CBD vs. THC:

How does one compare CBD versus THC? The discovery of CBD has been a breakthrough in the medical field. Cases deemed untreatable could suddenly be treated. It has countless benefits to our health and overall wellbeing- and all this from the once infamous cannabis plant.

We also know who the real culprit behind cannabis´ bad reputation is: THC, a cousin cannabinoid of CBD. But in what way are CBD and THC different from one another if they both originate from the same plant? We’ll be answering this question and more in a moment, but first, let’s break things down to give you a bit of background:

Cannabis is generally made up of cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other valuable ingredients. So far researchers have identified over 120 different cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, with THC and CBD being the most popular on that list.

What is the difference between CBD and THC?

CBD and THC are both cannabinoids and even have the same chemical formula: two oxygen atoms, 21 carbon atoms, and 30 hydrogen atoms. So how can it be that these two cannabinoids, from the same plant, made up of the same components, have such different effects on us?

The difference between THC and CBD lies in their molecular structure. Depending on how atoms are arranged, they can affect the body differently. Cannabinoids can influence things like sleep, mood, memory, and pain, by interacting with our endocannabinoid system (ECS). Every mammal has an endocannabinoid system. This system helps regulate our cardiovascular, nervous, and immune system, and ensures that everything in our body works as it should.

Our endocannabinoid system has CB1 and CB2 receptors located throughout our bodies. Cannabinoids can bind with these receptors and influence functions regulated by our ECS.

THC binds directly with these receptors which can overwhelm our ECS and disrupt communication between neurons. The result? On the one hand, we experience a “high” due to THC affecting a part of our brain that makes us feel good. On the other hand, this high comes with a bundle of side effects- slow reaction time, memory loss, difficulty coordinating movements, impaired judgment, and much more.

CBD indirectly interacts with our receptors and therefore only has a subtle influence on us psychoactively. Research suggests that CBD can interact with our serotonin receptors and also helps prevent our natural endocannabinoids from being broken down. Our endocannabinoids help regulate our ECS and are crucial to keeping our nervous system and stress levels balanced.

CBD can loosely bind to CB1 receptors in our brain and block THC from unfolding its effects. This way CBD can help balance out any overwhelming effects from THC.

CBD vs. THC: Effects

The effects of CBD and THC are like day and night. Both CBD and THC are psychoactive substances. While many posts online claim CBD isn’t psychoactive, this isn’t exactly true. CBD is psychoactive in the way that chocolate or a cup of coffee is.

THC has more drastic psychoactive effects and it can alter your perception of reality. Comparing CBD and THC is like comparing coffee and cocaine. Yes, they both have an effect on you but on entirely different dimensions. Here are the benefits of each substance, which is also referred to as a CBD high vs. THC high.

CBD can help with:

Stress
Anxiety
Mood disorders
Difficulty sleeping
Pain
Inflammation
Soreness

CBD has many medical benefits for our health. Dravet syndrome, for instance, is especially resistant to current treatment methods. One of the first eye-opening moments in the medical field involved a young girl named Charlotte who suffered from Dravet syndrome. She was treated with CBD oil from a strain called Charlotte’s Web (named after her) and her monthly seizure count dropped from over 1,200 to only three seizures a month!

THC can help with:

Pain
Anxiety
Low appetite
Nausea
Muscle spasticity
Glaucoma
Insomnia

Some benefits are listed for both CBD and THC since they can help with the same problem in different ways.

CBD vs THC for pain:

While CBD has qualities that can help relieve inflammation and the cause for pain, THC helps us cope with pain as well. A combined treatment would be ideal, due to the Entourage Effect mentioned above. Try our Relieve CBD line of products to help to ease any discomfort you have in your body.

CBD vs THC anxiety:

CBD is generally better for dealing with anxiety. Since THC can also trigger anxiety and paranoia as a possible side-effect, it’s safer to rely on CBD for treatment. Still, THC has calming and mood-lifting qualities. Try our Relax CBD line of products to help calm your stress and improve your mood.

