What Is the Difference Between THC and CBD?
THC and CBD share some similarities, but there are key differences that make CBD a viable therapeutic option where THC may not be acceptable.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the two primary cannabinoids that occur naturally in the Cannabis sativa plant, most commonly known as cannabis.
Both of these substances interact with the cannabinoid receptors found in the human body and brain, but they differed dramatically in their effects.
CBD is non-psychoactive which means that it will not get the user high. Because of this trait, CBD appears more frequently than THC in dietary and natural supplements.
Read also: What is CBD?
What is THC?
THC is the main psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. In other words, THC is the primary agent responsible for creating the ‘high’ associated with recreational cannabis use.
This compound works, in part, by mimicking the effects of anandamide and 2-AG. These neurotransmitters are produced naturally by the human body and help to modulate sleeping and eating habits, the perception of pain, and countless other bodily functions.
The effects of THC include:
- Relaxation
- Altered senses of sight, smell, and hearing
- Fatigue
- Hunger
- Reduced aggression
What Are the Natural Benefits of THC?
Research studies indicate that THC may useful in helping with:
- Side Effects of Chemotherapy
- Multiple sclerosis
- HIV/AIDS
- Spinal injury: Lessen tremors
- Nausea and vomiting
- Chronic pain
- Inflammation
- Digestive health
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol is one of the most critical cannabinoids contained in the cannabis plant. It exists both in agricultural hemp, as well as medical cannabis. While cannabinoids are present within several plants in nature, cannabis is the only plant known to contain CBD.
CBD has the same chemical formula as THC, with the atoms in a different arrangement.
This slight variance causes THC to create a psychoactive effect, while CBD does not. This fact means that when you ingest CBD for medical purposes, you will more likely experience a relief of your unwanted discomfort, with little or no noticeable effect on your cognitive abilities.
What Are the Medical Benefits of CBD?
Research studies indicate that CBD may be useful in helping with:
- Pain (neuropathic, chronic, cancer-related, etc.)
- Epilepsy
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Parkinson’s
- Inflammation
- Acne
- Dyskinesia
- Psoriasis
- Broken Bones
- Mad Cow Disease
- Depression
- Bacterial Infections
- Diabetes
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Nausea
- Anxiety
- ADHD
- Schizophrenia
- Substance Abuse/Withdrawal
- Heart Disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
CBD vs. THC for Pain
Research suggests CBD may be better for inflammation and neuropathic pain, while THC may excel with spasticity and cramp-related pain.
It is worth noting that sometimes high doses of THC can exacerbate pain symptoms. Meaning THC consumed in this capacity should be done in small amounts.
Additionally, many individuals experience difficulty managing the side effects associated with THC, rendering useless any potential benefits.
Some experts suggest that a combination of THC and CBD is the ideal way to approach pain, giving validity to something known as the entourage effect.
What Is the Entourage Effect?
The entourage effect describes a phenomenon in which the 400+ compounds in cannabis work together to create a particular effect on the body. [S]
For example, 100mg of isolated CBD may be substantially less effective at alleviating symptoms than 100mgs of a whole-plant, CBD-containing cannabis extract. Many argue that consuming the plant in its whole form provides all the necessary cofactors to facilitate proper absorption.
This argument is at the heart of the debate over CBD oil from hemp vs. CBD oil from cannabis.
While it may be cheaper and more cost-effective to extract CBD from industrial hemp, users may ultimately experience less benefit due to the absence of clinically significant levels of terpenes and other compounds (which occur in abundance in high-CBD marijuana).
While high-CBD cultivars of cannabis do contain much higher levels of various cannabinoids, terpenes, etc., it does not mean that there aren’t potential drawbacks to its use.
Agricultural hemp is much closer to the kind of cannabis that one would find growing naturally in the wild, whereas high-CBD marijuana is hybridized and toyed with by growers to produce the highest levels of the desirable compounds.
There is no hard science (yet!) when it comes to the theory of the entourage effect theory. It is up to each individual to decide which option is best for them.
