Medically reviewed by Dr. Jen Palmer, ND -  Naturopathic Doctor

There’s no denying the hype around hemp extract oil. Maybe you heard about it from a buddy on a camping trip or on your weekly trip to see the acupuncturist. If you’re considering trying hemp extract oil for the first time, it's important to separate fact from fiction. What may start out as a false fact can easily snowball into urban legend. Although life is much more fun with stories like, “The Vanishing Hitchhiker” around the campfire, when taking a powerful full-spectrum dietary supplement like Charlotte’s Web™, truth is the only version you should know.

Hemp and Marijuana are the same plants: MYTH

This is probably the mac-daddy of hemp myths. First, wrap your brain around this – hemp and marijuana come from the same plant species Cannabis sativa, hence, the confusion. Over the centuries, growers recognized the many beneficial characteristics of cannabis and bred the plant to separate out those traits. Hemp became an industrial mainstay while marijuana was propagated for its psychoactive properties.

Hemp Oil Gets You High: MYTH

Think about someone you’re related to that couldn’t be more different than you. That’s hemp and marijuana. Even though they share genes and certain chemical compound properties, the big distinction is that hemp is superior in the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol, while marijuana is greater in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The cannabidiol in hemp is most recognized for its wellness properties; it’s the THC in marijuana that gets you high.

Hemp Oil Is Only Used For Epilepsy: MYTH

The story of little Charlotte Figi and Charlotte’s Web has been told over again because of the massive impact it made. There’s a much bigger health and wellness story you might not be aware of yet. Premium hemp extract oil has shown to provide incredible support to the Endocannabinoid system, which is vital for the overall balance of the immune system, sleep, digestive tract, cognitive function, and the nervous system.

Hemp Was Used To Clean The Soil in Chernobyl: TRUE! TRUE! TRUE!

This sounds like a crazy urban legend, but it couldn’t be truer. Hemp plants combined with new phytoremediation technology were used to clean contaminated soil in the area of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.  The results have been so remarkable that Japanese scientists have considered using the method for Fukushima. Unfortunately, the difficulty in obtaining hemp licenses prohibits them from using this miraculous plant.

(*CONSUMER TIP: We think it’s important to mention that for the same reasons hemp is so amazing at cleaning the soil and pulling out heavy metals, that consumers make sure they’re buying quality hemp extract products that are responsibly grown with great agricultural care.)