Why turn to CBD-rich cannabis strains?

Cannabis enthusiasts have long considered a strain’s potency to be the main factor that makes one strain more desirable than another. The potency of cannabis’s effects is due to based on its THC concentration levels, the psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis. The best-known strains to date have all been cultivated with this in mind. But with the rise of medical cannabis, patients are looking for an alternative. That’s where CBD comes in—it will certainly steal the spotlight from THC before long.

What is a CBD-rich strain?

CBD stands for cannabidiol, the most abundant cannabinoid in cannabis after THC. Recent scientific research has shown that CBD has several medical applications: in particular, it acts as an analgesic (pain reliever) and anti-inflammatory, and its anti-anxiety properties counteract the sometimes powerful effects of THC, without causing any psychoactive effects (such as feeling «high» or «spaced out»).

Who are these varieties intended for?

The Early Research on CBD have focused on CBD's ability to counteract the psychoactive effects of THC. As research progresses, it appears that CBD has therapeutic effects on a much wider range of medical conditions. It shows particular promise for diseases that are generally difficult to treat, such as Crohn’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and multiple sclerosis. And recently, a very rare condition—Dravet syndrome—has been receiving a great deal of attention from the medical community and the public.

The Dravet Syndrome is a rare form of epilepsy that affects children and is particularly resistant to traditional medical treatments. Patients suffer from severe and frequent seizures—sometimes as many as 100 a day—which worsen with age and can eventually be fatal.

Through several stories from families who have successfully treated their children using CBD-rich cannabis strains, cannabidiol has given hope to many parents. This does not mean that the kids are smoking cannabis. One of the best-known cases is that of Charlotte Figi who was given an oil-based extract of the Charlotte’s Web strain, a plant developed specifically for her that offers all the benefits of cannabis without the psychoactive effects. In less than two years, Charlotte went from having 1,200 seizures a month to just three.

Unlike other treatments for epilepsy, the Cannabis has no lethal dose or side effects. The many medicinal properties of CBD present new challenges for European countries:

• Why not reinstate cannabis in the pharmacopoeia? Since CBD is non-psychoactive and has no psychotropic effects, the risks to public health and public order are minimal. It also appears to treat conditions that were previously unresponsive to conventional treatments.
• Patients need scientific research to understand how CBD works and for what specific purposes it should be used.
• the CBD can be consumed as a preventive measure against degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's
• CBD works just as well when combined with the other cannabinoids in cannabis, thanks to what is known as the’entourage effect. Here again, medical research could explore this opportunity for patients with specific medical conditions

Which strains are high in CBD?

Seed companies are also very interested in these new strains and are even developing them themselves. Dinafem has released a new catalog of high-CBD cannabis seeds, featuring strains they have developed themselves. It includes new crosses such as:

• Cheese CBD: a highly aromatic hybrid with the classic Cheese flavor and a 1:1 THC-to-CBD ratio
• Amnesia CBD: a high-yielding sativa that combines the vigor of Amnesia with the relaxing effects of CBD
• Bubba Kush CBD: The Most Indica-Dominated
• OG Kush CBD: Its Californian origins result in a minimum THC-to-CBD ratio of 1:1, with 10% of THC and 10% of CBD
• Purple Orange: a purplish plant with a THC-to-CBD ratio of 1:2, suitable for patients with conditions requiring high CBD levels (+10%)