Glossary
Full-spectrum
Updated:
Full-spectrum describes a hemp extract that keeps the plant's whole cannabinoid and terpene profile, including delta-9 THC up to the 0.3 percent hemp limit. It contrasts with broad-spectrum (THC removed) and isolate (CBD only). Under the 0.4 mg per container cap, most full-spectrum products will need reformulation.
A full-spectrum extract is hemp oil that has been extracted and filtered but not stripped of individual compounds. It contains CBD as the major cannabinoid along with CBG, CBC, CBN, THC and the plant's terpenes and flavonoids. The THC must stay at or below 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis for the source material to be hemp (7 U.S.C. 1639o).
The case for full-spectrum rests on the entourage hypothesis, the idea that cannabinoids and terpenes act together rather than alone. Russo's 2011 review in the British Journal of Pharmacology laid out that argument from preclinical data (Russo 2011). Controlled human evidence for it remains limited.
Trace THC is the trade-off. A full-spectrum product can show THC on a drug screen, and it carries more THC per bottle than the new federal cap allows. From December 11, 2026, a finished product must hold no more than 0.4 mg total THC per innermost container (P.L. 119-103). A 30 mL full-spectrum tincture at typical concentrations exceeds that by a wide margin, so full-spectrum products face reformulation, smaller containers, or removal from the federal hemp category.
On a certificate of analysis, full-spectrum shows measurable delta-9 THC rather than ND.
Sources
- 7 U.S.C. 1639o, Definitions (hemp) Cornell Legal Information Institute (accessed 2026-10-13)
- Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects (Br J Pharmacol, 2011) PubMed (accessed 2026-10-13)
- Public Law 119-103, Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027, section 2019 GovInfo (accessed 2026-10-13)