The biggest difference between THC and CBD is that THC is psychoactive where CBD is not. THC affects CB1 receptors which are mostly located in the brain which is what causes the psychoactive results where CBD affects both CB1 and CB2 receptors which causes a non psychoactive effect.
Some of the biggest questions we hear continuously are “Does CBD get you high? Can I take CBD and pass a drug test? Are CBD products legal? ” Wer’e going to answer these questions and more!
Lets get right in to it with the difference between CBD and THC. They are different but closely related because they are both cannabinoids.
How CBD & THC Effect The Body Differently
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The difference between THC & CBD is that they effect the body differently because they affect our endocannabinoid system differently by affecting different receptors. THC effects the receptors of the brain and therefore we get the psychoactive results that is commonly called a high! Where CBD also effects the same system but effects both receptors evenly and therefore the reaction is balanced and does not cause any noticeable psychoactive effects other then a general feeling of being relaxed and some improvements in mood That is as good as it gets on the psychoactive front with cbd.
Why Doesn’t CBD Get You High?
CBD wont get you high because of how it affects the CB1 & CB2 receptors which is evenly where thc only effects the your CB1 receptors which are mostly located in the brain. So no matter how much cbd you take you will not experience a high.
Now in cbd products that are derived from cannabis the concentration of thc will be higher and those types of products will produce a high but keep in mind that these products are only legally available in states that have some sort of legalization and have dispensaries where you can buy marijuana products.
As for regular cbd products made from hemp the amount of thc is so small that you can not get enough thc in your system to produce a high. This is what makes hemp cbd products 50 states legal.
Can You Overdose On CBD or THC
You can overdose on both cbd as well as thc its just that the effects of an overdose are not deadly but are uncomfortable and will pass.
Overdosing on CBD – When you take to much cbd it can cause some symptoms that are quite uncomfortable. Here are a few of the things you may experience.
- Anxiety
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Dry mouth
- Nausea
- Vomiting
The best way to avoid this is to start with a small dose of cbd and gauge the effects. You want to take as small of a dosage possible while still getting the effect your taking it for. To help you with this we created a cbd dosage calculator that is meant to be a guide to what dosages are commonly good for certain conditions. keep in mind that everyone’s body react differently so where some people will need a much higher dosage others will need a much lower one and still get the desired effect.
Overdosing on THC – While overdosing on thc is not pleasant so far there have been 0 reported deaths of a thc overdose. Signs of a thc overdose are as follows.
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Paranoia
- Anxiety
- Psychosis – generally only experienced in sever cases of overdosing with thc.
- Panic Attack
- Rapid breathing
- Increased Heart Rate
Many thc overdoses stem from people that are inexperienced with consuming thc and then decide they are going to try edibles. Edibles are tricky and should be approached carefully especially when they are homemade since dosage most of the time is somewhat unknown. When you buy an edible lets say for example in a dispensary in Las Vegas, Nevada where it is legal to recreationally consume they are required to have a proper label with the correct amount of thc in the edible on it. So here you know exactly how much your getting where if your buddy Joe made some cannabutter and had at it you have no clue what the strength will be.
Its just best to tread easy with edibles since they can take a while to start working sometimes people think nothing is happening and then when the digestion kicks in they are pretty screwed and way higher then anticipated. So just be careful and if possible get a product from a dispensary that has a label so you know exactly what your getting into.
What Is THC?
THC is the cannabinoid that has psychoactive properties and therefore causes you to get high. It is derived from the cannabis plant exclusively. While hemp has thc in it the amount is very low and therefore it is not suitable for producing any product that would have a psychoactive effect. Because of the low level of thc in hemp it is commonly used to produce cbd products due to its high cbd content but low thc content.
The cannabis plant produces flowers or buds that are harvested and cured which are then either consumed by way of smoking the flower in a vaporizer, pipe or bong of some sort.
Edibles as well as oils or concentrates are another product that is derived from marijuana plants that can be used for medicinal as well as recreational purposes.
What Is CBD
CBD is a cannabinoid present in the cannabis plant as well as the hemp plant. Where marijuana plants are the main source of products that are made with THC the hemp plant is the main source for all states legal cbd products. Products made from cannabis even when they are made to be CBD dominant will have to high of a content of thc to be 50 state legal. CBD does not have any psychoactive properties so it does NOT get you high due to the lack of concentration of thc.
We actually wrote an extensive piece on what is CBD and details on exactly how it works and effects the body.
What Plants Can CBD & THC Be Derived From
When it comes to producing products that contain thc or products that contain high concentrates of cbd were looking at two plants. The hemp plant or the cannabis plant.
