CBD Oil 101 Guide: What it Is and What it Does (+ Highness Risks)

Are you seeking to understand CBD oil and its effects on the body? This simple guide will help you learn everything you need to know.

In places like Australia, CBD oil has become a hugely popular natural remedy for various health problems.

All CBD oils are natural hemp extracts that come in a liquid. You consume drops of CBD oil via a dropper. People consume it for the cannabidiol or CBD compound it contains, which has excellent abilities in:

• Reducing stress, anxiousness and stimulating ‘calmness’
• Boosting mood and helping combat depression symptoms
• Mitigating pain and inflammation in the joints
• Helping with skin problems like psoriasis or eczema

But despite its renown, many still don’t understand what CBD oil is or whether it gets you high.

Understanding the basics of CBD is vital if you’re considering using it for your health. This is particularly true now that CBD oil is entirely legal to buy in Australia.

In 2021, low-dose formulations of CBD oil were legalised in Australia. You can now purchase these extracts over the counter in licensed pharmacies. You can also shop for CBD products online in Australia or at certain retail stores (like dispensaries).

But navigating this complex space can be very tough. For example, it’s easy to confuse CBD oil with: 

• Cannabis oil
• Hemp seed oil
• CB2 Oil

The formulations and types of CBD oils available now can also be tricky to understand.

Our 101 guide here will bring you up to speed on the basics of CBD Oil. Get insight here into:

• What CBD Oil is
• How to get CBD oil in Australia
• Where CBD extracts come from (how they’re made)
• What CBD does and its common uses
• Whether CBD gets you high

Let’s dive in.

What is CBD Oil? Overview

Let’s begin by answering the following question: What is CBD oil? Firstly, it’s an extract from hemp (cannabis sativa). This plant is the only source of CBD oil.

The oil is extracted from hemp resin as a gold-green liquid. Within the liquid is a cannabinoid molecule called ‘cannabidiol’ or CBD.

Cannabinoids are a unique class of bioavailable (meaning useable by the body) chemical compounds that this plant naturally secretes.

The body (and brain) absorb these compounds via specialised receptors called ‘cannabinoid receptors’.

This receptor network is part of the endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for unlocking the powerful health benefits of CBD (and other cannabinoids).

When CBD activates your cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoid chemicals are released. These improve your overall well-being, stimulating effects like:

• Soothing anxiety and calming stress
• Lowering inflammation around the body
• Supporting sleep health
• Mitigating arthritis
• Preventing seizures (CBD is used in anti-seizure medications)

Additionally, you’ll probably find CBD helps you to maintain a more concentrated, upbeat mental state.

These effects sound too good to be true. Yet the scientific evidence has established CBD’s credibility and authenticity.

Amazingly, despite being from hemp, CBD oil isn’t psychoactive or intoxicating. Let’s compare it to cannabis and hemp seed oil to see why this is.

Differences Between CBD, Cannabis and Hemp Seed Oil

Although CBD oil contains a cannabinoid and is from cannabis, it doesn’t get you high. CBD differs from THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is the other primary cannabinoid from cannabis that’s psychotropic and psychoactive.

In contrast to CBD, the THC cannabinoid strongly activates CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the brain, stimulating euphoric effects and changes in consciousness. CBD doesn’t do this. It won’t stimulate CB1 cannabinoid receptors directly, being more active in the body (versus the brain).

The difference between CBD oil, cannabis and hemp seed oil comes down to the content of these two cannabinoids.

Even though they’re all sourced from cannabis, they have entirely distinct cannabinoid compositions.

• CBD Oil contains CBD but almost no THC (under 0.3% concentration in Australia).
• Cannabis oil contains THC (and often CBD).
• Hemp seed oil doesn’t contain any cannabinoids at all.

Keep these differences in mind when you’re understanding what CBD oil is.

Confusing these different extracts of hemp is common. But mixing them up could mean you waste money or get into legal problems. With this in mind, let’s review how you can get CBD oil in Australia today.

