How Much CBD Is Found in Weed?

CBD, otherwise known as cannabidiol, is quickly becoming one of the most interesting topics in the medical industry.

It is a common misconception that weed only contains THC, which is the cannabinoid that produces the “high” effect. CBD, the non-psychoactive cannabinoid, is often overlooked.

Yet, it is the second most abundant cannabinoid in weed. This usually leads people to ask: How much CBD is found in weed?

What is CBD?

CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that has been found to have a wide range of medical uses. A cannabinoid is a compound found in the weed plant that binds to receptors in our bodies. There are over 100 different cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. The most abundant are THC and CBD. Due to CBD being non-psychoactive and able to combine to most receptors, it has been found to have a variety of purposes.

How Much CBD Is in Weed?

In the weed that we see today, people are usually looking for the THC content, rather than the CBD content. The best way to understand the amount of CBD in a plant is to first understand THC content. THC content is tested in order to understand the potency of the flower. The average THC testing of a flower is usually about 12% to 30%. When a flower is high in THC, it is not commonly testing high in CBD. Over the years, people have bred the weed plant to contain the highest amounts of THC. Why? People didn’t see the benefits of CBD until medical weed came to light. This has caused a majority of weed strains to contain less CBD and more THC.

Now that CBD is becoming a hot commodity, breeders are now finding ways to maximize CBD content and diminish the THC content. At this time, the average CBD content is about 1% to 4%, with 4% and higher being considered a high-CBD strain. The demand for higher CBD content is drastically increasing and is causing breeders to really push for those high-CBD strains. We are beginning to see CBD strains that contain up 15% CBD. However, with the rise of medical marijuana, people are not just looking at the CBD content.

It has been found that certain ratios of CBD to THC have a more effective outcome. They call it the “entourage effect.” This means that all of the cannabinoids work in a synergistic manner. Due to this, CBD content is more commonly written as a ratio to THC. For example, a 1:1 would mean there are equal amounts of CBD and THC, while a 20:1 ratio would mean there is much more CBD than THC. These ratios allow consumers to test multiple dosages and see what works best for them. Weed affects everybody differently, so it is important to test products out until you find the best one for you.

High-CBD Strains

CBD strains are slowly making their way back and are extremely high in demand. High-testing CBD flower is tough to find, but it is definitely out there. When choosing a CBD strain, it is important to understand what kind of ratio it’s in. This will ensure that you are getting what you need. A majority of CBD strains are found in medical stores, but there are some CBD strains available at recreational stores.

Top CBD Strains Available:

1. Charlotte’sWeb: Hemp-Derived CBD Strain (15%CBD / .03%THC)

2. Sour Tsunami: Sour Diesel x NYCDiesel (10%-11%CBD / 10%THC)

3. Pennywise: Harlequin x Jack the Ripper (1:1 ratio)

4. Cannatonic: MK Ultrax G-13 (6%-17%CBD / 6%THC)

5. Harlequin: Columbian Gold x Thai x Swiss (8%-16%CBD/ 4%-7%THC)

This is just a small list of available CBD strains. As the industry continues to grow, we are seeing more and more CBD strains being bred. It is important to understand that a majority of these strains come from cannabis sativa and cannabis indica. However, there are still a ton of CBD products that are derived from hemp, meaning there is little to no THC content. Hemp-derived products are available nationwide on many platforms.