CBD vs. THC

Cannabidiol (CBD) is found in both hemp & marijuana. CBD is non-psychoactive & has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anticancer, antiviral, antifungal, & anti-seizure activity. It is legal to purchase in the United States & has become an extremely popular supplement.

Hemp is distinguished from cannabis by the level of THC. If the plant has less than 0.3% THC, then it is classified as hemp & is legal to grow in the United States. Any amount of THC greater than 0.3% classifies the plant as cannabis & is highly restricted.

Hemp is becoming more popular, not only for the CBD content, but for the production of cloth fabric, paper, and may one day threaten other industries. CBD oil is primarily obtained through extraction from hemp plants.

CBD can be useful to patents new to Medical Cannabis, as its anti-anxiety effects may offset the psychoactivity that accompanies other cannabis compounds, like THC.

Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive component of cannabis. Not active in the raw cannabis flower, THC derives by removing the acetyl group from THCA.

THCA does not have any known psychoactivity effects. It has anti-inflammatory & neuroprotective effects, but it is not used often in Medical Marijuana treatment. Instead, it is decarboxylated (removing the acetyl group by applying heat) to become THC.

Decarboxylation must occur for psychoactivity to occur. This is done by heating the cannabis flower at low temperatures (approximately 220°F) for over one hour. Temperatures over 300°F make this process happen quickly, but some terpenes & cannabinoids are lost at higher temperatures.

This is why eating raw cannabis flower won’t produce any psychoactivity. However, cannabis flower that is stored in a warm place for a long while may decarboxylate (becoming psychoactive) & should be avoided for consumption.