<tc>CBD oil in Lithuania: a product that helped thousands</tc>

CBD oil in Lithuania is freely available from 2021. Although this product appeared on our market relatively recently, many people have already seen the benefits of CBD (cannabidiol). It’s a reliable help with various problems: hemp products save you from stress, insomnia and eating disorders, improve the condition of your skin, hair and much more. And if you haven’t come across CBD oil yet, it’s time to learn more about it!

Note: This and other articles on Hempo's blog are for informational purposes only. According to the directive of the European Commission, cannabidiol is classified as a 'novel food', therefore CBD products should not be used as a food supplement in Lithuania.

A brief history of CBD: from discovery to legalisation in Lithuania

Although hemp has been grown and cultivated for millennia, many of its properties were not fully known and understood until the beginning of the last century. Advances in biology and organic chemistry have opened up more opportunities to accurately assess the molecular composition of hemp plants, including CBD.

CBD was first discovered in 1940 by American chemist Roger Adams. He studied how hemp products affected the human brain and psyche and isolated CBD from the hemp plant. He also discovered another cannabinoid called CBN (cannabinol).

Through a series of successive tests on lab animals, it has been gradually established that CBD has no psychoactive effects. On the contrary, many good properties of CBD have been revealed. CBD has been shown to have a soothing effect, making it perfect for patients with anxiety disorders, depression and insomnia. It has also been found that CBD helps with various eating disorders, can improve your hair and skin, effectively fights ageing processes, can relieve various joint and muscle pains and strengthen your weakened immune system.

In most countries of the world, CBD oil has gained great popularity and has helped many people to deal with various health and aesthetic problems. Lithuania followed the lead of the world very recently, legalising CBD products in the fourth quarter of 2021. Today, CBD oil products are available in Lithuania, if their THC content does not exceed 0.2%. CBD oil is becoming increasingly available in Lithuania, so more and more people can feel its benefits for themselves.

Both in Lithuania and abroad, the public attitude towards cannabidiol is similar: at first, people were quite wary of cannabidiol, but gradually understood and appreciated the benefits provided by CBD. For this reason, the popularity of cannabidiol continues to grow rapidly today.

What should you know about CBD products?

Experts notice that Lithuanians have too little knowledge about the potency of cannabidiol and which CBD product is best to choose. A common question that sellers get is what strength (percentage) CBD oil to buy. Currently, you can choose from 5%, 15%, 30% and other strength oils.

In this case, the most important thing is not the percentage, but how many milligrams of CBD are consumed. For an adult new to cannabidiol products, it is recommended to take between 20 and 30 mg of CBD twice a day.

The percentage of CBD concentration depends on how many drops you need to use. For example, one drop of 15% CBD oil contains 7.5 mg of CBD. It means that about 3-4 drops will be enough to achieve a great effect. Meanwhile, with 30% CBD oil you need just two drops.

Of course, these doses are preliminary. The required dose and absorption of CBD depend on factors such as weight, tolerance level of cannabidiol products and desired effect.

Are all CBD products the same?

We get this question quite a lot and the answer to it is ‘definitely not’. There are quite a few differences between different CBD products. However, as mentioned before, you should consider other factors than strength when choosing cannabidiol. One of the most important is the type of CBD extract. In Lithuania, you can get full-spectrum extracts, broad-spectrum extracts and CBD isolate.

Full-spectrum CBD oil contains not only CBD, but also many other beneficial cannabinoids such as CBN, CBG, CBC, a small amount of THC, terpenes and flavonoids. These cannabinoids work in synergy to create the so-called entourage effect that enhances CBD’s effects and effectiveness. It’s worth noting that full-spectrum oil contains small amounts of the cannabinoid THC, which is recommended to be avoided by nursing mothers and professional athletes.

• Here is what you need to know about the entourage effect. The undesirable effects of THC are widely known in Lithuania and other countries. This product has psychoactive properties, thus receiving mixed responses and being illegal in Lithuania (as mentioned, only products with a THC content of no more than 0.2% are allowed). That being said, various studies show that full-spectrum CBD oil with permitted levels of THC does not have any hallucinogenic effects or other THC-related side effects. On the contrary, a small amount of THC can enhance the effectiveness and absorption of CBD. This phenomenon is called the entourage effect.

Another alternative to full-spectrum oil is broad-spectrum oil. Hempo broad-spectrum CBD oil contains all the cannabinoids (CBD, CBC, CBN and CBG), terpenes and flavonoids, but is completely free of THC, making it a totally safe alternative for nursing mothers, professional athletes or people who simply avoid THC.

Another product worth discussing is CBD isolate that contains 99% pure cannabidiol (CBD). Isolate is made by extracting all other active substances, including terpenes, flavonoids, other cannabinoids, etc. It means that CBD isolate does not have the entourage effect and may provide a weaker effect than full- or broad-spectrum oils.

Choose tested products

Cannabidiol is a new product on the Lithuanian market. That’s one of the main reasons why you can find a lot of low-quality CBD products or products with incorrect information here.

Quite often, sellers claim to sell full-spectrum CBD oil, but lab tests of these products show clear discrepancies. It’s usually a broad-spectrum CBD extract with several cannabinoids such as CBD and CBG. Unreliable and untested products can have unpredictable side effects. You probably won’t get the desired result, so the money will be wasted. Therefore, always check the lab tests – all CBD sellers must provide them.

There is also good news: experts predict that with time the Lithuanian CBD market will open up and people will know for sure where to buy certified, high-quality CBD products. CBD oil had a long road to reach the store shelves in Lithuania, but it was definitely worth it: more and more people are discovering the benefits of this product.