How Hemp Oil Delivers The Stress-Reducing Benefits Of Weed (Without The High)

Happy 4/20! These days, cannabis is in high demand (pun only slightly intended). But it's important to note that there are many types of products that come from the cannabis plant, and only some contain enough tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in marijuana, to get you high. Hemp oil is not one of them.

Hemp extract is rich in beneficial plant compounds called cannabinoids including CBD, but it's very low in THC—the psychoactive compound that causes you to feel "high" when smoking weed. "There is very little THC in hemp products, less than 0.3% verses up to 30% in marijuana," explains functional medicine doctor Amy Shah, M.D. (In order to be a legal product, hemp extracts must contain less than 0.3% THC, which the USDA considers a 'trace amount.')

Hemp extract does contain terpenes and flavonoids, organic compounds present in all plants, fruits, and vegetables that give off specific aromas and tastes. These elicit particular responses in the body and often act synergistically with cannabinoids to boost their effects. So while the supplement can make your body feel good and relax your mind, hemp oil won't make you feel high1—even when taken in large doses.

So, if hemp oil doesn't get you high, what does it do, exactly? Research shows that it can provide relief from everyday stress and anxiousness2, promote feelings of calm3, support healthy immune function4, and help with sleep5, for starters.* It's also becoming a popular ingredient across the cosmetic industry as it's said to help promote healthy skin, hair, and nails.*

On that note, the number of benefits you're able to reap from a hemp product ultimately depends on how much of the hemp plant is incorporated into the formula.

Full-spectrum hemp oils are comprised of the whole hemp plant, meaning they're high in cannabinoids, like CBD, and phytocannabinoids, which, renowned integrative physician Robert Rountree, M.D., tells mbg, "affect the [human body's] endocannabinoid system, the body's master regulatory system.*" Together, all these working parts of the plant produce what's called the "entourage effect," magnifying the product's effects on the body.*

There are a slew of benefits that hemp oil could potentially offer someone when properly implemented into their daily routine (with the correct dosage), but among the many things the cannabis substance can do for your body, hemp oil won't make you feel high.*