Marijuana is now legal for medicinal use in 26 states and the District of Columbia, and for recreational use in seven, but contrary to what some media may have us believe, this doesn’t mean that people are just sitting back and getting high. Cannabis is actually a very powerful medicinal plant that has been used for its health benefits for centuries, and its many long-overlooked powers are finally coming into focus, especially now that CBD oil is on the market (and just FYI — this cannabis-derived product doesn’t get you high).

What is CBD Oil?

First off, don’t confuse CBD oil with hemp oil — a nutritional oil more properly known as hempseed oil. Made from crushing hempseed or hemp hearts, hemp oil is very rich in linoleic and alpha-linoleic acids and antioxidants, and it has an optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. It’s great for drizzling on salads, and it has no psychoactive properties whatsoever.

“It is unlikely to get stoned from consuming hemp oil, compared to how it is unlikely to feel the effects of morphine by ingesting poppy seed, which also has trace amounts,” explains Naturopathic Doctor Serena Goldstein of the product.

CBD oil is a different product entirely, one made from the stalks and leaves of the cannabis sativa plant. This oil gets its name from cannabidiol, often referred to as CBD. Like tetrahydrocannibinol, or THC, CBD is an active cannabinoid found in cannabis plants. Unlike THC, however, CBD has no psychoactive properties — and its health benefits may be even more profound than those of THC.

There are several varieties of CBD oil on the market, differentiated based upon whether the oils contain only CBD or a ratio of THC to CBD. According to Chris Kilham, Medicine Hunter, the most popular is a 1:1 ratio between these two cannabinoids, though some prefer minimal THC in their CBD oil.

“Some people don’t mind a little bit of psychoactivity,” says Kilham. “Some people want nothing to do with that.”

While some experts further differentiate between CBD oil that comes from hemp, the common name for non-psychoactive cannabis, and that which comes from psychoactive cannabis, commonly referred to as marijuana, Kilham, says that this distinction is overcomplicating matters.

“It’s all cannabis,” says Kilham. “There’s no other thing. It’s actually all cannabis sativa.”

It is, however, interesting to note the difference between the two strains: hemp contains higher amounts of CBD, whereas psychoactive cannabis contains large amounts of THC and much lower amounts of CBD. The latter product has psychoactive characteristics, whereas the former just has the somewhat miraculous health benefits.