Why More Psychoactive Results for THC than CBD?

Why do you think that THC is has more psychoactive results than CBD? How is it that one cannabinoid can alter someone's mind in such an overwhelmingly manner and another one cannot do the same thing? As it relates to psychoactive effects and cannabis, the real ingredient is CB1 receptors, which are prominently concentrated in the central nervous system and the brain.

The distinct difference between THC and CBD is fundamental to how they individually interact with cannabinoid or the CB1 receptor. It has been proven that THC has a better binding effect to CB1 receptors than CBD does. This is the major difference between the two.

The Agonist

You could equate this to an electrical plug that connects to your wall socket. The molecule in the THC is ideally shaped so that it can connect to the CB1 receptors. When these are connected, the THC is stimulated or activated to the CB1 receptors. The THC is agonistic toward the CB1 receptors, working to activate them. THC imitates a partially and naturally created neurotransmitter called a bliss molecule or anandamide. This anandamide is classified as an endocannabinoid and it has activating properties toward the CB1 receptors.

The Blissful Feelings

In animal studies, researchers have found that anandamide is helpful in improving your appetite and could be responsible for giving runners a more rewarding feeling. It also is instrumental in improving memory, reducing pain and motivating you. In summary, THC is what bears a resemblance to anandamide in such a way as to activate the CB1 receptors., subsequently allowing psychoactive results to create the same blissful and heavenly feelings.

The Contrary

To the contrary, CBD is not such a good fit as it relates to these receptors. It is in the category of antagonist, which means that it is not a direct activator or suppressor. Instead, it suppresses the properties of the cannabinoids. In other words, THC and CBD when ingested results in THC having direct stimulation to the receptors. The CBD in this case transforms the THC, allowing its usual psychoactive results to be muted. So, in other words, CBD can greatly reduce the effects of THC. This is especially true for the negative effects of THC, which may include short term memory and anxiety. Let's see if this can explained in a real life situation.

An Example

If you were to use a vaporizer with cannabis flower that has more than 20 percent THC and the flower contained 0.2 percent CBD, then the THC will activate your CB1 receptors, but in this case, such a low quantity of CBD will not interfere with the THC. You will definitely have an intense high and possible paranoia. If you were to increase the CBD to six percent and use the same THC percentage, the CBD would reduce the high and the paranoia. You would still have an high, but not as much as when the CBD is in low quantity. Therefore, it is safe to say that CBD plays its role when you want it to.

The Politicians

The difference in the psychoactive effect between THC and CBD has had insightful implications in politics. Some politicians consider THC as a bad cannabinoid and the CBD as the better cannabinoid. In Southern states, there have been many CBD-only legislatures approved by legislators who are hesitant in doing the same for THC. However, there are cannabis advocates that are aware of the usefulness of the entire marijuana plant, even though THC may have more psychoactive results than CBD.

As researchers continue to study THC and CBD, progress is hoped to be made to discover what conditions the combined THC and CBD can successfully treat. If you want to know more about why there is more psychoactive results for THC than CBD, go to the Cannabis Training University now.