Cannabinoid products and cannabis culture will continue to gain popularity as the stigma associated with them fades. The time has come for cannabis to enter the mainstream. And soon, more people will see consuming an edible or smoking a joint in the same light as sharing a beer with a friend at a local bar.
Cannabis has been legal for over two years, but many misconceptions and prejudices about people who use it for medical purposes still persist. Employers, coworkers, and even healthcare providers have been known to stereotype medicinal cannabis users as irresponsible “potheads,” according to research done by the University of British Columbia (1).
The key to dispelling this stigma is proper education on cannabinoids and their uses.
Cannabinoids are found in all variations of the cannabis plant. Among these are CBD and THC, along with over a hundred others that scientists have discovered naturally occurring within different cannabis strains. However, CBD is most prevalent in the hemp variant of the cannabis plant.
The difference is crucial. Many assume that “cannabis” refers to marijuana, a drug rich in the psychoactive chemical called “THC.” In reality, cannabis is just a genus of plants that branches into different versions – marijuana and hemp are two examples.
Hemp only has trace amounts of THC, usually less than 0.3%, making it non-psychoactive. And because it doesn’t get you “high,” the federal and state governments do not treat it as a controlled substance. In fact, hemp is used in miscellaneous nutritional health supplements and industrial products like rope and textiles.
Hemp also has the power to extract heavy metals and toxic pollutants out of the soil in a process called Phytoremediation. The application of this technique is not only useful after a nuclear disaster but in many real-world examples of polluted soils. This makes it more important for consumers to understand the source of their CBD products. At DENEX, we only work with local farmers with verified third-party testing.
Full Spectrum? … Broad Spectrum? … Distillate? … Isolate? … T-Free?
Making sense of it all.
FULL-SPECTRUM CBD
Full-spectrum CBD is an extract that contains all compounds found naturally occurring in the plant, including terpenes, oils, and other cannabinoids.
The full spectrum of cannabinoids, terpenes, and oils extracted from the plant work together to magnify the therapeutic benefits of each individual cannabinoid. This is commonly referred to as the “entourage effect.”
It was previously believed that CBD in its isolated form was more effective than Full Spectrum CBD; however, in 2005, this theory was debunked by a study from the Lautenberg Center for General Tumor Immunology in Jerusalem.
In the study, researchers found that test subjects administered with full spectrum CBD were provided with higher relief levels than subjects administered with CBD isolate. In addition, the results showed that full-range CBD enhanced effects with higher dosages, while the effects of CBD were consistent with increased dosages.
BROAD-SPECTRUM AKA THC-FREE CBD
Broad spectrum CBD is Full-Spectrum CBD without THC (T-Free). Like Full Spectrum CBD, the other compounds found within the plant are preserved in the extract; however, THC is wholly removed for those governed by strict THC regulations or have to adhere to a drug screening.
Because Broad Spectrum CBD contains multiple cannabinoids, it can still deliver the enhanced benefits of the “entourage effect” without the risk of THC in the system.
CBD ISOLATE
CBD Isolate is just a CBD compound by itself. This is the purest form of CBD, where all other plant compounds and cannabinoids have been completely removed. This is good for individuals that do not want any THC and have an adverse reaction to other cannabinoids.
Top 3 Cannabinoids
CBD has gained popularity recently due to its potential health benefits without the psychoactive effect. Learn how DENEX can help your business get started with CBD products.
ALL ABOUT CBD
CBG is a new and exciting cannabinoid that gets a lot of attention as it is thought to elicit its therapeutic effects directly through interaction with the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors in the brain.
ALL ABOUT CBG
CBN can be used effectively as a sleep aid or sedative. This cannabinoid has also been shown to help regulate the immune system and works to relieve pain and inflammation..
ALL ABOUT CBN
THE SUPPORTING CAST
THC
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana that gives a high sensation. THC is the oldest and most recognizable cannabinoid, but due to its legality, we do not sell any THC products that are not compliant (>0.3%). THC can be consumed by smoking marijuana. It’s also available in oils, edibles, tinctures, capsules, and more. When in the body, CBD and THC interact with cannabinoid receptors to help treat or limit the effects of various conditions..
EFFECTS AND BENEFITS
THC has potential uses in treating some of the following:
- glaucoma
- muscle spasticity
- low appetite
- insomnia
- pain
- anxiety
- nausea
CBC
Cannabichromene, or CBC, is a potent, non-psychoactive cannabinoid, meaning it will not cause a patient to feel “high.” CBC, like THC and CBD, has been shown to encourage the human brain to grow by increasing the viability of developing brain cells in a process known as neurogenesis. CBC plays a significant role in the anti-cancer and anti-tumor capabilities of cannabis.
CBC battles inflammation as well, but without activating any of the endocannabinoid receptors in the body. For this reason, the healing powers of CBC significantly increase when combined with other cannabinoids, like THC or CBD, which do activate endocannabinoid receptors in the brain and throughout the body.
EFFECTS AND BENEFITS
Research has shown that CBC is effective in the treatment of a variety of symptoms and conditions. Examples of conditions for which CBC is particularly effective in providing symptom relief are listed below:
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- Neuropathy
- Chronic post-operative pain
CBDV
Cannabidivarin (CBDV) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that will not cause the euphoric feeling of being “high.” It is more prevalent in Indica strains, precisely landrace Indica strains, and strains with low traces of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Like CBD, CBDV significantly reduces the frequency and severity of seizures. It also reduces or even eliminates nausea associated with several conditions and helps to reduce inflammation throughout the body. CBDV is also beneficial in the treatment of pain and mood disorders.
EFFECTS AND BENEFITS
Research has shown that CBDV is effective in the treatment of a variety of symptoms and conditions. Examples of conditions for which CBDV is particularly effective in providing symptom relief are listed below:
- Seizures
- Crohn’s
- HIV/AIDS
- Multiple Sclerosis
Photo courtesy by Hemproject
One study found that 52% of Canadian veterans with PTSD (including many who served in Afghanistan) use cannabis for reasons including relaxation, emotional calming, and pain management (2). These findings align with a
report on medical cannabis use by the Canadian Senate Sub-Committee on Veteran’s Affairs, which found that veterans frequently turn to cannabis when other medical treatments have failed or led to intolerable side effects. One service member asserted that
“medical cannabis saved his life and…improved his quality of life by exponential dimensions.” Others argued that it is preferable to opioids for pain management because of the risks associated with the latter.
Additionally, the “gateway drug” theory that says young people who use cannabis are more likely to become addicted to harder drugs has been disproven. On the contrary, research has shown that opioid overdoses, deaths, and injuries are less likely in states that have legalized cannabis (3). For example, in states where cannabis is legal, the death rate from opioid overdoses is significantly lower than in states where it is not.
Cannabinoid research is still going on, and the above listed are just the first ones found, and there are still a lot more to be discovered.
REFERENCES:
1 Bottorff, J.L., Bissell, L.J., Balneaves, L.G. et al. (2013, February 16). Perceptions of cannabis as a stigmatized medicine: a qualitative descriptive study. Harm Reduct Journal. BioMed Central. https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1477-7517-10-2#citeas
2 Sterniczuk, R., Whelan, J. (2016, December 2). Cannabis use among Canadian Armed Forces Veterans. Journal of Military, Veteran, and Family Health. https://jmvfh.utpjournals.press/doi/10.3138/jmvfh.3836
3 Morral, A., McCaffrey, D. and Paddock, S. (2002). Using Marijuana May Not Raise the Risk of Using Harder Drugs. RAND Corporation. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB6010.html
