Weed that grows here in the northeast is some variation of Northern Lights, a primal strain going back decades. Tons of names like Gorilla Glue,White Widow,Trainwreck...ad almost infinitum. Everything is basically a ratio combination of indica to sativa. Heavy stoner highs are usually 80/20 Indica/Sativa while energetic, happy highs stem from 80/20 Sativa/Indica. In the middle are all kinds of ratios, 60/40. 70/30 etc but the main objective is to get a strain to produce a plant high in THC and that is what most growers aim for...25% THC or higher.
Now there is always CBD in any strain you grow but one can manipulate that percentage also and get plants that are extremely high in CBD's and rather low in THC. Once harvested, these strains are boiled down and strained repeatedly until, after adding beeswax and coconut and maybe an essential aromatic oil, you get an easily spreadable salve.
I've used CBD salves for years, especially in the winter.I would never buy any of these marketed products you guys are talking about because, for the most part, they DO suck. You have to put the time in manipulating the genetics of the strain you're growing to get plants to produce high amounts of CBD. It's a craft that requires a lot of time, care and meticulous gardening.
OK, so now you're all wondering if this is all true why can't you find any of real therapeutic value.My answer is simple. A medical marijuana card allows one to grow six plants at any one time(here in RI). Now your choice is, grow plants high in THC that produce multiple pounds of female bud, or grow plants high in CBD that when harvested and manipulated to produce CBD salve, the result is 1 to 1 and a 1/2 OUNCES of product.
The only way things will change is a quantum shift in production on an industrial level. As it stands today, that CBD cream in Wal-mart may as well be Eucerin.