Do you know the difference between CBD isolate, broad spectrum CBD oil, and full spectrum CBD oil? I thought I did until I heard the owner of one of the biggest brands in the industry recently bragging that their CBD tinctures were “full spectrum with zero THC.” Call me crazy, but if you remove a portion of something, doesn’t that by definition make it “not full”? How can a tincture be “full spectrum” if part of the spectrum (THC) has been removed? Maybe you don’t consider THC part of the spectrum in which case we need talk about definitions and what is really being implied by some CBD companies.
As a CBD business owner it is crucially important that you understand these terms and how people are using them so that you:
A) source product efficiently
and
B) confidently and accurately label, market and sell your CBD products and brand
The first thing we need to do is define what we mean when use the phrase “full spectrum” to describe a CBD product. Full spectrum does not only refer to the number and type of cannabinoids (THC/CBD) in an oil. In my opinion, and I think most CBD professionals probably share this opinion, the term “full spectrum” should refer to a CBD product that contains all of the beneficial compounds and molecules that were extracted from the hemp plant including THC, CBD, terpenes, flavonoids, antioxidants, vitamins, fatty acids, oils, and more.
BROAD SPECTRUM CBD OIL
Refined Full Spectrum
Normally 80% CBD
0% THC
Pleasant Smell
Flavor varies
Pic: Cope CBD
Once you start filtering and removing different parts of a CBD extraction, you no longer have a full spectrum product. Period.
Why is this so important? Well, in this case, details matter. You can divide the CBD market into 3 top level categories of consumers. Depending on your business plan it could make sense to try and serve all 3 segments. Or, maybe you focus all of your energy and resources on one specific niche. Either way, understanding the different types of consumers will help you to better serve your chosen market.
1. CBD Isolate Users: Often (not always) an isolate user is either a budget shopper or someone who may not be educated on the different kinds of CBD products available and their benefits. The market is flooded with so many isolate based tincture brands that it’s very easy for an inexperienced consumer to end up buying one of their products not knowing that there are different options available. It’s not unusual for CBD isolate product shoppers to evolve as they learn and move from isolate to broad spectrum and sometimes even full spectrum products. It rarely ever goes the other way. (From full spectrum to isolate)
2. Broad Spectrum Users: Probably the most popular segment of the CBD oil market right now. There are 2 types of broad spectrum CBD oil users. Consumers that are curious about CBD oil but don’t have much experience or education with CBD products so they just buy what a friend or a blog recommends. And consumers that have done all of their research and have decided that a THC-less broad spectrum CBD product is their ideal way to go. Both are important customers bases to serve and are large enough that many brands operate and do well solely in the broad spectrum niche.
3. Full Spectrum Users: Full spectrum CBD oil users are normally well educated on the topic and more often than not, understand the benefits of having all of the cannabinoids and compounds working together. They usually don’t mind paying a few dollars more for their CBD because they understand what’s inside the bottle and are ok with getting what they pay for.
FULL SPECTRUM CBD OIL
Distilled Crude CBD
Normally 80% CBD
0.3% THC
Pleasant Smell
Flavor varies
Pic: Cope CBD
All 3 groups are important and deserve to be served honestly and accurately. One of the best ways to bond a customer to your brand is to educate them and let them know you care about their CBD IQ. Making sure that they are aware of the entourage effect and how combing cannabinoids and compounds has been proven to be very beneficial is a great way to earn a customers trust.
Speaking of, let’s talk a little bit about the Entourage Effect.
Entourage Effect: Process where trace amounts of psychoactive compounds (mainly THC) as well as other non-psychoactive compounds (mainly CBD), terpenes, flavonoids, vitamins, etc. found in the hemp plant work together to improve a CBD products efficacy.
In addition to being scientifically proven, myself, as well as hundreds (maybe even thousands) of people I’ve personally helped over the last 10 years have experienced the beneficial effects from all of the compounds and molecules in full spectrum CBD product working together to produce the entourage effect. There is something special about the way all of the different molecules work when they’re mixed together in your system vs. how they work when individually introduced. I’m not saying that CBD isolate doesn’t work. I’m just saying that in my experience, and in the experience of many people I know, CBD works better when mixed with all of the other molecules found in full spectrum cbd oil.
CBD ISOLATE
Highly Purified Crystalline CBD Extract
Normally 95-99% CBD
0% THC
Odorless
Tasteless
Slight Cherry Flavor When Vaped
Pic: Cope CBD
Now that you have a clearer understanding of the different types of CBD and the different CBD consumers, lets go over the pros and cons of selling each type of CBD.
SELLING CBD ISOLATE
Reasons To
- No THC
- Least expensive form of CBD.
- Can be used in just about any food/drink recipe
- No risk of your customer getting high/stoned
Reasons Not To
- Provides the smallest amount of relief compared to broad and full spectrum products
- No THC
SELLING BROAD SPECTRUM CBD OIL
Reasons To
- No THC
- Contains additional compounds
- Entourage Effect (Sort of)
Reasons Not To
- No THC
- Can be confused for full spectrum
SELLING FULL SPECTRUM CBD OIL
Reasons To
- Contains 0.3% THC
- Entourage effect
- Very effective
Reasons Not To
- Contains THC
As we wrap this up I want to be perfectly clear. As far as the consumer is concerned, the best type of CBD product to use is the one that works for them. As much as I personally prefer full spectrum products, at the end of the day, what’s most important is that the person using the product finds relief. If that relief comes in the form of an isolate, broad spectrum, or full spectrum oil makes no difference.
I hope this video and article helped you understand the difference in the different types of CBD products available. It can be a bit of a confusing subject even for those of us that have been doing this for a while. Hopefully this cleared up any confusion you may have.
Thank you very much for taking the time to watch/read. Look forward to seeing you here again soon. Cheers.
SIDE NOTE: I mentioned crude CBD oil a few times so I thought I’d share a bit of information:
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