THC’s (Marijuana’s) side-effects are well known. Whether in books, movies, television shows or even hit songs, the public perception of the plant is a sizable part of American culture. However, even with this being the case, THC’s effects can be much more negative than what our culture idolizes them to be. Due to the legality of Marijuana, there is no telling what people could be using. Every strain is different, and you can’t always be sure of the results of THC if you smoke it, whether you purchase legally or illegally.
Multiple cases have been reported where individuals have felt extremely anxious after using THC. Whether it was the strain, or how much was used, the result is still the same.
The Difference Between CBD and THC
Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are two of the most common cannabinoids naturally occurring in cannabis. While they come from the same plant, they both contain a very different genetic makeup. Both compounds also interact with our endocannabinoid system, which is a series of receptors located throughout the body. THC interacts directly with these receptors to create a high. CBD inhibits other enzymes from interacting with cannabinoid receptors. Therefore, CBD not only does not cause a “high” it decreases the high effects from THC.
What This Means
Now with that information, we can conclude CBD can indeed reverse the negative side effects of THC. This is, however, is not a straightforward situation as everybody has different experiences with CBD as well. The experiences are based on the person, not the product itself, as everyone needs to find the right amount of CBD to feel the desired result.
The Future
With the recent legalization of CBD under the 2018 Farm Bill, and THC-based substances such as marijuana becoming legal in more states, hopefully, there will soon be FDA-approved studies that will give us more insight in all of the amazing things that hemp can do.