Frequently Asked Questions about CBD

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of more than 100 naturally produced molecules called cannabinoids and found in the Cannabis Sativa L plant.

It is an active ingredient that, by regulating some mechanisms, helps to restore homeostasis, i.e. the ability our body has to self-regulate, keeping all the body’s functions in balance with each other.

Hemp and Cannabis (or Marijuana) are two names used separately simply by convention, i.e. to more easily define two different uses: the term Hemp refers to the variety – selected – with a low percentage of THC used to produce supplements, food (seeds, oil, flour), textiles, bio-fuel, paper, cosmetics, recreational products… while the term Cannabis refers to the variant rich in THC and therefore entailing psychoactive effects.

Part of the Cannabaceae family, Hemp, which we remember humans have been cultivating for thousands of years, can be subdivided into three subspecies: Ruderalis, Indica and Sativa, the one we are dealing with.

Legally, anyone is free to purchase products containing CBD, the only rule concerns the THC values to be respected. At CBD Alchemy we only deal with hemp varieties Inflorescence of Cannabis Sativa L. registered in the EU catalogue of permitted varieties (for further information please see Case C-663/18 – European Court – Judgment 938/2020) and therefore with a THC level below the legal limit of each country.

In most European countries the legal limit is 0.2% THC, in Italy the cultivation of “legal inflorescences” of Cannabis Sativa L. for the production of various products – including oils – is regulated by law 242/2016, which expressly recognized their legal use within the limits of the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) active ingredient content of less than 0.5%.

Those based on CBD fall within the so-called products for “technical use” category: in other words, the law does not give a precise indication of their use and therefore, since it does not make explicit reference to the prohibition of smoking it (nor, on the contrary, to the possibility of doing so) any eventual use is – in fact at – personal discretion.

Since 2018, CBD has also been removed from the list of controlled substances by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and therefore – although the rules may vary depending on where you compete – even athletes can take advantage of CBD’s many beneficial effects on muscle recovery.

Cannabidiol can take many forms, such as oil, herbal teas, creams, capsules or vaporised; the oil in particular, which comes in dropper bottles for waste-free use, is very suitable for topical treatment. For example, by applying a few drops directly onto the affected area and having it absorbed with a gentle massage.

A popular method used overseas, where laws allow its direct use, is to apply the oil directly under the tongue.

CBD, acting on an unbalance in our endocannabinoid system does not act on a specific pathology, but rather tends to generate a number of positive effects for the whole body by acting on an unbalance in our endocannabinoid system.

• CBD can have a soothing effect on joint pain and skin irritation.
• CBD can aid relaxation and therefore facilitate better rest.
• Due to its anti-inflammatory potential, it can be an excellent adjunct in the treatment of a variety of disorders.
• It can help protect the skin from oxidative stress on cells caused by free radicals and is therefore particularly suitable for anti-ageing skin care.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide dosage recommendations for CBD. “Start low and go slow” is a wise maxim. Here is an excellent website to assist you in learning more about the subject: https://cbddosagecalculator.com. As always, we advise consulting your physician.

As above and in line with current regulations, we cannot claim CBD will help specific conditions. We encourage everyone to study more as research is currently developing exponentially, after being exceedingly slow for decades. We recommend the PubMed website as a great resource for medical research studies.

The CBD-based products for sale on our site are low in THC, and therefore are not medicinal and cannot be used to treat or cure diseases.

Although research into its properties and potential new uses is still ongoing, the results of many studies suggest that CBD, due to its recognised properties (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and relaxing), may be a beneficial natural principle for many problems.

Our advice, however, is to always consult your doctor before engaging in any decision by yourself.

CBD is a 100% natural molecule. It is not obtained through a synthetic process but through an innovative ultrasound technique that guarantees a higher and gentler extraction yield than other methods and allows us to obtain a pure, complete and solvent-free product.

Cannabinoids are molecules that, by linking with receptors of the Endocannabinoid System, protect the body from possible over-stimulation by generating calming and anti-inflammatory effects.

