Cannabis is a plant that has been used for centuries for its medicinal and relaxing properties. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the use of cannabis as a medicine, and many people are now using it to treat various conditions. Cannabis can be consumed in a variety of ways, including smoking, vaporizing, eating, and drinking, all of them available online at Grasscity. Each method of consumption has its own set of pros and cons, and the choice comes down to every individual. However, before consuming cannabis, you have to understand the ingredients.
Both CBD and THC are two of the most well-known and researched cannabinoids found in cannabis. The benefits and the differences between these two cannabinoids are vast, and there is still some gray area when it comes to understanding their individual effects.
In this blog post, we will explore what makes CBD and THC unique, as well as discuss the benefits associated with each cannabinoid. Hopefully, after reading this post, you will have a better understanding of both cannabinoids, and the role they play in the cannabis plant!
What is CBD?
If you are reading this article, chances are you are trying to decide whether or not you should consume CBD or THC. The best place to start is by defining what CBD is. CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of the most active cannabinoids within the cannabis plant, the second most active to be precise.
Unlike THC, CBD is technically not psychoactive and does not produce any intoxicating effects. To put it more simply, no matter how much CBD you consume, you will not get high. If you were under the impression that CBD might get you high, and that’s why you wanted to try it, then perhaps it is not what you need to be using.
What is THC?
THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is the primary psychoactive cannabinoid within the cannabis plant, and it is the most active. although THC has a very similar makeup compared to CBD, it differs in the way that it is psychoactive and produces intoxicating effects. What this means is that if you consume THC, you will get high.
As mentioned, THC and CBD, have a very similar molecular structure. Both have 30 hydrogen atoms and 21 carbon atoms; however, the difference is how these atoms are arranged. This difference in arrangement, as well as how they bind with your cannabinoid receptors, changes the effects that you feel.
What are the Main Differences?
Now that you have a basic understanding of what CBD is and a basic understanding of what THC is, it’s time to take a look at the main differences between the two, and why one makes you feel high while the other doesn’t.
As mentioned above, one of the main differences in why you feel high when you consume THC compared to CBD is because of how they bind to your cannabinoid receptors. We should begin with CBD. CBD binds slightly more gently than THC; This causes CBD to behave more like a modulator since it gently blocks or stimulates the receptors. In addition to this, CBD is thought to produce more CB receptors, which leads to more natural levels of anandamide.
Taking a look at THC; THC does not lead to the creation of more levels of anandamide, it can pass as anandamide and bind to the CB1 receptors. Because THC binds to CB1 receptors quite tightly, this leads to the prevention of neurotransmitters being able to transmit and causes extreme feelings of euphoria and the feeling of being intoxicated.
What are the Benefits?
At this point, you might be wondering “what are the benefits that CBD or THC provide?”. To be completely honest, both CBD and THC offer very similar benefits. Both are incredibly great at treating pain, they just go about it in a slightly different way. Research has also shown that both CBD and THC can relieve these symptoms of depression and anxiety. Furthermore, research shows that when consumed together, they have far larger beneficial effects.
Which Should You Consume?
Now for the bigger question that you have probably been asking since the beginning of the article, “which should you consume?”. This is entirely dependent on personal preference. If you are experiencing moderate pain, then you could probably consume CBD to treat it. However, if you are experiencing intense chronic pain, THC is most likely the better option.
You will also need to decide whether or not you want to experience any intoxicating effects. If you don’t mind experiencing intoxicating effects, then THC would be no problem. However, if you don’t want to experience intoxicating effects, then CBD is the best choice.
