When you talk to most people, bringing up cannabis may be a bit of a taboo. This stems from three generations of misinformation regarding a relatively harmless plant. When people think of cannabis, they think of “marijuana.” Marijuana is an old term for a wild Mexican tobacco. The press used it to launch racist campaigns against it. That’s where the confusion starts. There’s so much bad info about the cannabis plant. The biggest one, is that CBD and THC are the same. They are not.
Here, will explore the major differences between CBD and THC, as well as the benefits that each has.
CBD
CBD, unlike THC, does not produce a “high” experience. It is, in most naturally found strains, seen in lower quantities. But new farming and breeding techniques have allowed growers to produce high CBD buds. If you’re curious, check out CBD flowers here to see how they look. CBD does have the effect of lowering anxiety, and decreasing inflammation in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Systemically, it has been used heavily to help with mild to moderate anxiety and manic episodes relating to depression. A lot of the research surrounding CBD has shown great promise. It is shown to topically decrease autoimmune inflammation. The data that is coming in for mental health studies are generally positive. But like anything new, we need to be able to run more tests. Thankfully CBD is legal all over the continental United States and most Western nations.
THC
THC is one of the many cannabinoids that are present in the cannabis plant. It varies in concentration depending on the strain. There are some strains that are meant to be high THC. There are others that highlight the support of cannabinoids as well. THC is the prime compound that is responsible for the “high” feeling. It is also the prime appetite inducer in patients and has the added benefit of keeping the food down. THC is a powerful pain reliever and has been shown to be as effective in pain mitigation as liver damaging NSAIDs. As time goes by, and legalization rolls in, more studies can be run regarding THC and its effects and uses for the everyday individual.
Synergism
CBD is seen, over all, as the “medicinal part” of the cannabinoid group. Thus, although true, is not the whole story. The truth of the matter is that all of these individual cannabinoids work synergistically to produce a specific effect. One can have a higher expression of CBD or THC, but ultimately both work better together. Of course, if you don’t want that “high feeling” you can opt to have pure CBD. Also, if your place of work doesn’t allow THC use, you might want to stick to CBD products. But to really get the full effect as a medicine, all the cannabinoids that are present in the whole plant should be present in the extract.
Although CBD and THC are two different cannabinoids, they should be seen as two sides of the same coin. A more accurate description of cannabinoids, in general, is that each is one side of a multi-sided die. Whatever your preferences are, and depending on the legal status of your place of living, cannabis can help you and your family as it has so many others.