The CBD industry has been completely transformed over the last decade. It has gone from a relatively small market that very few people were aware of t
The CBD industry has been completely transformed over the last decade. It has gone from a relatively small market that very few people were aware of to one of the most talked about topics of the 21st century.
The 2018 Farm Bill and the ever-growing list of states that allow the recreational use of marijuana has played a significant role in transforming the CBD industry. However, legal changes have not been the only factor.
Technological breakthroughs have also been a major driving force in the evolution of the CBD industry. The way CBD products are manufactured and used has changed thanks to technological advances.
So, let’s take a look at how technology has played a vital role in shaping the CBD industry in recent years and how it has changed how people buy CBD oil and use it daily.
Efficient Growing Techniques
CBD products have always had a reputation for being expensive and not something the average person can afford to use regularly. The good news is that this is no longer the case.
Thanks to several advances in cannabis technologies, there is now an endless range of affordable CBD products to choose from. Advances in both growing technologies and manufacturing techniques have meant that high-quality CBD products can be made much cheaper, with the savings passed on to the consumer.
In an ideal world, hemp plants would always be grown outside with the optimal climate and soil needed to thrive. However, for manufacturers to keep up with demand, this is simply not possible.
Hemp plants are often grown in indoor growing spaces equipped with high-intensity bulbs to replicate the best possible growing environments. Lighting equipment along with electricity are expensive and limits the products that manufacturers can create.
Technological advances in LED lighting have revolutionized the growing industry. LED lighting is much cheaper to run and gives the grower greater control over the environment, leading to high-quality plants.
Thanks to LED lighting, hemp plants can be grown indoors on mass, with the end result being almost identical to the plants grown outside on farms that have been established for decades.
DNA Technology
There are hundreds of hemp strains. Every strain contains a slightly different combination and ratio of cannabinoids and terpenes. Certain strains are better suited to CBD products, while others are more tailored toward recreational marijuana products.
To maximize output, companies manufacturing CBD supplement products want to select the strains with the highest ratio of CBD. However, the cannabinoid ratio in strains is not the only factor that has to be considered.
Other vital things that growers and manufacturers have to take into account include its yield, optimal growing conditions, and, depending on the final product, the flavor and aroma of the strain.
Advances in DNA technology have meant that growers can now take the best part of several different strains and combine them to create the optimal hemp plant strain for its intended purpose. Thanks to DNA technology, strains with an exceptionally high CBD content and a low THC ratio have been created that also produce a high yield.
Advances in Nano-Encapsulation
Advances in cannabis technologies are mainly focused on the growing and manufacturing side of the industry. However, there have been some significant steps in optimizing how CBD products interact with the body to achieve the best possible results.
One of the main issues that researchers have been looking to address is increasing the amount of CBD in products that are actually used by the body. CBD has a low bioavailability in its most simple form. Research has shown that when consumed orally, roughly 20 percent of the CBD within a product works its way into the bloodstream.
Various technological advances have helped to better understand how CBD’s bioavailability can be improved. It is thought that encapsulating CBD in a smaller emulsion can dramatically improve the amount of CBD that ends up in the bloodstream.
Nano-encapsulation technology is already being used within the industry. While still a rare find, nano-CBD products are slowly increasing and are often found in products such as CBD beverages and capsules.
Using nano-encapsulation technology, consumers can consume less CBD while achieving noticeable positive effects.
Final Thoughts
There have been some substantial technological advances within the CBD industry. The way in which hemp plants are being grown and products are being made has changed a great deal. Thanks to these advances, CBD products are now accessible to a much wider group of people.
Technology has played a massive role in transforming the CBD industry, and this looks only set to continue. There are still many areas to research and improve upon, and technology’s role in the CBD industry only looks to become even more vital.
