The Components of Cannabis

What does it do?

Marijuana isn’t just one specific compound that gets you high, as many of the baby boomers have led us to believe.  With little mobility on the research front due to the plant’s current legal status, it is no wonder that a general, uneducated consensus has been formed.  

Now that we enter into a new generation, with an increase in the ease of access to information, things are becoming clearer regarding the use of the cannabis plant

What are cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are part of every cannabis plant, and are the chemical compounds that are secreted by the flowering buds of the plant. These cannabinoids support the immune system and may supply a variety of potential wellness benefits. By working with our Endocannabinoid System (ECS) they help activate and maintain stability and health internally.

A single strain of marijuana, that is a single bud of the substance, contains just over 60 different chemicals known as: Cannabinoids.  These include: CBD, CBC, CBG; these are just a few of the non-psychoactive compounds present. THC, CBDL, and CBN are just a few of the psychoactive components of the plant.  In short, CBD and THC make up the primary active components of marijuana. When these chemicals are offered together, and entourage effect becomes present that actually enhances the medicinal effects of either chemical, due to the presence of these other cannabinoids.

So we see on one side, a psychoactive portion, and on another, a non-psychoactive portion; depending on the strain, these ratios can be vastly different.  A low THC strain will tend to have higher CBD content and vice versa. The key here is that THC, and its psychoactive components, can be altered to remain low in content, or they can be totally eliminated.  This kind of alteration leaves behind a non-psychoactive and medicinally beneficial portion. This is the significance of CBD based products.