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What is THC and CBD?
What You Should Know About THC and CBD
Some cannabinoids are federally legal. However, others continue to be demonized by the DEA.
In a majority of the states, cannabis is viewed as a medicine. However, if you cross state lines with your cannabis medicine (even between states that each have a medical marijuana program), you’re breaking federal law.
We understand that the world of cannabis can be confusing. Marijuana remains federally illegal yet you might see cannabis-derived products being sold in places like Family Video or at your local gas station.
To help you better understand the differences and similarities between some of the compounds found in cannabis, let’s take a look at the two most famous cannabinoids.
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What is CBD?
CBD is short for cannabidiol. It’s the cannabinoid that was federally legalized with the passage of the 2018 farm bill. In short, the government legalized the production and manufacturing of hemp varieties of cannabis.
Does this mean there’s a new drug to be wary of on the market?
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Yes and no.
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Yes, you’ll start seeing this drug on the market.
No, you don’t need to be wary of it.
CBD products can be vaped, applied topically, or even eaten, all without any serious side effects.
CBD is generally considered safe for human consumption and is widely known to be a well-tolerated compound.
More important, CBD doesn’t produce the psychotropic effects that some people might be worried about.
That’s because it acts on the CB2 receptor of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which isn’t linked to the ‘high’ often associated with cannabis consumption.
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What is THC?
THC is often used as shorthand for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the cannabinoid that does produce a psychotropic effect.
By latching to the CB1 receptors of the ECS, THC imparts changes in perception to things such as time, space, and reality.
Products with THC often come with warning labels to indicate they induce such effects.
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What are the Medical Benefits of CBD?
Most importantly, marijuana acts differently for everyone.
However, CBD has been shown to have significant anti-inflammatory properties.
For example, in 2009, in the journal, Future Medicinal Chemistry, researchers noted that CBD—when used daily—inhibits the progression of some types of arthritis.
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What are the Medical Benefits of THC?
While some are worried about getting high, others view it as the primary medical benefit of cannabis. Cannabis offers many people a reduction in external noise and a focus on the self.
This simple shift in perspective helps people deal with daily pain. However, scientific studies have shown similar, more direct findings.
In fact, a 2008 study, published in the journal, Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management, showed that THC might be beneficial for people with some types of difficult to treat pain by both helping with inflammation and dampening the pain itself.
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How to Utilize Cannabis for Maximum Efficacy
Cannabis is highly individualistic, it’s best to consult your medical marijuana doctor for recommendations on how to best use it. Likewise, a budtender may provide valuable insight into the products available that might suit your needs.
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