Medical marijuana has become very popular in recent years. People all over have experimented with different strains, doses, and ways to use cannabis for its health benefits.
One of the most important compound groups is called cannabinoids. There are two major types of cannabinoid you will find in medical marijuana: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
With this article we will discuss the differences between these two compounds!
Disclaimer: This article contains references or examples of studies that suggest certain effects for either THC or CBD. However, this does not imply that using one compound will produce the same results as the other. As such, there may be unexpected side effects from using either compound alone or together. You should always do your research before experimenting on yourself.
History of marijuana
Before we dive into the differences between THC and CBD, let’s take a look at some background information about cannabis!
Marijuana has been used in various forms since ancient times. Ancient civilizations like those in China and India grew and consumed marijuana for medicinal purposes as well as ritual use. In fact, there are stories of Emperor Augustus using hemp to relieve pain and improve sleep.
During this time period, people did not simply refer to cannabis as “marijuana”; instead, they referred to it as either “hemp” or “the herb that grows down.”
It was not until the late 1800s when marijuana (then known as “Indian Hemp”) became popularized in Western society. At that time, psychoactive compounds were found only in the leaves of the plant, and scientists determined them to be an active ingredient called delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (or just THC).
This discovery set off a mad dash to extract and chemically characterize other chemicals present in the marijuana leaf. Many new substances have since been identified, but one of the most prevalent is now known as cannabidiol (CBD).
You may have heard of CBD before, but you probably didn’t know what part of the product it is in or how much of it exists.
Medical benefits of marijuana
As mentioned before, cannabis has many uses that are not related to smoking it or ingesting it as gel caps or oils. Rather, they are referring to using the oil or dried flower of the plant itself. Many people use marijuana for pain management, disease treatment, and overall wellness.
Medical experts agree that cannabinoids have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. When you have chronic inflammation, your body is constantly trying to heal and restore from an injury or stress factor. Over time, this can be harmful so your body will keep repairing and reworkinging instead of moving on!
This is why patients with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and other conditions suffer from constant pain and fatigue. By taking supplements with CBD or THC, you are able to reduce the effects of inflammation while still experiencing some relief.
There are several studies done on medical marijuana’s effectiveness in cancer treatments as well. Because the cannabinoids bind to receptors in your body, they work to eliminate or prevent cell proliferation which may help in curing cancers.
Some research even suggests that pot may play a role in stimulating your immune system and helping fight off infections! All of these claims are just hypotheses at this stage, but we do know that cannabis can interact with your body and create positive changes.
Usage iggly how to make weed edible You can either eat the flowers or mix the extract into foods such as beverages or gummies.
Medical benefits of THC
Many people focus only on the psychoactive effects of marijuana, but aside from getting high, it also contains another compound called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Recent studies show that cannabinoids are very effective in treating certain medical conditions.
Thc is what makes someone feel “high” when they use cannabis. It actually stimulates endocannabinoid production, which has several healthbenefits.
Endocannabinoids regulate many functions, such as sleep-wake cycles, appetite, pain perception, immune function, and more. When you lack enough endocannabinoids, it can result in chronic symptoms like inflammation and disease.
Certain phytocannabinnols found in hemp have been shown to increase levels of endocannabinoids. By increasing endocannabinoid activity, hemp extracts can help reduce suffering and heal damage caused by insufficient endocannabinoid action.
Medical uses for cannabinoid therapy include treatment of cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, neurological disorders, and more. Because of this, there are over 1,000 clinical trials exploring the efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD) for various conditions.
While some claim that pure CBD is less therapeutically effective than full spectrum hemp oil, recent research does not agree. A systematic review conducted in 2018 concluded that although CBD alone was mostly safe and well tolerated, more rigorous long term studies were needed.
Medical benefits of CBD
Recent studies have shown that cannabidiol (CBD) is effective in reducing pain, helping with sleep, controlling inflammation, and aiding in healing. Because it is not made from cannabis oil, you will not get high off of CBD!
Many people are discovering the medicinal powers of CBD today. It has been used for years to reduce anxiety and stress, but most people did not know about its other functions until more research was done.
