Is CBD Oil Schedule 1?

Despite just how unbelievably popular CBD became as of late, there is still a lot of confusion about the legal status. If you are wondering, “Is CBD oil schedule 1 substance”, you’ve come to the right place. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in the United States classifies different controlled substances into five categories or schedules with the enaction of the Federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) as part of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970.

The DEA and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) are responsible for determining which substance to add or remove from the five schedules. In fact, Schedule 1 drugs are, supposedly, the most dangerous with a high potential for abuse. They also allege that these drugs have no perceivable health benefits at all. Schedule 1 drugs are also heavily criminalized in the country and across the globe and have also become somewhat a social taboo.

Cannabis, heroin, LSD, and methamphetamines are some of the drugs categorized under Schedule 1. In the following article, we will answer for you the question: “Is CBD oil Schedule 1?” Read on to find out.

What Is CBD?

Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, is the second most prevalent of the hundreds of cannabinoids, active ingredients within the cannabis plant. CBD is a naturally-occurring substance in the plant that, according to research, might hold health benefits to humans and also animals. Unlike THC, another abundant cannabinoid, CBD cannot make a person high since its non-psychoactive.

THC, on the other hand, has psychoactive properties capable of making a person high when ingested or smoked. In fact, THC is the sole reason why marijuana causes that signature ‘stoned’ effect in those who consume it.

Since CBD does not cause you to ever feel high no matter how much of it you consume, it represents a great opportunity to some. Since the cannabis plants actually have enormous medical potential, which the establishment long denied, many are eager to try it. Yet, the psychoactive effect of it puts a lot of people off, along with the cultural stigma long associated with cannabis in general. CBD, thus, offers a chance for them to possibly experience a similar therapeutic effect without risking having a psychoactive episode.

What Are CBD’s Therapeutic Effects

In a short time it has become a sensation; CBD enthusiasts flooded the internet with anecdotes describing the effects they experience. According to them, CBD might be able to help manage pain sensation, inflammation, mood, and sleep, among other things. Hence, the ingredient is extremely popular in the health and wellness market for those looking for relief from different conditions.

If the word of thousands of people on the internet is not enough for you, that’s okay; scientific research also discusses CBD at length.

Regarding CBD’s pain management capabilities, there are two types of pain that affect humans such as musculoskeletal and nerve pain. CBD so far appears able to help manage both conditions.

Also, people who suffer from stress and mood disorders such as anxiety and depression might derive benefit from it. Research suggests that CBD might be able to help the body calm down when it goes into a heightened “fight or flight” response. That not only applies to stressed states of mind but also to anxious or depressed moods. How it manages to even you out from those altered states has to do with it helping balance out the hormone cortisol and the neurotransmitter anandamide.

How Many CBD Products Are There?

CBD products come in different presentations like oil, vapes, pens, edibles, gummies, topical creams, salves, and tinctures. Some people may not want to ingest CBD and may opt for CBD creams or ointments. Vapes have a particularly faster delivery rate and thus manifest the effect quicker when taken this way

On the other hand, edibles may take longer to work and require you to consume more since the liver breaks down some of the CBD. Choose the CBD presentation that best adapts to your goals and the expectations you have for using this product.

The Cannabis Family of Plants

Most people are unaware that the word ‘cannabis’ refers to a family of plants and not a particular plant. This is an important distinction since there are several varieties of cannabis. The two which matter the most when talking about CBD are marijuana and industrial hemp.

Legally, the key difference between industrial hemp and marijuana is their tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content. If you wonder whether hemp and marijuana are the same, the answer is no, and the only difference it’s the THC in each of them. Understanding this is key to know whether is CBD oil schedule 1 or not.

The term hemp legally describes cannabis plants that contain less than 0.3% of THC content by dry weight. It’s quite difficult to distinguish between hemp and marijuana other than measuring the THC content of the plant. Thus, any cannabis plant that meets that measure its hemp as far as the law cares.

Because the THC content in hemp is low, you won’t get high by ingesting hemp-derived CBD oil. On the other hand, marijuana is a cannabis plant that has much more than 0.3% of THC. Marijuana, also known as “weed”, does and will get you high when consumed. Cannabis plants are usually designated as Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, or a hybrid between the two. The confusion is understandable; believe it or not, science its yet to entirely classify all of them.

Cannabinoids such as CBD and THC are mostly in the flowers, stalks, and leaves of the plant. Most people turn to the flowers of cannabis to experience the numerous health associated with it. You can either smoke them or extract oil from them to come up with CBD oil. Cannabis strains high in THC are either for medical or recreational purposes due to their psychoactivity. Cannabis strains low in THC, such as CBD, might offer many therapeutic benefits without getting you stoned.

What Is THC?

THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is one of the hundreds of chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant. In fact, THC is the most prevalent chemical compound in the plant of the marijuana variety.

THC has psychoactive properties that are capable of inducing hallucinations, alter perception, and impair physical movement. Marijuana holds much more than 0.3% THC and many states still forbid its recreational use. When it comes to its medical use, people with valid licenses certifying they have a condition requiring it can purchase in some states.

Manufacturers can certainly derive CBD from marijuana just like they do from industrial hemp. However, marijuana-derived CBD will have much more THC than the 0.3% legal limit. Thus, making it very likely for law enforcement to treat it as a marijuana derivative which might be illegal in some states. Thus, why it is extracting it from industrial hemp exclusively, it’s what makes the most sense due to its already low THC content.

Effects of THC

THC acts like cannabinoid chemicals made naturally by the body. The brain has cannabinoid receptors in areas associated with thinking, pleasure, coordination, memory, and time perception. THC interacts with these receptors by binding to them. The result of this interaction will affect your memory, concentration, pleasure, thinking, and time perception.

It also stimulates cells in the brain to release dopamine and create a euphoric feeling. The “high” effect kicks in 10 to 30 minutes after ingestion and will last for about two hours. THC has many side effects; according to research, users might experience:

• Anxiety.
• Elation.
• Short-term memory recall issues.
• Increased appetite.
• Drowsiness.
• Tachycardia.

THC and its effects are the exact reason why you are wondering, ‘is CBD oil schedule 1?’

Why Cannabis Became Illegal?

During the hearing on marijuana law in the early 1930s, there were claims about the substance’s ability to cause people to become violent and delusional. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 consequently banned the use and sale of marijuana in the country.

This act was replaced with the Controlled Substance Act in the 1970s. The main reason for banning marijuana, in particular, was the high THC content that caused users to become violent and hallucinated.

One particular problem with this ban was that it became a blanket ban on all cannabis. The law did not make any distinction at all on the cannabis variety based on THC, the original source of concern. They effectively banned everything cannabis and claimed that it had absolutely no medical benefits. We now know that is not true, and it took decades to correct that. To this day, marijuana remains a schedule 1 substance federally. Yet, many states heard the medical evidence and slowly came to accept it for its medicinal and recreational potential. But what about CBD? Is CBD Oil Schedule 1?

Is CBD Oil Schedule 1? Yes or No?

The legal cultivation of hemp without a permit from the DEA began with the 2014 Hemp Farming Bill. The Hemp Farming Act of 2018 removed industrial hemp plants from their earlier classification as a controlled substance.

On a federal level, the legality of CBD depends on what type of plant the CBD comes from and its THC content. CBD products that are derived from cannabis plants that contain less than 0.3 percent THC are federally legal. Regarding the question ‘is CBD oil schedule 1?’, the answer is a resounding ‘no!’ but only as long as it has 0.3% or less. When you buy some of it, make sure to check the label to see if it clearly says 0.3% THC content or less.