Image by Enecta Cannabis Extracts
Arguably, the most cannabinoids present in the cannabis plant are CBD (or Cannabidiol) and THC (or Tetrahydrocannabinol). Once they’re inside a person’s body, both CBD and THC interact with our cannabinoid receptors differently. The effects can range from pain relief to getting high, depending on which substance in the plant is more prevalent.
Now, there’s still a lot that we can learn from CBD and THC. We still haven’t fully discovered the cannabis effects from these compounds, scientists all over the world are doing their best to fully uncover the secrets of these cannabinoids. But in general, we do have a better understanding of the two now, and we’re able to derive an informative comparison between them.
The Wild Feeling of Getting High
When talking about their differences, the most notable one is the effects of getting high. You see, CBD lacks the psychoactive components of THC—the one responsible for giving people a high. There are different cannabis plant strains that are being cultivated around the world and the secret to having a psychoactive drug, or a medicinal one, is in the strain.
THC is the main reason why the cannabis plant is being used for recreational purposes, prompting lots of cultivators to grow cannabis plant strains that have high levels of THC. On the other hand, medical cannabis is a CBD dominant strain that has little to no THC in it, which means people won’t get high by taking it in any shape or form.
The Different Benefits that CBD and THC them Offers
Both CBD and THC have almost similar effects that are being used to treat a variety of medical conditions. There are distinctions, however, on how they’re being used as medicine by different people. For CBD, individuals often use it to help treat ailments such as:
- inflammation
- migraines
- seizures
- inflammatory bowel disease
- psychosis or mental disorders
- depression
While the THC and its cannabis effects have been used in treating and providing relief for:
- low appetite
- insomnia
- glaucoma
- muscle spasticity
Some could also use both as an aid to treat nausea, pain, and anxiety. However, experts would advise using CBD for anxiety because THC has been seen to increase it in some patients.
Their State of Legality
Here in New Zealand, CBD has already been legalised, with the Ministry of Health launching its new Medical Cannabis Scheme on April 1, 2020. Dr. David Clark, Minister of Health, explains that the new medical scheme will allow local cultivation and production of medicinal cannabis products. The scheme allows CBD products to be manufactured as liquids, tablets, dried, or vaporized—except for smoking.
Additionally, THC has also been approved for medicinal use, which can be available in tablets, capsules, or dried flowers (for vaporisation). It’s also important to note that medicinal cannabis products may contain THC in them, which manufacturers and distributors will indicate via percentage, in compliance with the Medicines Act 1981 and the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.
CBD and THC share the same plant, but they are vastly different from each other. However, each has medicinal cannabis effects that are helpful to people. Before getting in any cannabis treatment, remember to do some research about them first. To get you started, we recommend watching this YouTube video titled THC vs CBD: What’s in Your Weed? By AsapSCIENCE. Want to read some more about THC and CBD’s differences? Try checking out an article titled CBD vs THC: What’s the difference? By Leafly.com for some informative dose of cannabis education!