What is Cannabis?
Cannabis is a plant with many uses. There are 3 species of this plant.
- Cannabis sativa
- Cannabis indica
- Cannabis ruderalis
People use the cannabis plant for recreational and medicinal purposes. They use dried leaves, seed oil, and other parts of the plant. It has a pleasurable effect and may soothe symptoms of various conditions like chronic pain. Each piece of the plant is harvested differently, depending on the purpose of its use.
There are many ways to use cannabis. They include brewing it as tea, eating it as an edible like a brownie or candy, eating it raw, applying it as a topical treatment, smoking or vaping it, or taking it as capsules or supplements.
CBD and THC
What are CBD and THC? Cannabis contains more than 120 components called cannabinoids. The most understood and abundant cannabinoids are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Some cannabinoids have euphoric or psychoactive effects. THC produces both results. CBD is psychoactive but not intoxicating. There are many forms of CBD, including skin oil and creams, capsules to take as a supplement, and candies like gummies.
Is CBD legal? The Farm Bill of 2018 removed hemp from the legal definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act. This made some hemp-derived CBD products less than 0.3 percent THC federally legal. But, products with more than 0.3 percent THC are still under the legal definition of marijuana. They are illegal federally but legal in some states.
| Effect | CBD | THC |
|---|---|---|
| psychoactive | yes | yes |
| intoxicating & euphoric | no | yes |
Medical Uses of Cannabis
What are the Medical Uses of Cannabis? People use cannabis to help manage chronic pain, nausea from chemotherapy treatment, and some symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). In addition, there is evidence that it can help with sleep problems relating to sleep apnea and fibromyalgia. Additionally, it may be helpful for other conditions, including low appetite, Tourette’s syndrome, and anxiety.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Epidiolex in 2018. This medication is derived from cannabis and is used to treat two rare types of severe epilepsy. Epidiolex is a purified form of CBD but does not contain THC.
Effects of Cannabis
There are many different ways to use cannabis. And the method of use can determine the effects of the drug.
Smoking or Inhaling
A sense of joy can start within minutes and peak after 10–30 minutes. The feeling will typically wear off after about 2 hours.
Eating or Ingesting
Cannabis products in edibles like gummy bears or brownies.
Topical
Skin patches, or topicals, let the ingredients enter the body over a prolonged period. This steady infusion can benefit people using cannabis to treat pain and inflammation.
Cannabinoids
How Do Cannabinoids Work? Humans produce cannabinoids naturally through the endocannabinoid system. They act similarly to neurotransmitters and send messages through the nervous system. These neurotransmitters affect thinking, memory, coordination, concentration, movement, sensory perception, and also pleasure. These cannabinoid receptors also react to THC and other cannabinoids. So, cannabinoids from outside sources can disrupt brain function.
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