Now there are many ways CBD can help us!
It can be consumed directly through oral medications or supplements, applied topically to the skin, or inhaled as a vape liquid or solid cartridge gel.
Medical professionals are experimenting with different uses for CBD, including in eye drops to treat glaucoma and arthritis injections. And some believe that CBD may even have therapeutic value in cancer treatments.
Because CBD does not contain any THC, it is legal in all states to use if for medical purposes. However, your doctor must certify that you need marijuana medicine before starting treatment.
This article will discuss some of the important differences between CBD rich products and hemp oil that do contain small amounts of THC. You will also learn how to tell which ones are worth the money.
Legality of marijuana in the U.S.
While there are two major components to most cannabis products, we’re only talking about “THC” or tetrahydrocannabinol here. Because it is the compound that gets people high, it has become very popularized.
Many people refer to CBD as “cannabidiol,” but this term is actually misleading.
CBD does not get you high nor does it have any intoxicating effects. It is instead known for having lots of health benefits. Therefore, it is sometimes referred to as “non-psychoactive.”
This isn’t true though because even one dose of CBD can produce some changes related to intoxication. These include dry mouth, slowed reaction time, and altered perception of space and time.
However, unlike THC, CBD cannot cause psychoactive effects like hallucinations and delusions. That means you wouldn’t find yourself thinking about all sorts of weird things while using CBD.
It also would not make you feel physically intoxicated due to its lack of activity at our target receptor site. So, you would not experience heavy drowsiness or lethargy. And finally, CBD doesn’t contribute to heart rhythm issues so you would not face concerns related to that.
Popularity of marijuana
As we know, cannabis is not new! People have been using it for thousands of years to help achieve relaxation and other benefits.
There are two main components in marijuana- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Both contain chemical compounds that interact with our body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), but there is a difference in how they are administered and what effects you want to get from them.
You will probably find more information about CBD than about THC because it has become much more popular. That being said, both cannabinoids can offer individuals some incredible health benefits.
It is important to remember that each person is different when it comes to medical marijuana. Find out about one compound or another by reading enough materials so that you can compare all of them together.
This article will talk about the differences between CBD and THC.
Different strains of marijuana
What is THC?
Trichome, or hair-like growths containing tricalcium phytocannabinoid (or TCPC) compounds can be found on almost every part of a cannabis plant. These are responsible for creating some of the compound’s well-known effects, such as sedation and relaxation.
The term “THC” comes from the name of one particular chemical structure within this class — tetrahydrocannibinol. When you smoke or ingest cannabis that contains this chemical, your body breaks it down into another chemical called delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol.
This other chemical has its own set of effects, most notably increased pain sensitivity and euphoria. Cannabis with high concentrations of THC is what gets people high!
But not all plants contain enough THC to get users really high. This is why there’s been a rise in interest in cannabidiol (more commonly known as CBD).
Many people have reported success using CBD instead of THC when needed, so manufacturers have focused more on producing pure CBD extracts to see if they can find similar benefits without the higher dosing of THC.
Dosing of marijuana
When discussing cannabis with most people, dose is one of the biggest factors in determining its effects. This is not only true for users but also for doctors who prescribe it.
There are two main components to most strains of marijuana; cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Both contain chemicals that can bind to receptors in your body and affect you, but at different levels.
Too much of either will result in less desirable effects such as relaxation or sedation. Too little and there may be no effect at all!
Luckily, like any other medication, we have guidelines and labs that help determine how much of each component you need to feel their benefits. These include drug tolerance, genetic differences, and weight variations.
Drug tolerance refers to the amount of product you need to achieve a desired effect. People vary in this way due to genetics and health, so what works for someone else might not work for you. As with anything, do your research and find out what settings work best for you.
Doctors typically recommend a lower dosage of CBD than THC since they believe people’s bodies absorb and process CBD faster than THC. That means you could use more efficient doses of CBD and get the same results as higher doses of THC.
Conversely, some people respond better to high concentrations of THC because their genes don’t metabolize it as quickly.
