Over the last year, CBD oil has grown from a niche product into a popular treatment option for a wide range of health conditions. Today, an estimated 250,000 people in the UK take CBD oil for the treatment of back pain, epilepsy, drug withdrawals and a variety of other health issues.
CBD oil is also growing massively in popularity, with an estimated 1,000 new users throughout the UK every month. In fact, total usage of CBD oil has more than doubled since the oil became legal in late 2016.
One of the most common questions regarding CBD oil is how the oil itself is made. Today, we’ll take a look at the CBD oil production process, from the ingredients used in CBD oil creation to the cannabis growing and CBD extraction process.
What is CBD oil?
CBD oil is also known as cannabidiol hemp oil. It’s made using parts of the hemp plant and has a variety of medicinal properties. Unlike cannabis, CBD oil doesn’t contain any THC, meaning it offers medical benefits but doesn’t provide a psychoactive “high.”
Since 2016, CBD oil is legal in most of the UK as a medicinal treatment. It’s widely used today, with an estimated 250,000 users in the UK who regularly use CBD oil to treat everything from back pain to epilepsy.
How is CBD oil made?
Producing CBD oil is a multi-step process. The first step in the process is plant selection. Since CBD, or cannabidiol, is the active ingredient in CBD oil responsible for its medicinal effects, the majority of CBD oil producers select plant strains that are rich in CBD content.
Like most plants, hemp can be bred and selected for specific ingredient content. Most CBD oil is made using plant extracts that have a high CBD content, allowing CBD oil producers to achieve a higher yield.
There are two different methods of CBD extraction. Some products use a “whole plant” extract, in which the entire plant — including stems and other parts — is extracted for use as part of the oil. Other types of CBD oil specifically isolate the CBD content of the plant.
There are also several ways to extract CBD and convert the ingredient into oil. Originally, CBD oil was produced using a method known as alcohol extraction, in which the plant was soaked in an alcoholic solution, evaporated and converted into a usable oil.
Today, the most effective method for CBD oil production is CO2 extraction. This method requires a more careful approach, as well as specialised equipment to control important factors such as temperature and pressure.
Using the CO2 extraction method, CO2 is pushed through the plant material, causing the active ingredient (CBD) to separate from the plant matter. The CBD is then suspended in oil, creating a usable solution that can be administered through a dropper or vaporiser.
Most CBD vape oil uses olive oil, which allows for the CBD to remain stable and usable. There are also specific CBD oil blends available for users that prefer a certain oil type of taste, such as coconut CBD oil and CBD extracted into MCT oil.
As one of the UK’s fastest-growing industries and a potential treatment option for a wide variety of health conditions, CBD oil has an exciting future ahead.