However, as with all things, there are possible side-effects.

CBD Side-effects:

Nausea
Dry mouth
Light-headedness
Drowsiness

There’s also a risk in taking CBD with other medications. CBD can hinder other medications from being properly metabolized, leading to unwanted side-effects.

THC side-effects:

Dry mouth
Headache
Dizziness
Increased heart rate
Change in blood pressure
Paranoia
Impaired mental functioning

Cannabis products come in various forms: Edibles, topicals, e-liquids, and bath bombs, just to name a few. Especially topicals can work wonders- our skin has its very own endocannabinoid system and CBD creams can bring you quick and targeted relief. If you aren’t sure what you’d like, why not try one of our CBD bundles to give you a taste of each different method.

Why is there THC in full-spectrum CBD oil?

CBD oil is generally made from either full-spectrum CBD extracts or CBD isolates. While both are commonly used, one of them is certainly superior in quality: full-spectrum CBD extracts. Yes, there is THC in full-spectrum extracts, however, it’s extremely low compared to the CBD content. CBD can counter the psychotropic effects of THC so you won’t have to worry about getting high from it. Full-spectrum CBD includes an array of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids – and this is where the so-called “Entourage Effect” comes into play. CBD combined with its natural ingredients is most effective for therapeutic use.

However, if you’d still rather have CBD without any THC content, we’ve released CBD oil with no THC in it. It is made mostly from CBD isolates and you won’t have to worry about THC being detected in any tests.

CBD oil vs. THC oil

Both CBD and THC are available as oils which have the benefit that you’ll notice the effects faster than from many other consumption methods. How are they different? THC oil will get you high, CBD oil won’t. View our many options for buying all-natural CBD Oils.

Legality of CBD vs. THC

In the USA, laws surrounding cannabis can be quite confusing. Cannabis used to be illegal. Nowadays, things aren’t viewed as black and white anymore. Medical cannabis is legal in 50% of the states, as long as you have a doctor’s prescription.

The Farm Bill passed by the US government in December of 2018 makes CBD legal in all 50 states, but it must have less than .3% of THC in it. Even more reason to make sure the CBD you buy has been lab-tested and truly contains what the label claims. Here you can check out our lab results for all Mission Farms products. All of our products contain less than 0.3% THC which is the legal limit for CBD products. In fact, most of our CBD products contain around .15% THC, which is half of the legal limit.

Many states have also legalized the recreational use of cannabis with high THC content. You can check out your own state’s laws regarding cannabis legalization here.

Cannabis vs. Marijuana- Is there a difference?

All marijuana plants belong to the cannabis family, but not all cannabis is marijuana. Makes sense?

There are about 170 different cannabis plants– Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica are some of the most popular on the list. Marijuana and hemp both belong to the cannabis family but are very different from one another. Marijuana is generally high in THC content but has different THC to CBD ratios depending on the species. Hemp is traditionally used for industrial purposes. It is very low in THC and high in CBD content, along with many other nutrients. Both CBD oil and hemp oil come from the hemp plant.

The bottom line

THC gets you high, CBD doesn’t. They both have many benefits as well as potential side-effects. Because of current legislation, it’s easier to get a hold of CBD products, but this also means that there isn’t any regulation in the CBD market.

When choosing the right CBD product, it’s just as important to look at the environment of the plant your CBD was extracted from. Factors such as cannabis seeds, growing environment, potential pesticides, and the extraction process can play a role in the quality of CBD.

We at Mission Farms care about bringing you high-quality CBD products. You can read exactly how we get our CBD here, and read more about our organically farmed hemp that comes from Central Oregon.  Although we’ve explained a lot of the effects and risks of CBD here, it’s always best to consult with a doctor before trying any kind of new supplement. If you believe you could benefit from CBD, check out our shop and see if you find any products you might like.