Why does CBD see more usage than THC in natural supplements?
THC is an illegal drug with considerable immediate and long-term cognitive side effects. These include impaired thinking and reasoning, a reduced ability to plan and organize, altered decision-making, and reduced control over impulses.
Also, chronic use of THC correlates with significant abnormalities in the heart and brain.
CBD lacks the harmful cognitive effects of THC. In fact, CBD can counteract the psychoactive effects of THC.
Cannabis plants containing small amounts of CBD and high levels of THC result in a stronger ‘stoned’ feeling, while plants with more CBD and less THC create a weaker, more relaxed, effect.
Given the increasing popularity of medical cannabis, breeders are currently creating strains with higher CBD to THC ratios to minimize the psychoactive side effects.
Overall, the lower health risks of CBD, combined with its efficacy, make it a better candidate for natural applications than THC.
Learn More About CBD
CBD Industry Update: First Half of 2019
Learn More
What Is THCV?
Learn More
What Is CBN?
Learn More
What is CBC?
Learn More
What Is THCA?
Learn More
Can You Use CBD Oil While Pregnant?
Learn More
What is THC?
Learn More
What is CBDA?
Learn More
Plant-Based Medicine vs. Big Pharma: What It Means for Your CBD Oil
Learn More
I took medical marijuana with No good results! I have epilepsy (drug resistant) For 57 years nothing has helped!!! My name is Susan Wesley
Susan Wesley, I get exertion migraines that happen to be closely related to epilepsy (an epilepsy drug even helps with my migraine prevention).
Edible pot works for me – 90-95% of the time. I hope you keep experimenting and find relief. I’ve been using for 7 months:
(1) Try high CBD and take a big dose. I think I’ve done 25mg or 50mg on occasion.
(2) Also try with THC, I eat maybe 25mg over several hours. I *think* THC works better, but it impacts regular life a bit for me taking that much.
(3) Sounds weird, but this is almost guaranteed to help… try keto diet for 2 weeks. Eat less than 20g of carbs. This is a known treatment for childhood epilepsy, where drugs don’t help or can’t be used. A migraine doc did an experiment with migraine suffers on keto too & it made a 50% reduction in episodes. I read his research paper and tried it. I got a huge benefit. And the benefit somewhat lasted for months, even though I stopped keto after 3 weeks. I’ve since reverted to almost daily migraines unfortunately. I’m now gearing up to try keto again for a couple weeks.
Good luck!
I have been using 1200mg CBD full spectrum oil. I thought it was helping my back pain but lately my pain has returned full force. The oil I use does have .3% or less(I guess) THC. Do i need something with a little more THC or what?
I believe THC to be IT. I really don’t rate CBd. Rick Simpson oil is expensive but my niece has melanoma, 4th stage and it’s terminal. Who would cut corners and not try everything going in these circumstances. Do you have a high strength THC oil or any genuine advise?
This isn’t to get high though if it was me and all else failed l suppose l’d get high and drunk asap!
I purchased something that has ‘ ND THC’ on the package. What does ND mean?
HISTORICALLY, population of South America, China ,Africa etc etc.,have PRACTICED CANNABINOID use, in many facets of their lives. Whether impure, for purposes all understood by today’s applied scientists, this evidence, even if only historical,
has taken so long, for the ‘sophisticated’ modern scientists to recognize, that time wasted on ‘researching or refining’ the product, may take pharmaceutical companies, law makers, another millennium before the ‘population’ is ‘legally’, given their rights to access a historically proven natural product.
Get on with the ‘help’, and become less reliant, on the pharmaceuticals presently dished out et lib.,benefiting Their pockets at the expense of long term health of the end users. Collusion in the pharmaceutical industry will have to be monitored closely should a CANNABINOID product be launched by that industry.
I couldn’t have stated it better myself. Well said.
It’s great to know more about CBD and its benefits. I like how you said that it can help with pain management. My wife is dealing with cancer, so I’ll have to look into this for her treatment.
Very nice article!
