Cannabis strains are either rich in THC or CBD. THC rich strains are more common while there are some CBD rich strains out there. Despite this, CBD cannabis strains found its way to stardom.
CBD is a great chemical that is often overlooked compared to THC. It has a great history that every new cannabis user should know. Likewise, you need to know what CBD is and its benefits to your health.
High CBD Cannabis โ What Is It?
It can be hard to determine when a cannabis strain should come with a โhigh CBDโ label. Why? Thatโs because thereโs no universal threshold which qualifies for that. Technically, cannabis strains have more THC and less CBD. In most cannabis strains, the psychoactive effects are more dominant which signifies a higher THC amount.
When the topic is cannabis, many people tend to concentrate on THC levels and disregard CBD levels even if they donโt know exactly what it is. They classify cannabis plants as either hemp or marijuana depending on their THC levels. Marijuana plants may have THC levels of between 10% and 25%, but it can even be as higher as 28%. On the other hand, hemp plants should have lower THC amount which is just around 0.3%.
It is common for cannabis strains to possess lower CBD levels. For example, Purple Kush comes with 1% CBD and Blue Dream with 1-2% CBD. Unlike the ordinary cannabis strains, high CBD strains can have anything more than 2%. Some strains like Cali Kush can have up to 20%+ CBD.
A Short History of CBD Cannabis Strains
In the spring season of 1998, the British government allowed a company named GW Pharmaceuticals to start growing marijuana with a consistent and precise extract designed for clinical use. Geoffrey Guy, the co-founder of GW Pharmaceuticals, convinced the home office that the company will be able to create a cannabis based drug that has minimal to zero psychoactive effects if it uses high CBD plants.
Geoffrey Guy defined his approach at a conference of the ICRS or International Cannabinoid Research Society. Aside from countering the psychoactive effects of THC, he said CBD can offer some benefits that THC canโt give.
GW Pharmaceuticals obtained its high CBD strains by getting HortaPharmโs genetic library. HortaPharm is a Dutch company operated by Robert Clarke and David Watson who were both American expat horticulturists.
CBD cannabis strains have a long history with regard to its ability to cure health problems. During the 19th century, Queen Victoria consumed high CBD cannabis to get rid of menstrual cramps. Animal researchers recommended that CBD can lessen anxiety and alleviate the frequency and severity of seizures in animals.
However, a few years later, CBD rich strains became unavailable to users in different American states like California. Generations of creating cannabis strains to increase THC content and develop a stronger โhighโ reduced the amount of CBD. Through the next several years, more and more scientific researches about CBD became an agenda in the meetings of ICRS, Patients Out of Time, and the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicine. In the past several years, most of the laboratories in states where medical marijuana is widely available were adjusting THC:CBD ratios and recognizing the rare high CBD strains. They found some strains with equal THC and CBD amounts and a few CBD-dominant cannabis strains with a CBD:THC ratio of 20:1. Thanks to this. The market now comes with different CBD based products in the form of oils, concentrates, tinctures, and many more.
The Emergence of High CBD Cannabis
The state government of California passed the 1996 Proposition 215 or The Compassionate Use Act. With that, the interests in CBD shifted in the American west coast. Some publications started to talk about CBD strains and their history and origin. O’Shaughnessy’s, a California-based publication named after an Irish doctor known for bringing weed to western medicine, was one of the first few publications to recognize GW Pharmaceuticals for its ability to choose and segregate CBD varieties.
Then, a laboratory named Harborside Health started its operation in 2006 in Oakland, CA. Ran by Steve DeAngelo, this laboratory paved the way for the CBD cannabis strains to reemerge on the west coast.
In 2009, Harborside Health used gas chromatography with the help of Steep Hill Labs to examine cannabinoid potency. Through these laboratories, a few of the 1st ever confirmed high CBD cannabis strains will emerge. Project CBD started reaching out to farmers who submitted CBD rich strains for examination in the act of conservancy in 2010. This enthusiasm for that CBD genetics resulted in the development of the earliest CBD stabilized cannabis strains.
Kevin Jowdry was among the undisputed champions of the CBD movement in Northern California. Kevin was the owner and director of Wonderland Nursery located at Humboldt, California.
In a Seattle Hempfest interview in 2015, he credited the rise of stabilized high CBD strains to 2 distinct events. One of these was the arrival of the Cannatonic varieties introduced by Resin Seeds in 2008 at Spannabis. Cannatonic is a popular high CBD strain with 18:1 CBD:THC ratio. That was one thing that Cannatonic an excellent candidate for cannabis breeding projects.
Jowdry said Jaime, the proprietor of Resin Seeds, distributed that genetics to a certain Californian breeder who led the 1st American Cannatonic โsiftโ or the genetic section procedure. The variability of CBD in this line capitalized on the hybridization of numerous sub-varieties.
Some of the heavy hitting strains created out of this included the C6 line that became famous for having a stable 18:1 CBD:THC ratio. Another was the ACDC which is among the sought-after cannabis strains with high CBD content.
Unexpectedly, the Southern Humboldt Seed Collectiveโs Lawrence Ringo was breeding cannabis to create new strains with stable CBD genetics. After examining the Swiss Gold genes for high-CBD indicators, Lawrence created the famous Sour Tsunami. Kevin Jowdry collaborated with these two breeders in Wonderland Nursery to provide stable CBD clones to all Northern California strains and the gorgeous Emerald Triangle.
