The recent spike in popularity of CBD products has created conversations confirming two substantial hunches about Cannabidiol. First, it truly does seem to provide relief for everything from anxiety to muscle pains to depression. Second, unfortunately, there’s still an amount of people confusing CBD for marijuana’s THC and mistake it for an intoxicating substance. It is absolutely, conclusively not.

Given how stigmatized all cannabis and hemp seems to be among Americans, largely due to the residual rumors circulated by the 1930s “reefer madness” marijuana scare and then reinforced by the “War on Drugs” of the 1980s, it’s understandable why so many have a knee jerk reaction to any word beginning with the prefix “canna-.” However, to paraphrase a saying from that era, all that glitters isn’t grass. While hemp and marijuana are indeed cousins, they’re entirely different plants with very different effects.

The exact compound in marijuana that causes psychoactive effects (the “high”) is tetrahydrocannabinol, the aforementioned “THC.” Hemp, where most CBD is derived from, does not contain any THC and thus does not run any sort of risk for the clichéd side effects such as euphoria or paranoia. Further, while they impact the same part of the brain, their effects are wildly different. Essentially, THC activates dormant receptors (causing the “high”) whereas CBD subdues receptors allowing for an alleviation, or relaxation, rather than an intoxication.

This is a major reason why CBD is federally legal and THC still faces so many restrictions. It also explains why CBD’s ability to seamlessly integrate into anyone’s daily routine has allowed for such an explosion of use. Items utilizing CBD, especially Culture Wellness’ Culture Bars and Gummies with their all natural ingredients, allow for an easing of pain on the body without taking the user out of their own mind. No protest required.