Extracting CBD Oil From Hemp
Many compounds are found in the hemp plant and some have effects that are psychoactive. However, and this usually comes as a surprise to people, the cannabis plant also contains compounds that do not have adverse consequences. CBD is one such compound – it does not cause loss of speech and has no psychoactive effect whatsoever.
What is CBD Hemp Oil?
CBD oil can be extracted from hemp. Hemp is a plant that contains a larger concentration of CBD as compared to the psychoactive compounds (THC). This makes hemp a less controversial, less damaging alternative to extract CBD from. It can be grown in labs and factories for medicinal purposes.
Stalks and stems of hemp plants are used in the process of extracting CBDs. The plant that contains only 0.3 percent or less of THC compounds is classified as ‘Industrial Hemp’ and can be used to extract CBD industrially.
Ways to Extract CBD Oil
CBD oil can be extracted in several ways for medicinal purposes. We have listed down simple, correct ways of extraction below:
1. Extracting with petroleum-based solvents:
Butane is a widely used as a solvent in extracting CBD. The hemp plant containing CBD is put in a tube which has a filter. When butane is introduced inside this tube, CBD compounds transfer to the liquid butane and it then passes out through the filter.
The solvent is then removed by evaporating it. This leaves a concentrated CBD oil solution. It may have some impurities which can be removed using other specialized processes in the lab. Other solvents like ethyl-alcohol follow the same method of extraction but the downside is that traces of the solvent might be left in the final product and might contaminate it.
This method of using petroleum or alcohol-based solvents is cheap, simple and economical.
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2. Extraction using Carbon dioxide:
This method uses carbon dioxide as a solvent to help extract CBD from the hemp plant. This method uses specialized machinery to convert gaseous carbon dioxide into liquid. Carbon dioxide is compressed and condensed at a very low temperature and pressure. The carbon dioxide then turns into a fluid and can be used in the exact same way to extract CBD as the petroleum-based solvents.
The carbon dioxide fluid does not need any external processes to evaporate it as the ‘supercritical’ fluid retains the properties of the carbon dioxide gas.
A pure extract is obtained from this process. Moreover, this process is environmentally friendly and does not damage our atmosphere.
After extracting and evaporating the solvent, CBD hemp oil can be consumed directly. It may have an unpleasant flavor, so most manufacturers mix it with a carrier oil (coconut or olive oil).
CBD hemp oil is legal in most countries as hemp does not have the adverse consequences that marijuana and cannabis plant have. However, please only buy a CBD hemp oil when it is prescribed by a doctor from a manufacturer that guarantees pure oil and do not abuse this drug that has such great healing properties.
