, the process involves cultivation, harvesting, drying, extraction, purification, decarboxylation, and dilution. The cultivation of hemp plants or high-CBD strains of cannabis is the initial step of making CBD oil.
The hemp cultivators ensure that they have high CBD and low THC content (less than 0.3%) to comply with regulations in many places. But the most important part of preparing CBD oil is the extraction of cannabidiol from hemp plants.
There are 3 common extraction methods. They include:
1. Supercritical CO2 extraction
2. Oil extractions
3. A liquid solvent extraction
Let’s discuss the most advanced CO2 extraction method of preparing CBD oil. The CO2 extraction method uses pressurized CO2 (Carbon dioxide) to extract CBD. Typically, this process is done using a closed-loop extractor machine that has three chambers.
First, the ground plant materials are placed into an extraction chamber. Supercritical CO2 (Both liquid and gaseous state of CO2) is selected for its ability to change from gas to liquid under pressure and specific temperature.
Next, after pressurization, supercritical CO2 acts as a solvent and removes the cannabinoids including CBD. It’s quite effective for eliminating unwanted compounds like mold, bacteria, and other contaminants. In the separation step, the CO2 containing the dissolved CBD is separated from the remaining plant material.
Lastly, CO2 is depressurized and returned to its gaseous state which leaves behind the extracted CBD and other cannabinoids. Further processing like purifications and collections are done before diluting the CBD with carrier oil such as hemp seed oil, olive oil, and coconut oil.
Note that CO2 extraction is the most effective and advanced method that is chosen for making safe and high-quality CBD oil.
Advantages of CBD Oil
There are many therapeutic benefits and advantages of using CBD oil. However, the controversy of CBD oil due to the popular recreational cannabis might make you feel puzzled regarding whether to use CBD oil or not.
Still, the potential medical uses of CBD oil cannot be undermined. Here is a list of advantages you can get from using CBD oil:
• Relief of pain, stress, and anxiety
• Treat Epilepsy syndrome
• Can help with neurodegenerative disorders
• Reduce PTSD symptoms
• May reduce opioid addiction
In the following sections, we’ll discuss some of these advantages of CBD oil in detail.
1. Relief of Pain, Stress, and Anxiety
The analgesic properties of CBD oil can help people with certain pain such as arthritis, inflammation, muscle pain, MS pain, spinal cord injuries, and chronic pain. The National Institute of Health (NIH) is trying to find out the role of cannabis in relieving these conditions. However, more research needs to be conducted to find out accurate results associated with CBD oil and pain.
Besides, a 2015 study, published in the Journal of Neurotherapeutics noted that cannabidiol demonstrates effectiveness in reducing anxiety in both animal and human studies. It suggests that CBD may have anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects.
Also, the neuroprotective properties of CBD oil potentially contribute to its stress and anxiety-reducing effects.
2. Reduce PTSD Symptoms
PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) is a mental health condition. The common symptoms of this condition include negative thoughts, fear and anxiety, feeling emotionally numb, trouble sleeping and concentrating, and so on.
Research has found that the majority of people who suffer from PTSD experience a decrease in their PTSD symptoms after using CBD. Especially, anxiety and sleeping problems can be treated with a combination of CBD and THC.
3. Reduce Opioid Addiction
Some studies have found that CBD oil can help people who are dependent on opioids. Research suggests that CBD may reduce drug cravings and treat withdrawal symptoms (withdrawal anxiety), resting heart rate, and salivary cortisol levels.
Besides, CBD oil has neuroprotective properties that can be beneficial for countering the neural damage associated with prolonged opioid use.
CBD Oil Potential Side Effects
CBD oil doesn't have any severe side effects. It’s safer than marijuana oil which contains a high level of THC compound.
However, it may infrequently cause mild adverse reactions in some cases. Find the potential side effects and risks of using CBD oil below:
• Dry mouth
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness and lightheadedness
• Drowsiness
• Interactions with medications
• Mood changes
Note that the effects of CBD oil may vary from person to person. If you’ve any underlying medical conditions, or on certain drugs that may interact with cannabidiol, you might experience some sort of side effects.
However, the potential side effects also depend on factors such as age, weight, gender, dosage, CBD oil product quality, and potency.
⇒ Read More: CBD Edible Gummies Side Effects
Cannabis Oil Vs CBD Oil: Key Differences
Cannabis oil and CBD oil aren’t the same product. Although both terms are used on the internet interchangeably.
Well, this might be confusing to some people. However, the distinction between cannabis and CBD oil is more similar to that between CBD flower vs THC flower.
Simply put, cannabis oil (aka marijuana oil, THC oil) refers to oil that contains a high level of THC and a low level of CBD. Oppositely, CBD oil indicates a low level of THC and a high concentration of CBD.
