CBD does not have any psychoactive effects and therefore does not typically cause the characteristic marijuana high of THC.

In this article, we explain more about the differences between CBD and THC.

It is important to know the differences between CBD and THC which are both found in marijuana and interact with the endocannabinoid system.

Getting high

CBD and THC interact with slightly different receptors in a person’s brain. THC may cause a person to experience a high. THC produces the high people associate with using marijuana recreationally. CBD is unlikely to cause an individual high.

Medical marijuana that is CBD dominant has minimal THC. As a result, a person will not feel high when taking the medication.

Medical marijuana that contains THC will cause the person to experience a high when taking the medicine.

Where do they come from?

THC originates in the marijuana plant, and people extract it from that source.

Both CBD and THC are present in marijuana. However, when a person takes a CBD dominant version of medical marijuana, they are using CBD from hemp, which is closely related to marijuana.

Benefits

CBD and THC have similar effects for treating medical conditions. Some variations in their uses are listed below.

CBD may help treat:

depression

inflammation

psychosis or mental disorders

migraines

inflammatory bowel disease

seizures

 

THC may help treat:

glaucoma

muscle spasticity

low appetite

insomnia

People may use either to help treat:

pain

anxiety

nausea

Legality

Individuals must consider the laws in their state before acquiring medical marijuana. If the state does not explicitly allow its use, a person could face legal issues for obtaining or using marijuana for medical or any other purpose.

There is no federal law allowing the legal use of medical marijuana. As a result, it is illegal to use or prescribe medical marijuana in any state that does not have a law allowing people to do so. Each state varies slightly on how they define and regulate the legal use, prescription, or sale of marijuana.

Many states in North America have approved of people having at least limited use of medical marijuana.

Several states have approved the use of marijuana for recreational purposes. As with medical marijuana, recreational usage is not legal federally.

Laws surrounding the use of medical and recreational marijuana are changing rapidly. A person who is considering using CBD or THC should check their local laws regularly as they may change or be changing.

Does CBD oil work for chronic pain management?

CBD in the form of oil may have uses for certain types of pain management.

Side effects

CBD does not have known side effects. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), CBD is safe in large quantities, and the only potential side effects are likely the result of interactions with other medications a person may be taking.

On the other hand, consuming THC may have some temporary side effects such as:

dry mouth

red eyes

slower than average response times

a general feeling of being high

memory loss

issues with coordination

increased heart rate

Teenagers, whose brains are still developing, may experience adverse psychiatric effects from getting high. According to some research, regular or large doses of THC can increase the risk of developing schizophrenia in some people with a predisposition for the condition.

When used correctly, neither CBD nor THC has any apparent side effects that are serious nor is fatal. Those who use THC recreationally appear to have little risk of developing an addiction to it.