How Do You Get CBD Oil in Australia?

There are a few methods of purchasing CBD oil in Australia today. Your choice will depend on the type of extract you need, your budget, and your preferences.

While legal, there are still a few rules on the strengths and formulations of the product that providers can sell. In particular:

• Low-dose CBD oil can be purchased in pharmacies over the counter. Today, you can even find it in many retail stores (including e-commerce CBD shops online). This type of product must contain under 150mg of CBD per day and can only contain 30 mL of oil per dropper bottle.
• High-strength CBD oil requires a prescription from a GP to buy. Any extract with more than 150mg of daily dose equivalent or in a larger size than 30mL has to follow this rule.
• CBD oil with THC needs a prescription from a GP to buy. This type of CBD oil is regulated as a ‘cannabis medication’. Control of access to it in Australia is very stringent. 

For most individuals, low-dose CBD oil is suitable. Mild health issues don’t require high doses (or ‘strengths’) of CBD. This also applies to using it as a general well-being booster. They mainly apply to severe problems (e.g., advanced arthritis or chronic pain).

As such, we recommend a low-strength CBD oil for more regular usage unless you have a severe health issue (in which case, speak to your GP). So, how can you purchase these different types of CBD oil?

No Prescription (Low-Dose Products)

Getting low-dose CBD oil is straightforward. Find an extract that meets your budget and needs, then look for a store that sells it in Australia. Remember that you must supply a valid Australian ID to make a purchase.

Once you’ve identified what you want, it’s a good idea to confirm with a particular store they have stock.

You can then shop for it in:

• Pharmacies can do this by requesting CBD oil from the prescription counter (‘over-the-counter’ CBD oil).
• Retail (e.g. cannabis dispensaries) via shopping at stores that sell CBD products. Speak with the store staff to understand what product fits your needs and tastes best.
• Online CBD stores in Australia commonly offer low-dose CBD products that ship domestically. Be wary of cheap providers who don’t value quality or product safety.

Of these options, pharmacies have the most reliable quality assurance. CBD products they stock are the most regulated. Each item must be TGA-approved via a stringent assessment process.

Because of this rigorous degree of quality control, you’ll get very trustworthy, pharmaceutical-grade CBD oil when purchasing from pharmacies. But this quality and assurance comes at a steep cost. Shopping in pharmacies is far more expensive than in other types of stores.

For this reason, online CBD shops in Australia tend to be the most popular now. They provide the most value, cost-savings and convenience through direct shipping.

While you’ll need to exercise extra caution to find a reputable online store, the money and time you can save shopping online are often well worth it.

What if you need a more potent CBD extract? Here’s how to purchase high-strength CBD oil.

Prescription (High-Dose or Containing THC)

High-strength CBD oil is prescription-only due to being a Schedule 4 substance under Australian regulation. Similarly, this rule applies to any oil that has THC concentrations above 0.3% (the legal limit for standard CBD oil).

Getting these products means you need to speak to a GP.

How to Get Prescribed

If you’re looking to get a CBD oil prescription in Australia, here are the steps to follow:

• Speak to a Cannabis Medication Licensed Doctor: only doctors licensed to prescribe cannabis medications as part of Australia’s ‘Special Access Scheme’ (for medical cannabis). These physicians can prescribe high-strength CBD oil. To get prescribed, you’ll need to find a cannabis medicine licensed doctor. Many telehealth cannabis doctors in Australia are now available for this.
• Initial Consult: Book a time to consult with the doctor you found. You’ll complete a patient entry assessment and pay an initial consult fee to get assessed.
• Condition Review: in Australia, only certain health conditions are eligible to be treated with prescription cannabis medicines like high-strength CBD oil. The prescribing doctor will seek to understand your condition and gauge whether it’s covered under the pre-approved prescription condition list. If not, they may not be able to prescribe. 
• Getting Approved: After being assessed, the doctor must get your medication approved under the Special Access Scheme rules. To prevent misuse, prescriptions are each added to a restricted medication register for high-strength CBD extracts. You’ll need to wait for this approval before getting your registered script.
• Follow-Up for Prescription: After you’re approved, you need to attend a follow-up session with the prescribing doctor to get your prescription.