- CBD Products – These products are made from the hemp plant due to the fact that it is a plant that has the highest amounts of cbd and low levels of thc making it perfect for cbd production without psychoactive effects. CBD products are made to give you many health benefits without you having to deal with any psychoactive effects.
- THC Products -These types of products are made from the cannabis plant due to its high thc content. THC products are made for recreational use as well as medicinal use. There are many different types of strains that will give you a variety of effects. The marijuana plant comes in 3 varieties the most common one these days being a hybrid of crossbreeding a sativa strain with an indica strain. Indica strains produce a body high where sativa strains produce a more up and energetic one. Crossing the two will give a middle of the road effect or it can also depend on which is dominant in the hybrid. Where if it is sativa dominant the effects are mostly mental and uplifting and if its a indica dominant strain it is more of a body sensation and generally slows you down. So depending on your needs its important to understand which is dominant for you to have the desired results.
The Endocannabinoid System
What makes it all work is the endocannabinoid system in the body and its receptors. Depending on which receptors are stimulated. If its just CB1 or CB2 or both, the effects on the body will vary. Checking out the chart you can see more about how this system works and which receptor effects what part of your body.
One of the interesting parts of how cbd works is that it actually stimulates the body to use the endocannabinoids already present in the system and many of the benefits do not come from the system itself but the byproducts of stimulating it.
How is CBD or THC Used
THC Type Prodcuts
- The Bud Itself ( Flower)
- A Concentrate – wax, thc oil, hash.
- THC Cartridge
- Edibles
THC
THC is usually used for recreational as well as medical purposes and can come in many different forms. the use of thc can be from just wanting to relax like some people have a drink after a long day of work to fighting nasuea and loss of appetite from cancer treatments. Many more studies are constantly being conducted as to its many uses and benefits since more and more states are going down the road of legalizing it in one form or another.
CBD
CBD comes in many different variations and is used primarily as a health supplement or to alleviate symptoms of a condition. There really is not much of a recreational purpose for it other then it does tend to make you relaxed but since it does not have psychoactive properties it is not really much for recreation.
CBD Type Products
- CBD Edibles – Gummies, Honey, etc.
- CBD Cartridges
- CBD Oil & Topicals -creams or tinctures.
- Suppositories
- Isolates & Concentrates
Will I Fail A Drug Test Taking CBD?
Depending on the type of CBD product you take there is a chance that you could test positive for thc when taking a full spectrum cbd product. It can easily be avoided however by simply looking for a product made from an isolate or purchasing the isolate and making your own cbd edible or oil.
- Full Spectrum – What this means is that there is a small amount of thc present in the product. The highest legal amount is .3 percent so its not much but it is enough to trigger a positive for thc and failing a drug test. So who is this a concern for? Anyone that has to pass a drug test to keep a job or is on probation or parole. Especially people in sensitive sectors like the medical field. You fail once your done in the industry. But there is good news there are products that you can take that contains 0 thc and those are fine for you to take. So when this is a major concern take a real close look at the product label and make sure that it says 0 thc.
- CBD Isolate – This is a cbd product where all the thc has been removed there for it is called an isolate because the cbd is isolated from the thc in the hemp plant. Products made from an isolate are not full spectrum so they are safe for anyone that is concerned with having to pass a drug test.
Is CBD Legal Everywhere?
The simple answer is YES! CBD products are now legal in all 50 states. As long as the product is a hemp derived product and adheres to the .3 percent thc rule it is perfectly legal.
Since the agricultural improvement act separated cannabis from hemp it is now dependent on the states to decide if it is legal to grow it or not. More and more states are allowing hemp production as well as hemp products again.
The FDA now regulates hemp products where before it was a DEA matter. This is a huge win for CBD and allows everyone to take advantage of its many benefits not to mention all the industrial applications of the hemp plant.
What Are The Laws On THC Use?
The simple answer is ONLY in legal states. More and more states are looking at some form of legalization of cannabis use. Some have decided on medical only which means you will only be able to use it if you have medical conditions that are able to have it prescribed under the law of that state. State laws vary greatly so where a condition in one state will get you a medical marijuana card it wont in another so it is always best to check state laws first.
Currently 9 states have recreational legalization but 33 have medicinal legalization of some form. So as you can see by those numbers more and more states are recognizing the medicinal properties of marijuana. Once the federal government decides to no longer classify cannabis as a drug we will see even more positive changes in the way of legalization. More and more states are looking at is as well due to the tax revenue that legalization can bring to the state.