In the case of cannabis oil, the amount of THC concentration can exceed 0.03% which is not approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration). However, reputed CBD brands that sell and distribute CBD products through CBD dispensary and CBD Online Shop maintain less than 0.3 percent amount of THC in CBD oil.
Note that, CBD and THC both are cannabinoids found in the Cannabis Sativa Plant and can be effective in treating certain health conditions such as pain, inflammation, arthritis, sleep problems, anxiety, stress, and depression.
Cannabis Oil Vs CBD Oil: Comparison Table
The following table demonstrates the difference between cannabis oil vs CBD. It will give you a quick overview of these two popular types of oil.
| Aspect | Cannabis Oil | CBD Oil |
| Terms | Also known as hash oil, honey oil, marijuana oil, and THC oil. | CBD or cannabidiol oil is the most common name. |
| Major Compounds | THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is a major compound. Besides, CBD, CBG, CBN, and other cannabinoids, carrier oil, and additional ingredients are used in cannabis oil. | CBD or cannabidiol is the major compound in CBD oil. Besides, trace amounts of THC, CBG, CBN, other cannabinoids, and essential ingredients can be found. |
| Source | Extracted from the cannabis plant, specifically from the marijuana variety, | CBD is also extracted from the cannabis plant, specifically from the hemp variety. |
| Composition | Contains a high level of THC, a psychoactive compound. | Contains minimal to no THC. It contains a high concentration of CBD. |
| Effects | Euphoria, altered perception, and relaxation. | Potential therapeutic benefits include helping anxiety, insomnia, and pain symptoms. |
| Medical Use | Used for medical purposes including pain relief, nausea reduction, appetite stimulation, and so on. | CBD oil is widely used for medical purposes such as pain management, anxiety relief, epilepsy (e.g., prescribed as epidiolex) treatment, and more. |
| Legal Status | Subject to strict regulations in many regions. | Fully legal in most of the states in the United States of America. You can read CBD laws by state to learn more. |
| Addictive | Can be addictive due to the high amount of THC. | Not considered addictive. |
| Side Effects | Can cause side effects like paranoia, dry mouth, and impaired coordination. | 1500mg of CBD a day is considered well-tolerated by humans. |
| Drug Tests | Likely to result in a positive drug test. | Usually does not result in a positive drug test. |
| Regulation | Highly regulated and controlled in many places due to its psychoactive properties. | Less regulated in many places, especially if derived from hemp. |
| Availability | Available through medical or recreational dispensaries in legalized regions. |
Widely available in various forms including online stores and physical stores. |
CBD Oil and Cannabis Oil: Which One is Best for You?
Choosing between Cannabis oil vs CBD Oil depends on your needs, preferences, and legal considerations. If you are looking for therapeutic benefits of cannabis without the psychoactive “high”, CBD oil is a better choice.
In order to get potential relaxation mostly associated with recreational marijuana, cannabis oil may be more appropriate for you. On the other hand, CBD oil is preferred by many for certain medical conditions such as anxiety, epileptic seizures, chronic pain, inflammation, and so on.
It's always an ideal decision to consult a healthcare professional before taking any form of cannabis-extracted product. But to be on the safe side, you should get CBD oil over cannabis oil
Much research on CBD oil and its benefits suggests that it is fully safe to use and has few to no side effects. In short, in the dispute between Cannabis oil vs CBD oil, CBD oil is worth investing in.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding cannabis oil vs CBD oil asked by searchers. We’ve answered these queries to provide more insight.
1. What is the difference between hemp and CBD oil?
Hemp oil or hemp seed oil is generally derived from hemp seeds and lacks significant cannabinoids, including CBD. Hemp seed oil is typically used in many culinary and skincare products. Oppositely, CBD oil is extracted from the hemp plant’s flowers, leaves, and stalks.
2. Does cannabis oil have THC?
Yes, cannabis oil (aka “marijuana oil”, or “THC oil”) has a considerable amount of THC. However, you should remember that the presence of cannabis oil also depends on the type of oil and how it’s produced as there are a variety of cannabis oils such as “high THC cannabis oil”, and “low THC cannabis oil”.
3. Is cannabis oil the same as CBD?
Cannabis oil and CBD oil are not the same. Cannabis oil is a wider term that refers to oils derived from cannabis plants. CBD oil typically means that it is typically derived from the industrial hemp plant. Unlike cannabis oil, it contains little to no THC.
Bottom Line
Understanding cannabis oil vs CBD oil might be confusing due to the different popular labels for these cannabis plant oil forms, such as "marijuana oil," "THC oil," "hash oil," and "honey oil." However, keep in mind the THC compound and its concentration in the oil when separating these cannabis sativa plant oils.
To be on the safe side, always choose CBD oil over cannabis oil. Last but not least, before purchasing any high-concentration THC or CBD oil products, consult with a healthcare provider.