What does the ‘high’ mean? I’ve been smoking for 10 years and the whole purpose is calm/relaxation, and anti-inflammation. If that’s all CBD does then how is that different than thc? The “high” IS the calming effect… They’re no different
I’m diabetic. How is CDB oil beneficial to me?
I suffer from insomnia, I bought CBD oil with a trace of THC maybe a year ago. I tried it and did not help me sleep at all. I still have the oil and I am wondering if the strenght of THC would have lessened with the time and maybe now it would help me sleep
Regarding insomnia…..maybe the presence of too much THC is the reason why the CBD oil did not give the required result. I’m a bad sleeper myself and the CBD oil works for me. I take 4 drops in the morning and 4drops when I go to bed. Also try to avoid other stimulants, such as coffee, cola, TV etc.
You need to sleep? So you need high thc “indica” like a kush strain.
I use medical marijuana now. I have severe insomnia too. As soon as i got approved I use the indica at night. Never slept better. CBD oil can help some people with sleep.
THC helps you sleep not the other way around. Indica is the best for this because it also contains myrcene in the terpenoid profile, which is a mild sedative.
You need thc. Not cbd. I have Insomnia and thc is all the works
I’m looking to enhance my ( lack) sexual vaginal sensitivity due to menopause, I’ve heard CBD or THC as topical may help. Can you recommend or educate me as to what to buy?
We use “La Familia” Chocolate edibles. They have serveral flavors available. I love “Menta”. The chocolate is sooo smooth. I take half of a dose and let it melt in my mouth. Within 30 minutes you are able to focus on all touches and feels. It has enhanced our sex life 1000%!!!! I highly recommend it.
I suffer from anxiety, lots of stress, and have eczema and ONLY have flare ups on the top of my hands, will CBD oils help with Inflammation?
If someone takes CBD and is then tested for marijuana, will the CBD produce a positive marijuana outcome
I tried CBd oil and the rub I have fibromyalgia arthris and my joints are bad and I have not found any relief
You have to ingest it, rubbing on your skin won’t have any effect. Just like rubbing an aspirin on your forehead will not get you rid of a headache.
I was in a car accident and have had many back surgeries and nerves cut in my leg. As a result I have a lot of pain. I also have arthritis. What you suggest?
I use 1500mg bottle from green roads. It has helped me tremendously.
What is best dose for migraines? I wake up with them
I think you have to see what works for you. I use edibles, because to prevent a daily migraine, I need long lasting effect. If no experience, I’d start w 5mg THC edible. If that goes OK, try 10mg. I presently take about 25mg of THC gummies spread over several hours. But if I think I feel a migraine coming on, I’ve been experimenting with a high CBD oil (20:1 CBD to THC). Hold several drops under tongue for *1 minute*. You should feel a calmness start in 10-15 minutes. If not, try more. Not much downside of “over dosing” CBD.
Good Luck!
I am trying to recover from 2 ankle surgeries. I am in quite a bit of pain. Dr. wont prescribe any more pain meds. What kind of oil do you recommend?
Great breakdown of the differences between these two cannabinoids, thanks for the good info!
I am looking for something for aches, pains and weight loss, what kind of oil do you recommend?
Hemp derived CBD Oil in Full Spectrum. Full spectrum has trace amounts of THC (.3% Food Grade) If you want more info you can email me direct
Hello my son has got a condition which is muscle waiting in progress DMD. Which oil do you recommend and where can I found please as I already bought las week CBD in Holland and Barretes with but they don’t have the other oil.
Please if know more can you recommend and help me to by it for my son
Thank you
Juliet
What about think CBD capsules?
I am looking for something for aches, pains and weight loss, what kind of oil do you recommend? I suffer with pain every day of my life.I take pain pills, but it’s not doing the job it use to. I have to take a urine test every time, before they will keep giving me pain pills. Will these oils you have been talking about, show up in my urine? If so I want get my pain pills.Waiting to hear from you real soon.
Can a Sativa oil be detected in a urine test?