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What is in Cannabis?
Aug
From its history as an unfairly categorized and misunderstood plant, to cannabis’ current status as a now legal (in some areas) and yet still misunderstood plant, everything about cannabis is complicated.
We are here to clear things up for you.
Of the over 400 chemical compounds found within cannabis, more than 60 of them are cannabinoids. These cannabinoids are primarily responsible for producing the vast array of effects most commonly associated with cannabis.
While we’ve just begun to understand the full scope and complexity of this beautiful and historically misunderstood plant, we do know a few basics. Let’s break them down for you.
TETRAHYDROCANNABIDIOL (THC)
Until the emergence of CBD (more on that below), of all the significant cannabinoids, THC was the most commonly referenced and understood. THC is the abbreviation for a scientific label you’re likely to forget—Delta (9)-tetrahydrocannabinol. And, as previously mentioned, it is the most well-known cannabinoid. THC is responsible for most of the psychoactive effects commonly associated with cannabis. To put it simply, THC gets you high. That’s not all it does, however. THC has proven to have numerous therapeutic effects and is considered an antioxidant, helping to protect your brain and providing general relief from pain and inflammation.
CANNABIDIOL (CBD)
From farmers markets to your local pet store, to sparkling water, CBD is all the rage (we published a blog about CBD), and because of this, there’s a ton of misinformation floating around about it. What is CBD and what does it do? Let’s start with the basics.
CBD is the second most common cannabinoid found within cannabis. Unlike its psychoactive cousin, THC, CBD doesn’t bind itself to the same CB1 or CB2 Receptors (learn more about those here), which means, in basic terms, CBD doesn’t get you high. That said CBD has a whole range of positive attributes that help to explain its newfound fame. CBD has been shown to help relieve nausea, inflammation, and anxiety. It is for this reason many consumers prefer CBD to THC—they can get the benefits of cannabis without experiencing the head-high from THC.
CBD is also now legal in many states, including several that don’t allow legal recreational or medical cannabis. Let’s be clear: not all CBD products are created equal, we’d encourage you to drop by and chat with a Lightshade budtender to learn more about CBD and CBD-related products.
