by Shayda Torabi

Can Full Spectrum CBD be “THC FREE”?

Setting out to buy CBD products for the first time can be a confusing process. There are a wide number of terms out there used to sell CBD – full-spectrum, whole plant, extraction methods, isolate, broad spectrum… the list goes on! Without the proper education it’s easy to get lost, or worse, buy a product that isn’t right for you.

As the market demand for CBD products continues to grow, we’ve seen a lot of companies advertising a Full Spectrum CBD Oil that’s “THC free.”

Making a full spectrum CBD Oil without THC is like making orange juice that’s “Vitamin C-free.” It’s not possible in nature.There’s no known way to create a “natural” full spectrum that is a THC free CBD oil. The science involved in extraction and particularly distillation – at this time - just doesn’t work that way. Yes you can extract and isolate molecules then “re-blend” them, but that’s not a natural process.

BEWARE - Natural Full Spectrum CBD DOES Contain THC.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of many cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant (including marijuana and hemp.) Other cannabinoids include THC, CBN, and CBC. CBD and THC are the two primary phytocannabinoids in the plant.

Generally, marijuana is high in THC and low in CBD. Hemp is the other way around and is high in CBD and low in THC. This is important because everyday CBD users often don’t want the psychoactive effects of THC. Because of this, hemp is the most popular source of extraction for CBD products because of its low THC profile.

A full spectrum oil from the hemp plant will contain THC, though in most cases the levels are very low. This is because most CBD oil is extracted from low-THC industrial hemp (Less than 0.3% by dry weight).

Not to get into the extraction methods too much (CO2, Ethanol, Butane, etc) but after the winterizing and decarb, the full-spectrum end product will be a CBD oil containing some amount – even if it’s just trace amounts – of THC. This level can vary, but as you continue to remove THC from the natural plant oils, this may also remove other cannabinoids. Cannabinoids, including CBD work in the the body’s endocannabinoid system (a substance our bodies are born to naturally process).

Full–spectrum hemp oil contains ALL components of the hemp plant including THC. After extraction, cannabinoids, terpenes, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, phytonutrients, and additional plant materials remain in the oil.

Declaring Full Spectrum CBD products as “THC Free”, referring to the CBD oil content at or below the “legal limit” (THC concentration of .3% or less), then these products will still have small traces of THC.

Many consumers looking to buy CBD may not know or understand the differences between Broad Spectrum and a Full Spectrum Oil.

So what exactly is being sold or represented as “THC free” oil?

Most likely some form of oil – MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oil, coconut, hemp, olive oil, PG (Propylene Glycol), or VG (Vegetable Glycerin)- blended with CBD isolate or a broad spectrum CBD that has no THC. Most often broad-spectrum is the term used to describe products which have had the THC removed. THIS REPRESENTS THE PRODUCT LINE OF CBD WE ENDORSE AND SELL.

To quickly review, CBD isolate starts out as an oil, but undergoes a distillation and crystallization process which removes all other cannabinoids leaving the CBD isolated down to a single molecule. CBD isolate is exactly that: a solid compound which has the molecular makeup that is 96% – 99% or greater of pure CBD. It is essentially tasteless and odorless and is easier to incorporate into products. A broad spectrum CBD oil will usually have all of the cannabinoids as the full-spectrum CBD Oil, just without the THC. It will still have a grassy taste and can be yellow or green in color.

There are many companies trying to jump on the CBD bandwagon incorporating CBD into their products (sometimes in doses as small as 2mg per serving) simply to have CBD on their label. Some labels do not even mention the amount of CBD in their products. Consumers looking for true wellness benefits would be better served to seek and use products that have accurate labeling including how much CBD is in the bottle and how much is in each dose.

If you are purchasing a Full-Spectrum CBD product that claims to be “THC-free”, please be sure to inquire and look for independent lab test results before purchasing to ensure that you know what you’re purchasing and later consuming or using. Please consider only purchasing Broad Spectrum CBD products to avoid any THC exposure.

By understanding the different products on the market you can find a quality, effective CBD product that provides a high level of benefits.

Always check the lab results:

Reputable CBD companies will provide this information. And no matter what you’re purchasing from a CBD perspective, a COA (Certificate of Analysis) will indicate the percentage of CBD in the product, and should accurately depict the amount of THC that is present, if any. In our Broad Spectrum Oils, the THC level registers as 0.0%. This will not be true for most Full Spectrum Oils. Most COAs will also test for any metals or harsh solvents.

Comments -

Unfortunately, until the FDA has a regulation process in place, some suppliers WILL TRY TO SELL YOU their products and label them anyway they want. Even after regulation comes into the picture, unscrupulous vendors may STILL try to label their products in a manner that is confusing for the consumer. For example,you may see the words "active cannabinoids" listed as an ingredient but there is NO mention of THC. Nor may the product even contain the words Full Spectrum on the label. To be clear, "Active Cannabinoids" is indeed a CBD product that DOES contain THC. We are not aware of any Full Spectrum product that does not contain a trace amount of THC. In our opinion, manufacturer's who label their Full Spectrum CBD products as THC Free could be using misleading marketing techniques. Please educate yourself on these differences and be informed prior to making a purchase.

Note - The CBD products found on this website, are all produced by utilizing the CO2 extraction process and DO NOT contain any detectable levels of THC. These products have been manufactured to remove any residual THC. Green Roads in particular has won the 2018 Best CBD Product of the Year and has a QRC code on EACH package for every batch produced so the consumer can validate the Certificate of Analysis for the product they have on hand. This is NOT a generic pdf file posted on a website. Our brands do not cut corners. There is difference.

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