How THC Works

Everyone who is familiar with marijuana knows that THC is the psychoactive ingredient that gets you high, but most don’t know that there are 65 other cannabinoids in the plant.  CBD (Cannabidiol) is the second most abundant cannabinoid in marijuana by volume.   For decades it has  largely been ignored by breeders in favor of strains with a higher THC count.   Now it’s getting it’s day in the sun.

CBD by itself is non-psychotomimetic (mindbending).  It serves to modulate the THC high which can produce anxiety and paranoia when unchecked by the calming effects of CBD.  A study on Social Anxiety Disorder, published in the Journal of Neuro-psychopharmacology by Dr. Jose A.S. Crippa and colleagues, suggest that the anxiety-enhancing effects of marijuana are caused by excessively high doses of THC which can be counter-balanced with the addition of CBD.  In other studies, subjects given pure THC felt “discontented, withdrawn, troubled, and muzzy.”  When CBD was added to the mix, subjects felt “alert, quick-witted, clear-minded and gregarious.”

Now, researchers have discovered that THC and CBD have totally different medical functions.  While THC works as a pain reliever and is very effective as a sleep aid and appetite stimulant, CBD was thought to mainly function as a mood elevator.  Recently scientists have discovered that it also has amazing anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic qualities.

Many diseases that one might not associate with inflammation  respond well to CBD-rich marijuana.  There is promising evidence that CBD’s may slow the progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis as reported by London’s Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology which found that CBD appeared to protect against joint damage and disease progression.

Diabetes is caused by excess sugar in the the blood due to insufficient insulin production.  Some animal studies have indicated that CBD can reduce the incidence of diabetes, lower inflammatory proteins in the blood, and protect against retinal degeneration that leads to blindness.  Clearly, more research needs to be done in this promising area.

It might seem contradictory to use marijuana for Alzheimer’s disease, but studies have confirmed that it may inhibit the build-up of amyloid plaques in the brain, a leading suspect in many aging-related diseases.  Researchers believe that it is the synergistic interaction of the THC and CBD that are so effective in this case.

Cannabis Sativa is thought to be higher in THC and lower in CBD while Cannabis Indica has the opposite ratio.   Jeffry C. Raber of The Werc Shop stated,   “You must test each product with an analytical service provider to determine the ratio of CBD:THC.  As mentioned earlier, breeders have selectively crossed so many strains that it is very difficult to find one that has any significant amounts of CBD.  According to Raber only 2.5% of the strains tested had levels of CBD that reached the accepted standard of 4% or higher.   Most strains test at .50% or lower while the THC content can vary between 14 – 20+% for top-shelf sinsemilla.

The highest level of CBD detected so far was found in a mutant offspring of a True Blueberry x OG Kush plant at Full Spectrum Labs. The CBD level routinely tests at 10% or higher even though neither parent plant had detectable levels of CBD,

Harborside Health Center in Oakland, who pioneered laboratory testing of cannabinoids, is to be applauded for making clones of their CBD-rich strains available to member patients.  Laboratories now routinely test for CBD’s and have identified several strains that test well including:   Soma A+, True Blueberry x OG Kush, Harlequin, Cannatonic, Wo/Men’s Collective Stinky Purple, Omrita Rx, Jamaican Lion, Good Medicine, Misty, and Cotton Candy/Diesel.  Not every phenotype of these strains produce the same results, it seems to be plant rather than strain specific.

Project CBD was the brainchild of Martin Lee and Fred Gardner.  It launched earlier this year to study the effects of CBD.  Patients are asked to report the effects of the strain they are currently using and then asked to switch to a CBD rich strain to compare the differences.  Results are being analyzed by the Society of Cannabis Clinicians for publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal.  To take part in this study, visit www.projectcbd.org.