The bottom line? Knowing what symptoms you are trying to treat will help you determine whether a THC or CBD dominant product is the best choice for you. Stop by, talk to one of our dispensary agents, and we’ll be happy to help!
Learn more! Here are some useful articles that expand on the differences between THC and CBD.
What are THC and CBD?
THC and CBD are the dominant medicinally active chemicals in marijuana. Each has its own chemical composition, effects, and risks. And you don’t have to be an organic chemist to understand them. Here’s a basic primer:
Marijuana itself is the dried components of the hemp plant (Cannabis) — leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds. It contains an over 60 types of chemical compounds, called cannabinoids, with THC and CBD being the most abundant. Each strain of marijuana (i.e. Jack Herer or Blue Dream) has a different balance in chemicals, resulting in different effects on the body. Typically (and this is a generalization) indica strains are higher in THC, while sativa strains are higher in CBD. Click here to learn more about indica and sativa.
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the most abundant ingredient in marijuana, and is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects, including the “high” typically associated with marijuana. “Cannabinoid receptors are concentrated in certain areas of the brain associated with thinking, memory, pleasure, coordination and time perception. THC attaches to these receptors and activates them and affects a person’s memory, pleasure, movements, thinking, concentration, coordination, and sensory and time perception, according to NIDA.” (“What is THC”, Livescience, April 7, 2015.) THC has reported medical benefits, relieving pain, nausea, and depression, boosting appetite, as a sleep aid, and more.
CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, providing many of the benefits of marijuana without the “high” feeling. Some studies have actually shown that CBD can block some of the high that THC provides, balancing out the patient experience. As such, CBD products are an appealing option for patients who want relief from pain, anxiety, inflammation, as well as patients who need improved altertness (as CBD can counteract the “sleepiness” often caused by THC). CBD Studies as published by the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, claim CBD can be useful in treating nausea, seizures, anxiety, depression, psychosis disorders and more.
This graphic from AZ Med Testing helps explain some of the effects of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids.
The bottom line? Knowing what symptoms you are trying to treat will help you determine whether a THC or CBD dominant product is the best choice for you. Stop by, talk to one of our dispensary agents, and we’ll be happy to help!
Learn more! Here are some useful articles that expand on the differences between THC and CBD.
The bottom line? Knowing what symptoms you are trying to treat will help you determine whether a THC or CBD dominant product is the best choice for you. Stop by, talk to one of our dispensary agents, and we’ll be happy to help!
Learn more! Here are some useful articles that expand on the differences between THC and CBD.
