With so many states legalizing marijuana for medicinal and/or recreational use and CBD products being legal everywhere, there are a lot more people trying one or the other, or a combination of the two, for the first time. But what are the differences between the two and how do you, as a novice user, know which one is actually best for you?
First, you should always take the time to learn more on the subject than we can teach you in this short article. However, we wanted to give you a quick-start guide about THC and CBD, especially CBD shatter, it’s to help you on your road to making an informed decision.
What’s the Difference Between THC & CBD?
Since both CBD and THC come from the same plant, cannabis (aka marijuana), and both are legal in varying degrees around the country, there can be a bit of confusion on the differences between the two. So, let’s take a quick look.
Both THC and CBD are cannabinoids, which the body actually makes varying types of naturally. In conjunction with that, certain areas of the brain, such as those associated with pleasure, thinking, time perception, memory, and coordination, have high concentrations of cannabinoid receptors. However, while marijuana contains both THC and CBD, they both have completely different effects on the body.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) attaches to and activates these receptors, acting much like the cannabinoid chemicals that the human body naturally makes. It is the ingredient that is responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects — aka the “high.” THC works to help improve mood, increase pleasure, and have varying degrees of effects on memory, movement, concentration, coordination, thinking, sensory input, and time perception.
Cannabidiol (CBD) also attaches to and activates these receptors, again acting like our naturally occurring cannabinoids, and it is the second most prevalent of the natural ingredients in cannabis. However, it does not have the “high” or psychological effects that THC does and as it is legal in varying degrees in all 50 states, a lot of people are wondering if it is safer than marijuana.
According to the W.H.O. (World Health Organization), “CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential” and that they have not found any “evidence of public health-related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.”
So, we know that THC is the cannabinoid responsible for the high in marijuana and that while abundant in marijuana, CBD products come from a different plant. And now, if you’re not familiar with the benefits of CBD, you’re quite likely wondering what the heck CBD is used for.
The Many Benefits of CBD
For some time now, there has been a bit of excitement over the promising results of CBD research. While there is substantial and growing evidence that CBD helps with insomnia, varying causes of chronic pain, stress, PTSD, and more, some of the strongest scientific evidence is for its effectiveness in treating seizures caused by certain epilepsy syndromes.
In multiple studies, it was able to reduce the number of seizures in patients suffering from Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), and in some cases, the seizures actually ceased. Typically, neither of these syndromes respond to traditional anti-seizure medications.
There has also been some promising research for those with Parkinson’s and Crohn’s diseases, as well as a muscle disorder called dystonia and many other conditions.
While more uses for CBD are being studied, the facts speak for themselves:
If you want to “catch a buzz,” light up a joint containing THC.
If you suffer from pain, insomnia, epilepsy, stress, anxiety, muscular diseases, or other disorders, you owe it to yourself to learn more about CBD.