Go to a pharmacy that sells CBD products to get your script filled and obtain your oil. After this, you’ll have ongoing check-ins with the prescribing doctor to monitor your progress, side effects, and continued medical eligibility. These check-ins are mandatory to maintain your prescription and ‘medically approved’ status.

Now that you know what CBD oil is and how to get it in Australia, let’s review where it comes from.

Where is CBD Oil From?

CBD oil comes from the cannabis sativa plant (i.e. hemp). However, different oil types are extracted from this plant’s distinctive varieties.

Each variety is grown and cultivated differently to produce varying quantities of cannabinoids (especially CBD and THC).

• Industrial hemp varieties contain less than 0.3% THC and low to mid-range concentrations of CBD. They’re farmed widely for commercial applications that require the plant’s fibres and seeds (for example, in manufacturing hemp clothes).
• High-CBD hemp strains have minimal amounts of THC but are bred for potent, medical-grade CBD oil. This breeding and selection process produced plants with high quantities of CBD, making it ideal for more potent extracts.
• Medical cannabis is the most strictly controlled type of cannabis variety in Australia. You can only farm these plants with very specialised agricultural licensing. Depending on the strain, these plants contain THC and varying levels of CBD.

Despite the divergences in the varieties of cannabis that different CBD oil types come from, there are common methods to how each is made.

A multi-stage extraction process is involved to make any form of CBD oil product. It involves:

• Drying harvested hemp, then separating its stalks, leaves and buds
• Processing and crushing the buds into a resin
• Separating pure CBD extract from this resin via extraction using supercritical CO2 or solvents like ethanol

The extract is then mixed with a carrier oil like MCT or olive oil, which helps to disperse it (avoiding uneven doses) and improve digestive absorption.

What Does CBD Oil Do?

Part of understanding what CBD oil is involves learning its effects. CBD’s effects occur throughout the body and mind.

After ingesting CBD, your body absorbs it into the blood. Molecules of CBD then activate your cannabinoid receptors.

On activation, the receptors stimulate the endocannabinoid system to release endogenous cannabinoids (or ‘endocannabinoids’), which are the fundamental way that CBD works for wellbeing.

What Does CBD Do in the Body?

Endocannabinoids like anandamide and 2-AG work in the body by balancing and regulating various metabolic processes.

For instance, they can:

• Help with gastrointestinal regulation and digestive issues
• Improve immune regulation to calm inflammation
• Change nervous system signalling to block pain
• Lower blood pressure through vasodilation in the cardiovascular system

Similarly, these compounds work wonders for mental health. Various brain regions respond positively to endocannabinoid activity.

Brain Effects

Endocannabinoids improve the regulation of cognitive processes by interacting with neurotransmitter receptors like serotonin, GABA and glycine. In turn, this enables them to:

• Mitigate mood and depression problems
• Calm anxiousness or nerves
• Block stress and prevent sensitivity to stressors
• Prevent epilepsy and seizure severity
• Enhance focus and concentration

Each of these effects has clinical evidence supporting it. However, individuals do tend to vary in their responsiveness to CBD and the benefits they see. CBD is also not a cure for any illness or health condition.

You should view CBD oil as a complementary, supportive aid for other treatment options. It’s best applied in conjunction with them. Don’t treat it as a ‘magic fix’.

This extract’s incredible variety of valuable effects on the body and brain make it great for many purposes. What are the popular reasons that people in Australia use CBD oil? Let’s take a look.

What is CBD Oil Good For?

Because it stimulates endocannabinoids in both the body and brain, CBD oil is good for a wide variety of health purposes.

