India has the longest history when it comes to cannabis and it’s been used since 2000 BCE. In 2019, a study states that around 7.2 million people in India had consumed it. Well, in our country, cannabis based products are known with several names such as ganja, bhang, dum, charas, and vijaya in ayurveda. This industry is growing and people are searching for the right information. Mainly, cannabis and hemp difference is what confusing most of the people.
Cannabis – a medicinal plant, ‘Cannabis sativa’, has two main species. Species 1 is known as hemp, which does not get you high as it contains 20% or more CBD (cannabidiol) and less than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Whereas species 2 is known as marijuana (you know it already), it contains 10% CBD and more than 20% THC.
The question is how it is connected with health? CBD is a non-psychoactive compound but THC is, and this is the culprit that makes you high. These two chemical compounds interact with the endocannabinoid system of our body, which plays a vital role in our life. But the effects of these two are very different when they interact with our cannabinoid receptors. They get in touch with neurotransmitters in the brain that influences the bodily process such as sleep, stress, pain, immune system, etc. So, now you know that the key players are CBD and THC. Let us dig deep into these compounds.
What is CBD?
CBD, or Cannabidiol is one of the molecules in the cannabis family that was discovered in 1940 by Roger Adams. It does not make you feel stoned as it is a non-psychoactive derivative of cannabis. Our body has two endocannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, where the prior receptor gets the user high. But CBD does not bind with it, in fact, it gets along with other receptors inside the body. Because CBD won’t take you on the ride of euphoria, therefore it has gained support in several medical fields. It is emerging as safe as well as potent natural therapy and it does not trigger any mental issues. The best part is that CBD can counteract the high of THC. Now let us talk about this high THC compound.
THC makes you HIGH
THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, is that compound for which cannabis is famous as it makes the user intoxicated. It is the psychoactive compound that is present in marijuana. Tetrahydrocannabinol binds with CB1 receptors and then does its work of producing a sense of elation. Its effect starts after 10 to 30 minutes of ingestion and lasts about 2 hours. According to NKIDA, it affects things like concentration, thinking, coordination, pleasure, movements, to name a few. THC has a bad rap as this type of cannabis effects red eyes, increased heart rate and one will eventually develop an addiction if used for recreational purposes.
CBD vs THC
Both of these compounds are present in hemp and marijuana in different amounts. From here, cannabis and hemp difference comes into action. CBD in hemp is safe whereas THC in marijuana produces sensory simulation.
CBD might be effective in treating crohn disease, anxiety, seizure disorder, parkinson disease and many more. Whereas THC may treat spasticity and it should be consumed in small amounts otherwise its overdose will increase pain symptoms. It is worth noting that these cannabinoids can show up in the drug tests as they are stored in the body’s fat.
What is Hemp?
Hemp, also known as industrial hemp comes from cannabis sativa plant and serves an array of purposes such as clothing, building material, food, and body care. It’s been used for over 50,000 different purposes and is the strongest natural fiber in the world. Hemp does include THC, which is not strong enough to get you stoned. The best thing is hemp-derived CBD is growing at a high pace in the world. Furthermore, CBD oil that is extracted from the flowers as well as leaves of the hemp could treat several ailments. In today’s time, CBD has taken the place at the pinnacle and people are showing interest in getting to know cannabis and hemp difference so that they can count on the best one. Well, ayurveda considers cannabis as medicine, and it is one of the 5 sacred plants in Vedas. There is no doubt that India is using it since ancient time but it’s not yet completely legalized.
