The Difference Between CBD and THC

No, CBD and THC are not the Same Thing

For someone unfamiliar with cannabis products, it can be confusing trying to understand what all the various terms mean. One common misconception is that CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) are the same thing – this couldn’t be further from the truth! The main difference, and possibly the most significant, is that THC will get you high while CBD will not. This is because THC is the main component that makes cannabis psychoactive, aka what makes you feel high. CBD has the same chemical makeup of THC but its atoms are arranged differently; this slight difference is what causes CBD to not have the same “high” effect as THC, and thus why it’s more commonly used in medical treatments.

You Won’t Get High

While people who use cannabis for recreational use probably wouldn’t want a strain that is higher in CBD than THC because they won’t get high, those who need it for medical reasons would probably be more interested in strains of cannabis high in CBD and CBD edibles. There have been many studies done on the various ailments it can possibly treat, such as anxiety, schizophrenia, and arthritis, just to name a few, and the benefits are endless. Because you won’t be “high”, you can still function normally and go about your daily routine while simultaneously treating your health issue with little to no side effects. This means CBD infused drinks and foods, as well as high CBD concentrated cannabis strains, would be optimal for those who need to work, go to school, or anything else while benefiting from its medicinal properties.

Useful as a Medical Treatment

There are many CBD potent strains on the market today, but most users injesting CBD for its medicinal properties consume it in liquid form. An example of this type of product would be CBD liquid for a vape pen; this method of consuming CBD is preferred because they typically contain measurable doses unlike edibles which are often hard to measure. While THC can be used to effectively treat certain symptoms such as nausea, sleep apnea, and stress, these ailments and many more (such as inflammation, stress, cancer, migraines, arthritis, epilepsy, and schizophrenia) can be treated with CBD, without turning you into a vegetable.

Different Effects on the Body

When deciding on how you’d like to consume cannabis and whether you want it to be CBD or THC centered, you need to take into consideration what the different benefits of using each are and how they effect your body. THC is known to make you feel relaxed, drowsy, and stimulate your appetite, while CBD is known to be neuroprotective, anticonvulsant, antipsychotic, anti inflammatory, and anti tumoral. CBD has been extensively researched and found to have very few if any side effects due to being non psychoactive, non toxic, and impossible to overdose on. THC use actually has quite a few risks, such as: lung issues like phlegm, constant colds, chronic cough, and bronchitis; heart risks like elevated heart rate (between 20% and 100%), and increased blood pressure which can both be serious concerns for people who suffer from health problems like high or low blood pressure and heart arrhythmia; other concerns are altered social behavior, memory and attention span impairment, and potential addiction.