The Northern California CBD breeding projects resulted in 2 different patterns in gardening and dissemination. One of these involved the stabilized varieties of Cannatonic bred only for oil production. These cannabis strains usually exhibited unpalatable terpene profiles comprised of spiky levels of caryophyllene and myrcene.
The Cannatonic lineage particularly the C6 line was a high-yielding but not so flavorful cannabis strain. In producing CBD oil products, a less pleasant taste is no longer a concern because the most famous method used in extracting and collecting medical-grade CBD oil is the subcritical C02 that kills terpenes.
However, the other pattern resulted in the creation of more palatable cannabis strains like Harlequin and Sour Tsunami. Compared to Cannatonic varieties, these strains are higher in pinene and limonene. Both Harlequin and Sour Tsunami exhibit more pleasant and desirable fragrant characteristics that anyone will love. Though they are low-yielding strains, they have a better bag appeal as well as a higher THC amount in other cases. These things helped them rise in fame among those consumers who use cannabis for recreational use.
The market progress for high CBD strain cultivars began and to certain aspect still exists within the yearning to fuel the cannabidiol extraction market. On the other hand, a new cultivar-specific model began to emerge. It is the one with a great taste, bag appeal, and good cannabinoid ratio. The continuous advocation for cannabis use and the demand for more strains to fill the vacant dispensary shelves fuel this wave.
Though they are still few and unavailable in all cannabis markets, high CBD cannabis strains exist. They rapidly grow in popularity as time goes by. So, when you visit a local dispensary and see a variety of Sour Tsunami on a shelf, always remember the dedication of Lawrence Ringo and other CBD pioneers. Without them, the market will never have some strains that offer medicinal properties without the insane psychoactive effect.
CBD Cannabis Strains are Very Popular
CBD strains have been extremely famous since from the start. They are favorites of medical cannabis experts. Also, they are highly recommended for medical patients who are dealing with different health issues.
CBD cannabis strains are always a must try especially if you wish to experience their promising medicinal properties. These strains of cannabis can help a lot in alleviating minor pains and aches and even insomnia. They can even help you deal with serious conditions such as opioid addiction and epilepsy. However, depending on their intended use, CBD strains do contain varying CBD amounts.
People who use cannabis for epilepsy, they should look for those strains with higher CBD amounts. Your top choices are Charlotteโs Web, Avidekel, and Remedy. These cannabis strains contain 10-20% CBD. On the other hand, for patients with less serious problems, or those who want to relax, those cannabis strains with low CBD amounts will be enough.
After all, everyone will react to CBD in a slightly different manner. Therefore, you must look for strains with CBD levels which will do wonders for your needs. Also, do some experiments when you try those strains. Through experimenting, you will be able to see and obtain those effects that you desire. Perhaps, those effects have something to do with lower CBD levels. If not, you have no other option but to use only those cannabis strains with higher CBD levels.
High CBD cannabis strains are typically best to consume through smoking or as extracts and edibles. Treat them just like what you do with regular marijuana. However, donโt expect an extreme โhighโ feeling to come by. Whether you choose low CBD or high CBD strains, you will never experience something like that except when you switch to high THC strains.
High CBD hemp strains are best to consume as extracted CBD oils that you can enjoy through vaping or smoking. Traditional hemp is not potent for these consumption methods, but newer strains do contain enough cannabinoids that make inhalation effective.
Top CBD Cannabis Strains
Now that you knew how CBD cannabis strains started to exist here on Earth, you may want to have some idea about those previously mentioned strains with high CBD content. The following are the top 4 CBD strains you should try before you die:
- Harlequin โ Harlequin is still one of the most popular cannabis strains available in the market. Leafly.com said Harlequin is among the famous strains with high CBD amounts. Its CBD:THC ratio is around 5:2. Harlequin is a sativa-dominant strain that guarantees mild euphoria that will keep you happy and relaxed for hours. Taking a few tokes is enough to change your mood. Harlequin is a friendly strain that can help you finish whatever activity you may have. CBD levels in Harlequin is approximately 15% while its THC content is around 6%.
- Sour Tsunami โ this one is the cross between NYC Diesel and Sour Diesel. Sour Tsunami is a CBD cannabis strain that often delivers 11 percent CBD and 10 percent THC.
- ACDC โ this strain is also one of the famous strains when it comes to CBD content. It boasts a CBD:THC ratio of 20:1. ACDC doesnโt produce a psychoactive effect considering its lower THC content (1%). Therefore, this strain will keep you alert, focused, and clear-minded for several hours.
- Cali Kush – Cali Kush is quickly becoming a popular CBD strain due to its potency. Its has low THC levels of 1% and high CBD levels of 20%.
CBD is a very special chemical present in cannabis. Not all strains in the market can offer a decent amount of CBD which will spare patients from those psychoactive effects enjoyed by recreational cannabis users. CBD is a popular cannabinoid that delivers a myriad of health benefits, which made this CBD strains deserving for recognition and fame. If youโre new to cannabis use for medical purposes, getting started with one of these high CBD strains is a brilliant idea.