CBG is a lesser-known cannabinoid than the immensely popular CBD. But like CBD, CBG (or cannabigerol) is being studied for a number of potential benefits in the wellness and fitness markets.
There are over 100 cannabinoids in cannabis and hemp. The best known among them is THC, which is the cannabinoid that gets people high when they smoke, vape or eat ‘decarbed’ marijuana. And over the last few years CBD has become equally well known for different reasons. But now the cannabinoid CBG is emerging as a potential rival to CBD. And its’ doing so for many of the same reasons CBD became popular.
Some industry observers, as well as a handful of hemp farmers are setting their sites on CBG as the next possible big thing in cannabis and hemp. In fact, increasing in medical marijuana dispensaries across the United States, patients are seeing indications of not just CBD levels in the various marijuana strains, but also CBG levels. This is even though the understanding of CBG and its possible benefits are in the early stages of research with nothing conclusive known at this point in time. There are even some CBD oil companies beginning to offer CBG oils or combination oils featuring both CBD and CBG as part of their product lineups.
CBG is referred to as a precursor to THC and CBD
Like CBD, CBG will not produce a psychoactive effect when consumed, so nobody will get intoxicated from it. But it is the potential for its possible wellness benefits that is attracting this increased attention, much in the way CBD emerging just a few short years ago.
In a short period of just a couple of years, CBD went from being an obscure substance of questionable legality to a worldwide wellness product producing billions of dollars in revenue and expected to continue to grow. A number of industry experts see the potential for the same thing happening with CBG.
So, there are two potential retail paths for CBG. The first is similar to CBD. In other words, a general wellness product made from hemp with either negligible levels of THC or zero levels of THC. Said another way, CBG as a wellness product with no psychoactive effect and sold as an oil, a gummy, a capsule and so on. The secondary potential path for CBG would be as a component of marijuana strains with a high CBG content for medical marijuana patients (which we are already seeing in many medical dispensaries) or even in recreational dispensaries for recreational consumers if the dispensary chooses to carry such marijuana strains.
Scientific research on the potential benefits of CBG is in its’ early days. One small study in Italy indicated that CBG may have strong anti-inflammatory properties while other research has indicated potential antimicrobial effects but much more research along with peer reviewed studies are needed to determine if there are any actual benefits. On the positive side, public attitudes towards marijuana and hemp has changed significantly in recent years as old stigmas dissipate. But on the negative side, it is a stretch to expect businesses in the hemp and marijuana industries to spend the billions necessary for thorough scientific studies. And, drug companies are unlikely to foot the bill for research on substances that are not patentable.