Some of these are:

• Everyday well-being: Many in Australia use CBD oil to improve their mental energy, mood, and focus. Even for healthy individuals, it’s a great addition to the daily repertoire for feeling and performing better due to its balancing properties.
• Recovery and performance: Athletes favour CBD oil to assist with sports recovery, sleep, and exercise performance. It’s excellent at soothing muscle aches, strains, or inflammation from working out. Plus, its sleep advantages are a recognised way for athletes to boost performance over time.
• Sleep: Another widespread use of CBD extracts is getting better, deeper sleep. Taking advantage of its calming, stress-alleviating powers at night is ideal for preventing insomnia. CBD also has proven advantages for balancing circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycles.
• Anxiety and Depression: studies have shown CBD functions as an antidepressant by improving mood. But it also offers anxiolytic properties, soothing the mind and preventing racing thoughts. This makes it well-suited as an aid for relaxation and better mental health.
• Pain Management: CBD suppresses some types of pain, such as neuropathic pain, by lowering the perception of pain in the nervous system. 
• Preventing Seizures: CBD can prevent seizures caused by epilepsy in the brain. CBD-based medications (e.g., Epidiolex) are already used to treat syndromes that trigger seizures in both children and adults. These medications leverage CBD’s neuroprotective effects. Each works to prevent the misfiring and dysregulation of brain neurons.
• Inflammation: CBD supports normalised immune function and reduces inflammatory activity. These anti-inflammatory powers mitigate inflammatory conditions like IBS, colitis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Even though CBD is excellent for many health issues and holistic well-being, a common concern is that it gets you ‘high’ due to being extracted from cannabis. But is this true?

Will CBD Get Me High?

CBD itself won’t get you high. There’s no way that CBD oil can intoxicate you as it contains no THC. THC is the only cannabinoid that stimulates intoxicating mental effects and gets you high.

Over the counter CBD oil in Australia must have less than 0.3% THC to be sold. This amount isn’t enough to cause any change in perception (it’s a tiny amount).

If you’re still worried about THC risks, choose CBD isolate oil. This CBD formulation is designed to have 0% THC and high purity. If you’re drug tested (e.g., as part of your job) or are a driver in Australia (due to roadside drug screens), this option is perfect for added peace of mind. 

Conclusion

You’re now familiar with what CBD oil is, what it does and how to get it in Australia.

CBD oil is a liquid extract of hemp that contains the CBD cannabinoid. It differs from:

• Cannabis oil (which includes THC) and
• Hemp seed oil (which contains no cannabinoids)

Even though these are also extracts of hemp. Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t overly stimulate the brain or cause a ‘high’. Instead, its effects throughout the body and brain are restorative.

Through the endocannabinoid system, CBD works to:

• Improves mental well-being, reduces anxiety and aids mood
• Soothes pain and reduces inflammation
• Mitigate symptoms of conditions like arthritis, psoriasis or epilepsy

These balanced effects make CBD oil good for all types of wellness goals. From relieving specific conditions to supporting daily energy and mood.

You can now get CBD products in Australia after regulations legalised them in 2021. Remember that high-strength CBD extracts or those that contain THC need a prescription to purchase.

FAQs

References

1. Grinspoon, P. (2018). Cannabidiol (CBD): What we know and what we don’t. [online] Harvard Health Blog. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-2018082414476.
2. seoteam (2021). Guide To Obtaining A CBD Prescription in Australia. [online] Cann I Help. Available at: https://cannihelp.com.au/guide-to-obtaining-a-cbd-prescription-in-australia/
3. CBD For Life. (2023). Where Does CBD Come From? [online] Available at: https://cbdforlife.us/blogs/news/where-does-cbd-come-from
4. Black, L. (2022). Can CBD Get You High? Effects and Duration. [online] GoodRx. Available at: https://www.goodrx.com/classes/cannabinoids/does-cbd-get-you-high.
5. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). (2023). Guidance for the use of medicinal cannabis in Australia: Patient information. [online] Available at: https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/resource/guidance/guidance-use-medicinal-cannabis-australia-patient-information.