I was in CVS the other day and noticed a huge display lined with CBD products. They had a TON of different lotions and wellness products, all containing CBD. Recently, I even bought some SheaMoisture Cannabis & Ginseng Lush Length Conditioner that contains hemp seed oil. (I saw hemp and it STOPPED IN MY TRACKS) It got me wondering why CBD could be sold in stores and THC in dispensaries? And, as a THC consumer do I need to use CBD too, or are they used for the same thing?
This post contains affiliate links. Read our disclaimer.
Let’s start with what they are…
CBD vs. THC
CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are both cannabinoids derived from the cannabis plant that can give consumers completely different experiences. Cannabinoids interact with our body’s endocannabinoid system via cannabinoid receptors in our cells. Our endocannabinoid system essentially has a hand in regulating various functions such as sleep, mood, memory, appetite, pain sensation, and more.
[convertkit]
The biggest difference between these two cannabinoids is that CBD will not get you high, it will give you the medicinal benefits of the cannabis plant but not the high. THC is the cannabinoid that gets you high.
Fun Fact: Did you know that there are over 450 cannabinoids in cannabis??
Federally legal CBD comes from hemp plants and THC comes from cannabis (CBD derived from cannabis plants are only sold in dispensaries). According to the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp cannot contain any more than 0.3% THC to be sold outside of dispensaries and that is not nearly enough THC to make you feel any kind of psychoactive feeling.
What is CBD used for?
- Pain and Inflammation
- PTSD
- Anxiety
- Seizures
- And much more!
What is THC used for?
- Pain
- Glaucoma
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Low Appetite
- And much more!
After learning about the differences, I started incorporating both CBD and THC into my canna-diet. You can take CBD in pretty much the same ways you can consume THC, flower, vapes, tinctures, edibles, etc. One of my favorite ways to use CBD is infused honey. I add it to my tea after workouts and before bed.
A popular way to take CBD is vaping.
Conclusion
From the lists above, you can see that there’s some overlap. One thing to keep in mind is that CBD will block the intoxicating effects of THC when consumed together. This can be a good thing if you get “too high” on THC and want to come down.
So if you feel like you ate too much of an edible, try hitting your CBD vape.
The biggest decision you’ll have to make when deciding between the two is what you want to feel. Do you want to feel high or do you just want the benefits? Or both? They can be used for different things such as a post-workout pain reliever.
Also, drug tests do not screen for CBD, they screen for THC, so you could get the benefits of CBD without worrying about losing your job. Always check on this just in case!
For an in-depth look at CBD and it’s benefits, check out SO WHAT IS CBD, EVEN? on Miss Grass or Leafly’s Complete Guide to CBD (cannabidiol)!