CBD and THC are the ingredients that when combined make up the components in marijuana but are being separated more recently because of the benefits of the CBD component.
CBD is the acronym of cannabidiol. CBD is an ingredient within marijuana, but it comes from a hemp plant other than a cannabis plant, according to the Harvard Medical School website.
“While CBD is a component of marijuana (one of the hundreds), by itself does not cause a ‘high’,” Harvard Medical School stated.
THC is another ingredient within marijuana but is different from CBD. THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol.
According to the medically reviewed article by Kimberly Holland on the Healthline website, “THC is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces the ‘high’ sensation.”
According to Holland, “CBD is used to help with their various health conditions, such as seizures, inflammation, pain, psychosis or mental disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, nausea, migraine, depression, and anxiety.”
THC has some of the same benefits such as helping with pain, nausea, and anxiety, but causes one to have a different effect when feeling the “high” sensation, Holland explains.
The Harvard Medical School provides a concern that most have today with CBD.
“Currently, the FDA does not regulate the safety and purity of dietary supplements,” Harvard Medical School states. “So, you cannot know for sure that the product you buy has active ingredients at the dose listed on the label.”
There are trustworthy sites one can search to purchase CBD products, but one has to be cautious and do their research.
Even though it may help with certain pains or underlying medical conditions, they still do not know the correct dosage that accurately relieves them, according to the Harvard Medical School. As of now, CBD is seen to help with anxiety, insomnia, and pain, the Harvard Medical School stated.
THC has benefits such as helping with pain, muscle spasticity, glaucoma, insomnia, low appetite, nausea, and anxiety, according to Holland. However, THC does have side effects as well such as; increased heart rate, coordination problems, dry mouth, red eyes, slow reaction time, memory loss, and anxiety, as stated by Holland.
To clarify, Holland states that neither CBD nor THC is harmful.
“However, high THC use may be connected to long-term negative psychiatric effects,” Holland explained. Both have positive and negative effects, but THC has more research-based evidence than CBD, as of now.