You don’t have to be an expert on CBD to be familiar with the term THC. THC is famous for being the compound in cannabis that causes a euphoric “high.” It’s the reason cannabis is so tightly controlled, and THC is one of the things they look for in a drug test.
Whether you consider THC the black sheep or golden child of the cannabis family, you know it’s the reason for all of the legal issues surrounding hemp and marijuana.
What’s less well-known about THC is what it really is, how THC works, and what it has to do with CBD and the other beneficial compounds we find in the cannabis plant. But, the better we understand THC, the better we not only understand the reasons for the legal battles around it, but the better we understand how to shop safely for CBD.
So, what is THC?
THC and Cannabinoids
THC is short for tetrahydrocannabinol. It’s one of a group of molecular compounds called cannabinoids that occur naturally in the cannabis plant. THC is psychoactive, which means it causes the controversial “high” feeling that users associate with marijuana.
CBD, CBG, CBN, and CBC are also cannabinoids. While they boast a wealth of therapeutic benefits, they are not psychoactive and do not cause a high.
All cannabinoids, including THC and CBD, interact with our bodies through the endocannabinoid system. This is a cell-signaling system of receptors located in major systems, organs, and tissues throughout our body, including the central and peripheral nervous systems and systems that regulate sleep, mood, digestion, immune response and more.
When any cannabinoid enters our body, it interacts with these receptors and imparts its effects to the system or tissue that the receptor is associated with. These receptors are known as CB1 and CB2 receptors.
CB1 receptors are found primarily in the central nervous system and the brain. Receptors in the brain play a role in synapse health and the body’s response to endocannabinoids, which are the cannabinoids our bodies create. There are two major endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2-ArachidonoylGlycerol (thankfully shortened to 2-AG). We’ll talk more about anandamide below.
CB2 receptors occur throughout our bodies, including in the peripheral nervous system, immune system, metabolic tissues, and several organs.
THC and the Brain
A major way in which THC differs from other cannabinoids is in the way it works with the receptors in our endocannabinoid system, specifically in the brain.
CBD and other cannabinoids don’t have a strong binding power with our receptors. Instead, they interact indirectly with endocannabinoid receptors, activating them and modulating the effects of other cannabinoids.
THC binds to endocannabinoid receptors, particularly to the CB1 receptors in our brain, and activates them. When THC attaches to these receptors, it activates responses similar to those created by the endocannabinoid anandamide.
The name anandamide comes from the Sanskrit word, ananda. Ananda means “joy.” THC and anandamide have very similar molecular structures. But, while anandamide affects the parts of our brain connected to pleasure, concentration, and memory, it doesn’t have the potency or duration of a cannabinoid like THC.
THC interacts with our hippocampus, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, cerebellum, and basal ganglia. These are major parts of the brain associated with emotion, memory, coordination and more.
THC also activates our brain reward system, connected to some of those parts of the brain we mentioned, especially the basal ganglia and amygdala. The brain reward system is essentially what makes us feel good when we interact with something pleasurable and negative when we interact with something we don’t like.
When the brain reward system is activated, it releases dopamine which, as you might already know, plays a huge role in our feelings of pleasure, mood, attention, and motivation.
THC floods the brain with new signals, causing the release of dopamine, altering the operation of the hippocampus, and triggering other neurotransmitter effects to fill us with euphoria and stimulate reward system neurons.
In short, THC gets you high.
THC and CBD: A Complicated Relationship
You already know this, but we’ll reiterate it: CBD does not get you high.
In fact, CBD is thought to mitigate some of the more unpredictable effects of THC in marijuana, like memory loss, hallucinations and anxiety.
This is because all cannabinoids, psychoactive or not, work with one another to achieve something known as the Entourage Effect.
When multiple cannabinoids are present, they work synergistically to enhance their own individual effects and the overall effect of the product. During this synergy, some cannabinoids modify the effects of others, including this mollifying effect of CBD on some of THC’s effects.
This Entourage Effect is actually the reason why some people prefer full spectrum CBD products. Full spectrum CBD contains all of the cannabinoids and other natural compounds found in the cannabis hemp plant — including the legally allowed (less than 0.3%) amounts of THC. Many people believe that this trace amount of THC contributes dramatically to the Entourage Effect, and scientific studies seem to lean in that direction.
The FDA doesn’t allow anyone to make claims that CBD “treats” any illnesses, because all of the science is still ongoing and, as a result, inconclusive.
THC and the Cannabis Plant
There are two forms of the cannabis plant, according to the law. There is cannabis hemp, also known as industrial hemp, and cannabis marijuana. Cannabis hemp contains only those trace amounts of THC that we mentioned above. Cannabis marijuana contains a lot of THC and causes a high. All of our CBD products are derived from cannabis hemp.
A full spectrum CBD product made from cannabis hemp will contain legal trace amounts of THC, as well as all the cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids necessary for the Entourage Effect.
A broad spectrum CBD product filters out detectable levels of THC, as well as a few other cannabinoids. A CBD isolate product goes even further, filtering out all other plant matter and leaving you with only 99% pure CBD.
Delta 8 THC
One of the hottest and most controversial topics in the CBD world today is Delta 8. You’ve probably seen news reports or advertisements about it.
Delta 8 is actually a kind of THC, and it does have some psychoactive and euphoric effects that are milder than Delta 9 THC, which is the one we’ve been discussing. Because of a legal loophole, Delta 8 is legal in some places where THC is banned.
Why? Because it’s one molecule different from legally controlled Delta 9 THC.
Many of the claims you’ve heard about Delta 8 are true, according to the FDA. However, states are rapidly closing the legal loophole and banning the substance.
Delta 8 is commonly produced in labs through a conversion process that can include a lot of dangerous chemicals. Low-quality CBD products often contain chemicals and toxins that could be harmful.
We at CBDfx do not sell Delta 8 products. And, we recommend caution with Delta 8 products, because of their shifting legality and the fact that there have been negative effects reported from people who consume them.
How to Avoid THC
While you aren’t likely to get high from full spectrum CBD, it is possible that those trace amounts of THC could appear in a drug test.
So, if you need to avoid THC, it’s likely you’ll be okay with a broad spectrum CBD product that contains enough cannabinoids for the Entourage Effect, but with detectable levels of THC removed. Or your safest bet would be to use CBD isolate, which is only CBD.
By shopping for broad spectrum CBD products and CBD isolate products, you can completely avoid any trace amounts of THC.
Finding the Best CBD Experience
The key to any quality CBD experience comes in the quality of its ingredients.
Cannabis is known as a phytoremediator, meaning that it is excellent at naturally absorbing toxins from the soil where it grows, essentially cleaning the earth. But those toxins have to go somewhere — namely into the hemp itself.
Always shop for CBD derived from organically grown, pesticide-free cannabis hemp. Also, look for a company that includes a report from a third-party lab that states exactly what is in your product, and in what concentrations.
We hope this guide clears up some confusion about THC and CBD, and maybe even makes it easier to explain to others (er, parents?).
CBD possesses a wealth of beneficial properties that may improve our quality of life and overall wellness.
Whether you’re interested in the Entourage Effect with legal amounts of THC in full spectrum CBD or if you want to completely avoid THC with broad spectrum and isolate products, we have you covered.
By being a smart consumer and knowing just what’s in your product, you can ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
Try our CBD + CBN Calming Tincture for a great full spectrum CBD experience!
