The uses of cannabis have expanded beyond recreation. The news today isn’t how marijuana can get you high and the dangers of the drug. Today people are interested in the health benefits that the plant can bring. Extracted cannabis oil is the hot item, and depending on what you want it for there are two ingredients you’ll be looking for in yours.
Both of these chemicals are part of a larger group of cannabinoids. There are hundreds of different ones; CBD and THC are just two of them. Cannabinoids interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system. The system works to carry messages to different parts of the body responsible for appetite, mood, memory, and pain. THC and CBD both mimic the natural cannabinoids in your body. Scientists are still studying the effects that they have on this complex system.
What is THC?
THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is the cannabinoid responsible for the ‘high’ that comes with cannabis use. THC directly stimulates the cannabinoid receptors in your body. It’s what gives marijuana its psychoactive properties. THC has proven useful in helping soldiers with PTSD, cancer sufferers with nausea, appetite in HIV/AIDS patients, reducing pain, and just generally having a good time.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol or CBD is the new kid on the block. Research is just starting on CBD as a stand-alone ingredient. CBD doesn’t directly interact with cannabinoid receptors, so its effects are more subtle. This cannabinoid is not psychoactive, which is appealing for the use of medicines. The hopes for what CBD can do include helping people with epilepsy, genetic brain disorders, Parkinson’s disease, anxiety, insomnia, and inflammation. There is a smaller risk of developing a dependency on CBD. The fact that it is not psychoactive is what pushed the government to legalize hemp, which has high concentrations of CBD, but not THC.
