CBD has been gaining momentum as a tool for pain management, sleep aid, anxiety, and more. As more people provide their personal testimonies, we have to be mindful that these have not been thoroughly researched and tested out. Moreover, there are different ways to use CBD that may be more effective for different purposes. It's crucial to make a plan with your doctor when using CBD, so that you can track what works and what doesn't.
CBD works by finding and activating cannabinoid receptors (mostly CB1) in your endocannabinoid system, which triggers different reactions in your body. Your body has an endocannabinoid system (ECS). Your ECS wants to keep your body balanced, and it does so by being sort of like the President of the PTA. It uses endocannabinoids (neurotransmitters that are like your own natural cannabinoids) and cannabinoid receptors.
The Controversy Continues: is there one species of Cannabis or multiple species? Taxonomical (classification) differences have split the board, but you should know that there are up to four species/varieties being debated over. Strains, a colloquial term, refer to plant offspring that are descended from a modified plant.
Hemp and marijuana are not a species of plant, rather misnomers for different varieties or cultivars of Cannabis plants that are bred to have higher concentrations of CBD or THC. Hemp refers to varieties of Cannabis that have less than 0.3% of THC, whereas marijuana refers to varieties of Cannabis containing more than 0.3% of THC. Both hemp and marijuana can have CBD and THC; they can come from the same species (ex. C. sativa). The difference comes in content level of CBD and THC.
Cannabis is a flowering genus belonging to a family of plants, called Cannabaceae. Uncertainty lies in whether or not there is a single species with cultivars/varieties (C. sativa) or multiple species (C. sativa, C. indica, C. ruderalis, C. afghanika). Regardless, cannabinoids like CBD and THC, are found within any Cannabis plant. The ratio of cannabinoids between plants can differ, even within the same species.
The most well known difference between CBD and THC is that CBD does not cause a person to get high. However, there's more to it than that! There are differences in legality, medical, and the amount of scientific research done. New information is constantly coming to light, so it's important to keep reading and stay updated.
Simply put, CBD is a chemical compound found within Cannabis plants. It stands for canna-bi-diol, and is one of hundreds of cannabinoids that are also found within Cannabis plants. You may have heard of another famous cannabinoid: THC. We'll talk about the difference between CBD and THC in another entry, but these are two examples of cannabinoids. Both are found inside Cannabis plants. Both cause very different reactions in your body!
