What is the Difference Between Synthetic and Natural CBD

Researchers in Germany found that nearly three quarters of epilepsy patients choose to take natural CBD, citing reasons such as "no chemicals" and "better tolerance."  At the level of regulatory legal acts in civilized countries of the world in the past few years, the amount of synthetic cannabinoids in various categories of goods has been strictly regulated, their use as food, various types of supplements, veterinary drugs, as well as hygiene products or body care products is prohibited. ...

Natural cannabidiol (CBD) is primarily one of the most common chemical compounds found in hemp. It is classified as a cannabinoid, along with over a hundred other similar compounds in the plant (cannabigerol, cannabichromene, cannabinol, etc.) - unlike controlled tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the rest of the therapeutically active elements do not have psychoactive properties.

CBD is a plant-based chemical known for its health and wellness benefits in humans and other mammals that have an endocannabinoid system. Its benefits include the ability to reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, anti-inflammatory properties, and the ability to relieve symptoms of conditions and diseases associated with spasticity.

Modern technologies make it possible to produce CBD using chemical and biosynthetic methods, such as the use of genetically modified yeast. This is why consumers / patients are wondering if there are differences between the above two forms of CBD in terms of efficacy and safety, consumer preference, cost effectiveness and legality.

Efficiency and safety

Despite the fact that manufacturers of synthetic CBD claim that their products are chemically identical to natural cannabidiol, their effectiveness and safety raises serious concerns among both market professionals and consumers / patients themselves. Without going into too much detail, the effectiveness and safety of using synthetic cannabidiol in comparison with plant-based CBD can be compared with a natural fruit (when entering the body, the stomach is full, from which natural elements in the amount necessary for the body are “drawn out” by the body and used in its interests ...

In turn, synthetic CBD can be compared to a plastic imitation of fruit, which perfectly fulfills its decorative function (marketing during the sale of products containing synthetic cannabinoids), but a sane consumer in life would not "guess" to use a decorative (plastic) fruit for food. At the initial stage, the stomach, as well as with natural fruits, will feel full, however, if the amount of plastic is minimal (a marketing ploy for a clear regulation of the amount of CBD), the body digests plastic without any particular consequences for itself. If there are a lot of synthetic substances in the body, the internal organs either immediately fail, or accumulate them to some critical mass and then stop working. A similar clinical picture is observed during the use of synthetic cannabidiol. 

That is why, at the level of regulatory legal acts in the civilized countries of the world in the past few years, the amount of synthetic cannabinoids in various categories of goods has been strictly regulated, their use as food, various types of additives, veterinary drugs, as well as hygiene products or care products is prohibited. behind the body.

Profitability

Natural cannabidiol obtained from therapeutic hemp or psychoactive plant varieties involves the costs of cultivation, processing, extraction. Even though the cost of natural CBD has declined by 80% over the past five years, the cost fraction significantly exceeds the amount of resources required to produce synthetic cannabinoids.

Synthesis of CBD in the laboratory offers the advantages of ease of production and requires much less resources and time to obtain the product. Therefore, synthetic CBD is about five times cheaper on the market than naturally occurring cannabidiol.

Consumer / Patient Preference in Developed Countries

Researchers in Germany found that nearly three quarters of epilepsy patients choose to take natural CBD, citing reasons such as "no chemicals" and "better tolerance."

Legality

Natural cannabidiol cannot be extracted up to 100% purity. A trace amount of tetrahydrocannabinol remains in the product, therefore production and sales are subject to the control of the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Substances, various kinds of laws, bylaws and departmental regulations.

Synthetic CBD is not subject to control as it is not specifically mentioned in the United Nations Single Convention, which only applies to substances derived from the hemp plant.

Commentary of experts of the Association "Ukrainian technical hemp"

Faced with regulatory restrictions on sales in the market of economically developed countries, as well as falling consumer interest due to their unsafeness, products containing synthetic cannabinoids are traditionally introduced to the markets of states in which this field of activity is not regulated or insufficiently controlled by government agencies. ... Unfortunately, already now we can state that Ukraine in this matter has turned into a stock country, where everything that cannot be sold on the market of the EU, America, Australia and even Asia comes true. Faced with the side effects of the use of non-drug cannabinoids, which often have more serious consequences for the human body than the effect of their use, it is worth drawing the attention of the state structures of our country to this rapidly growing problem.