Among the chemical components present in cannabis plants, CBD and THC are two of the most often encountered. The plant includes about 140 chemical components that are unique to cannabis, although CBD and THC are the most abundant of these chemicals. According to Daniele Piomelli, Ph.D., director of the University of California Irvine’s Center for the Study of Cannabis and professor of anatomy and neurobiology, biological chemistry, and pharmacology, the effects of the cannabis plant are responsible for the plant’s recreational and potential medicinal applications. However, there are differences between CBD and THC.Â
CBD and THC are the two main chemical compounds in cannabis. While the plant contains over 140 unique chemical compounds, CBD and THC are the most prevalent.
Those effects are responsible for the cannabis plant’s recreational and possibly medicinal use, says Daniele Piomelli, Ph.D., director of the University of California, Irvine’s Center for the Study of Cannabis.
Piomelli says that while all cannabis contains both compounds, the amount of each determines whether the plant is hemp (legal in all 50 states) or marijuana. Federally, marijuana is illegal, but it is legal for recreational and medical use in 15 states and Washington, D.C.
The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies marijuana as any cannabis with a THC concentration greater than 0.3 percent as hemp (DEA).
“THC is intoxicating and produces the high, stoned feeling associated with marijuana [when consumed in toxic amounts], whereas CBD is not intoxicating, psychotropic, or has any of the strong mental effects associated with THC,” Piomelli explains.
A therapeutic dose of THC has no intoxicating effects, such as a high or stoned feeling. Read on to learn more about the effects of CBD and THC.
What is THC?
THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is a psychoactive chemical found only in the cannabis plant. THC activates the cannabinoid receptors in the brain when consumed orally.
The endocannabinoid system affects many areas of the brain and body. THC’s effects are broad because it activates so many cannabinoid receptors, says Piomelli. A few of THC’s most popular recreational effects are:
- Relaxation and euphoria; a “high”
- Hunger
Currently, THC is classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance by the FDA. But research shows THC has medical benefits, leading at least 35 states and Washington D.C. to make it a medicine. They include:
- Nausea relief
- Arousing appetite
- Neuropathy and spasticity treatment
From anxiety to glaucoma, many states have legalized marijuana. According to Aaron Weiner, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist, and addiction specialist, there is no chemical difference between recreational and medical marijuana.
“In states that have both recreational and medicinal programs, the main differences are the amount that can be purchased at one time and the tax rate,” he says. “The medical marijuana industry is still putting the cart before the horse.”
Piomelli claims THC is safer than other drugs like nicotine or opiates.
“THC is not a very harmful substance pharmacologically,” Piomelli says. For example, an overdose on THC would require a massive dose, he says, making it highly unlikely.
However, long-term THC use, particularly among teenagers, raises concerns. For example, frequent THC use can exacerbate mental health issues, especially in vulnerable people. Piomelli advises pregnant and nursing mothers to avoid cannabis due to its unknown effects on fetuses and babies.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol is abbreviated as CBD. CBD is found in both hemp and marijuana but is more abundant in hemp. Hemp has been legal in the US since 2018, as is CBD in products containing less than 0.3 percent THC.
Because CBD is a legal substance, its production and dosage are unregulated.
THC, on the other hand, has been shown to impact dopamine levels, which may contribute to its psychoactive effects. Piomelli claims CBD is not psychoactive.
According to Piomelli, the research on CBD is limited because it was previously thought to be harmless. He claims CBD has three scientifically proven uses. Them:
- Prevent seizures. Epidiolex, a CBD oral solution, was approved in 2018 for the treatment of two types of epilepsy in adults. There is only one FDA-approved use of CBD.
- Antacids are used. More research is needed to prove CBD’s efficacy and safety, Piomelli says.
- Uses of antipsychotics Scientists are looking into whether CBD can help people with schizophrenia.
The CBD industry claims it can help with conditions ranging from insomnia to chronic pain. Weiner says the benefits haven’t been proven.
CBD and THC are both claimed to have therapeutic benefits, he says, but the evidence is lacking. As an anti-inflammatory, CBD has shown promise in several areas, but most of its claimed uses are unvalidated.
Both Piomelli and Weiner claim CBD has no abuse potential and few side effects. Piomelli says long-term high-dose CBD use hasn’t been studied enough to say it’s safe, and it may affect liver function.
The CBD and THC relationship
However, humans have bred cannabis to be high in THC (marijuana) or high in CBD (cannabidiol) (hemp).
Piomelli claims that the amount of CBD and THC in each strain explains the claimed variations.
Although scientists do not distinguish between strains, Piomelli believes that different concentrations would have different effects. Because THC and CBD have opposing effects on cannabinoid receptors, marijuana with more CBD may have fewer psychoactive effects than marijuana with less CBD.
CBD and THC
It’s difficult to tell CBD from THC, especially when the science is still ambiguous. A breakdown.
| CBD | THC | |
| Psychoactive | No | Yes |
| Anti-inflammatory | Inconclusive evidence | Unknown |
| Anxiety relief | Likely yes, although more research is needed | Inconclusive evidence |
| Anti-nausea | Possibly | Yes |
| Legal in all 50 US states | Yes, if in a product with a THC concentration of less than 0.3% | No |
Observation
CBD and THC, the two main chemicals in marijuana, may have health benefits. However, research on both is limited because hemp (containing CBD) and marijuana (containing THC) were both illegal until 2018.
The following points should be kept in mind while researching the health effects of cannabis, both positive and negative:
- It’s THC that’s psychedelic,
- Although most states have legalized recreational or medical marijuana in some form, THC remains illegal federally.
- Federal law allows CBD in products containing less than 0.3 percent THC.
The plant clearly has an effect on our bodies, says Piomelli, and should not be taken lightly or without consideration.
“Many people are reassured that these are natural compounds, but that is incorrect,” he says. “Respect this ancient, powerful plant.”