They may be endogenous, i.e. produced by the body, or exogenous, i.e. produced outside the body, such as those found in cannabis plants (called phytocannabinoids) and which we treat. Among the best known exogenous we find THC and CBD.

Humans, like other mammals, have a self-regulating mechanism called the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is responsible for many functions such as sleep or appetite, and modulates the immune system and its inflammatory response. 

This system is made up of millions of receptors that interact with endocannabinoids, molecules produced by the body (for this reason, called endogenous) which protect the body from possible over-stimulation by generating calming and anti-inflammatory effects.

Often, however, when we push our bodies beyond its usual rhythms, internal cannabinoids often cannot do all the work on their own, so it is useful to supplement them with others from outside.

CBD does not alter the psychic state, is not addictive and is also commonly used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), CBD “is not addictive, produces no psychoactive or cardiovascular adverse effects, poses no individual or social risks, and has promising therapeutic uses” (WHO 2017).

No. CBD cannot be detected as the tests are designed to reveal the possible presence of THC and the level of THC within our products is always strictly below the limits set by current law. 

If you have any doubts or need to assess particular situations, we recommend that you consult a professional.

In numerous studies and tests carried out on different dosages and methods of administration, no side effects have been reported. 

In extremely rare cases and in any case linked to a high dosage (1,500 mg/day), some minor side effects such as diarrhea, fatigue and changes in appetite (more frequently a reduction rather than an increase) have been reported.

To date, in both animal and human studies, no addiction problems related to CBD intake have been verified.

While the percentage of CBD, as well as other active ingredients, varies from product to product and batch to batch, our products contain a percentage of THC that is always below the legal limits and therefore negligible; in some cases – such as Pure CPNP Oil – this is completely absent.

CBD and THC are the 2 main cannabinoids present in the Cannabis plant and although they are often confused, they are different molecules that generate different effects.

THC (tetrahydrocannabinol or delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol), although probably the best known, is only one of over 100 cannabinoids naturally present in the hemp plant, and is an active ingredient capable of generating psychoactive effects, which is why cannabis is still illegal in many countries around the world.

CBD (cannabidiol), on the other hand, is a component totally without psychoactive effects and boasts numerous properties, so much so that, in addition to being legal in practically every country in the world, it is increasingly being tested and used for medical purposes.

Flavonoids are a broad class of natural compounds widely distributed in the plant world and therefore also within hemp plants.

More specifically, we are talking about more than 6,000 different molecules – secondary metabolites – that perform various biological activities that are useful for our organism.

Although their beneficial effects have not yet been confirmed by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), studies carried out so far show that they are an excellent source of antioxidant substances capable of fighting the action of free radicals and consequently ageing.

Terpenes are naturally occurring chemicals found virtually everywhere and in particular in plants (e.g. mint and citronella), foods (mangoes, lemons…) and essential oils.

In nature, their primary role is to protect vegetation from agents such as bacteria and parasites, but it is also thanks to them that we owe the presence of particular, unique aromas and flavours that characterise so many elements such as the pine aroma we find in forests or the typical aroma of cannabis plants within which over 200 different ones have been identified.

In hemp, terpenes are enclosed within trichomes, small mushroom-shaped glands located on the surface of leaves and flowers.

CBDa (cannabidiolic acid) is one of more than 100 cannabinoids present in the hemp plant and is the element from which, through a natural conversion process called decarboxylation that occurs during the Cannabis growth phase, CBD is obtained. CBDa can therefore be considered as the “purest form” of CBD.

In fact, all cannabinoids begin their ‘life’ as acids, and indeed, at an earlier stage, they all originate from a single ‘precursor’ cannabinoid, Cannabigerolic Acid (CBGa), which, during the development of the plant, is transformed into other cannabinoid acids, giving rise to THCa, CBGa, CBDa, etc., in turn the precursors of the better-known molecules of THC, CBG, CBD, etc.

Research is still in its beginning stages, but some scientists believe that CBDa is up to 10 times more effective than CBD.