The legal use of marijuana and hemp has been rapidly expanding across the country. This expansion has been remarkable, but has left many consumers wondering which products are the best for their needs. The two most commonly derived compounds people discuss revolves around CBD vs THC.
With so much misinformation out there, lets take a look at some of the most common questions I hear about the differences of CBD vs THC.
TL;DR – There are several differences between CBD and THC. One of the most well-known of these differences is that THC will get you high, while CBD won’t. THC is also still labeled as a controlled substance, while CBD is legal.
THC vs CBD – Most Obvious Differences
The most obvious difference between CBD and THC is the plants in which they are found, and the levels in which they exist in those plants.
For starters, CBD and THC are both compounds are called cannabinoids. A cannabinoid is a plant chemical found within the cannabis sativa plant (hemp), and marijuana.
CBD and THC come from plants found within the cannabis plant family. Both cannabinoids are found in hemp (cannabis sativa), too, but legal hemp cannot contain more than 0.3% THC by weight – by federal law. This means CBD products cannot get you high.
This is why hemp is the preferred primary means of CBD extraction. Marijuana can contain any amount of THC and CBD, and is much more tightly regulated.
Cannabis = Hemp and Marijuana
As I just mentioned, both marijuana and industrial hemp make up the cannabis plant family. Many people do not realize this.
The only difference between hemp and marijuana is the THC content within the plants themselves. Man man regulations identify marijuana as a cannabis plant (typically indica, but can also be sativa) with a THC content of over 0.3%. The same regulations identify industrial hemp as specifically cannabis sativa, with a THC content of no more than 0.3%.
For this reason, people who use CBD derived from marijuana will absolutely feel the intoxicating effects of THC.
Related article: CBN vs CBD
The Hemp Plant
If you are looking for a completely non-intoxicating and legal CBD product, please make sure you look for hemp derived CBD. These products are made from the hemp plant, not the marijuana plant.
You can reap the health benefits associated with cannabis, but without feeling the intoxicating effects of THC.
Will CBD and THC Both Get You High?
This is one of the biggest differences between THC vs CBD. THC will get the user high, CBD will not. The psychoactive effects of THC are quite strong, as you all know. However, there are no intoxicating or psychoactive effects when it comes to using hemp derived CBD products.
Why is this?
Related: CBD vs Delta 8 THC For Anxiety
Both CBD and THC interact with the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), but act in very different ways. The ECS comprises various receptors. The psychoactive properties of different cannabinoids, like THC, are due to how they interact with the endocannabinoid system.
This system was discovered in the 1960’s during research revolving around THC and its effects on the body. Neurotransmitters were discovered during this study.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals responsible for relaying messages between cells and have roles in functions like pain relief, immune response, stress, and sleep. The differences of CBD vs THC and their effects on the body are expressed in how the body utilizes each compound.
Our endocannabinoid system is basically a network of receptors. These receptors are called cannabinoid receptors, and they are responsible for how our bodies use CBD and THC.
Cannabinoid Receptors Interact With CBD and THC
There are two cannabinoid receptors in the body: CB1 and CB2. These are the sites where cannabinoids enter the ECS. Integrative health studies are trying to figure how best to use these receptors for certain treatments.
The chemical compounds CBD and THC act quite differently, here. THC has a strong binding affinity (it fits well) for the CB1 receptor.
This is why the compound’s psychoactive properties are so strong. This binding allows for a number of effects on your body and mind; some more desirable than others. For instance, while THC can induce feelings of euphoria and stimulate your appetite, it can also cause paranoia and anxiety.
Related: What is CBN?
CBD does not strictly bind with the cannabinoid receptors CB1 or CB2. It is unclear at this time exactly how CBD functions within the ECS; it is thought to modulate the receptors instead.
CBD has a low affinity for binding to the CB receptors. Researchers are still relatively unclear exactly how CBD interacts with the CB receptors, but they do know it doesn’t directly bind like THC does.
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Why Does THC Get People High?
By now, you understand THC is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis plants, and medical marijuana. Cannabis potency is often measured via THC content for this reason.
Your ECS is designed to receive and send messages via endocannabinoids and receptor sites. CB1 receptors are located primarily in the brain and central nervous system.
They help regulate things like pain, inflammation, memory, and appetite. CB2 receptors are located throughout the body and are thought to modulate immune cell functions, like inflammation.
Scientists have identified two primary endocannabinoids:
- anandamide (AEA)
- 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol (2-AG)
THC fits into the CB1 receptor so well that it actually pushes AEA out of the way, sending a flood of ancillary signals to the brain.
These signals then aggravate or mitigate the various functions listed above. The result is often euphoria, or a sense of being high. This is, in a nutshell, why cannabis products or THC products make you feel the way they do.
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I will get into this a bit later, but because THC makes the user high, it is located on a controlled substances list. This list is filled with substances that are regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, and normally require a prescription for use.
Medical marijuana, for example, requires the use of a medical card in any state that marijuana or THC isn’t recreationally legal in.
Is CBD Psychoactive?
Not really. CBD is only psychoactive in that it can alter your moods, or make you feel relaxed. It is not intoxicating in any nature, or psychoactive in the manner that will make you feel high.
Related article: Do CBD Products Smell Like Weed?
There is simply not enough THC in hemp based CBD extract to get the user high. This is because farmers that grow cannabis sativa need to keep the THC content under 0.3% throughout their growing season. This means that a tiny amount of THC can make it into certain CBD products, but it will never be enough to make you feel high.
You see, a chemical is considered psychoactive when it acts primarily on the central nervous system and alters brain function. This alteration can temporarily change things like mood, consciousness or behavior.
Most people associate the term psychoactive to mean it will make you feel high. While this is definitely part of being psychoactive, it’s not the only meaning.
CBD does not have the intoxicating effect of THC and will not get you high or cause withdrawal effects.
This is one of the major differences between CBD and THC.
CBD does cross the blood-brain barrier and directly affects the central nervous system. The result of this is a change in mood and/or perception. This is why CBD is shown to treat anxiety, pain, depression, and seizures. Medical cannabis items often contain a lot of CBD because of this.
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Not everyone enjoys the intoxicating effects that THC brings them. In fact, if medical cannabis or recreational cannabis wasn’t able to get people high, many, many more people would be using it.
Furthermore, many doctors actually prefer prescribing non-intoxicating substances to their patients. This is because the risk to become addicted, or risk of substance abuse, is almost non-existent in non-psychoactive substances.
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