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Cannabis has gotten a lot of attention lately and seems like the perfect natural product for recreational use and the treatment of countless ailments. This reputation has largely been chalked up to the primary active ingredients of cannabis: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
These two partners have very different activities and applications, but they work even better together.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
THC has gotten some bad press, mainly due to its reputation as the ‘recreational’ component of cannabis. However, an FDA-approved synthetic form of THC - dronabinol - is used as an appetite stimulant and anti-nausea solution for patients with AIDS or undergoing chemotherapy.
The limited application of THC has primarily been hindered by laws and treaties that have restricted its study and use.
THC tends to appear in sativas at larger percentages when compared to Indicas from the same grower. These strains are known for their ‘headier’ high and limited lethargy or ‘couch lock’.
The compound is the primary psychoactive component of cannabis and has many of the attributes that characterize the whole plant.
Cannabidiol
CBD has been branded as the tame relative to the boisterous persona of THC. There are very few psychoactive effects, other than functional reductions in anxiety and other ailments.
A synthetic form of CBD is also approved by the FDA. Epidiolex is available by prescription for the treatment of epilepsy.
New products containing CBD are hitting the market every day, from face creams to encapsulated extracts.
Aside for the potential to provoke tiredness, CBD has been well-tolerated in nearly all scientific studies to date.
The information is still limited, but constantly growing; news of novel applications for CBD seem to come in a continuous flow.
CBD and THC Work Better Together
On the surface, it seems that CBD may be dwarfed by the psychoactive nature of its companion THC.
The opposite could not be more true: each brings the best out of the other and quells their worst aspects.
The only obvious downside of CBD is its ability to cause drowsiness. THC brings an energy that easily lifts that shadow, but it also brings the potential for anxiety or restlessness; something CBD is perfectly equipped to counter. The two work in concert to deliver the tranquil yet active mindstate that characterizes cannabis.
Many studies have indicated that CBD helps to take the edge off of THC-rich cannabis, something that’s thoroughly understood by those who have sampled high-THC extracts or concentrates.
CBD has many applications in its pure or enriched form, but it seems like it was perfectly evolved to balance the overwhelming nature of its brother THC.
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