After so many years of cannabis prohibition, medical science is only just starting the research required to fully explore cannabinoid biochemistry. Much more remains to be done.
Meanwhile perhaps the most exciting chapter in cannabis history is just unfolding. Cannabinoids are one of the most abundant and promising yet least explored natural medicines. While THC is perhaps the most notorious cannabinoid in pop culture, there are many other such compounds produced by the cannabis plant, the importance of which we are only just beginning to understand. To this date, at least 113 different cannabinoids have been isolated from the Cannabis plant. But there is some scientific disagreement about the precise number as more research is conducted into cannabinoid science and new breakthroughs/discoveries are made. The two best known cannabinoids are THC and CBD, but other minor cannabinoids are starting to receive attention as cannabinoid research intensifies, knowledge expands and pharmaceutical interest gathers pace.
Lets take a look at THC. Because of its ability to induce mind-altering effects on the user, THC has been classified as an illegal substance in most countries around the world.The stereotype associated with the frequent marijuana user is a drug addict, a drug dealer, or a lazy do-no-gooder. There is no doubt that this stereotype stems from the prohibition of marijuana, and there is no escaping the racial factor that is involved in this stereotype. With the population of cannabis users around the world growing (the inevitable result of legalization), it is important to break the stereotype to avoid discrimination. In order to integrate the use of cannabis into the new paradigm of society, we should first identify that there are a number of different social groups that participate in the use of marijuana, and most of those groups do not fit into the stereotypical perception of the marijuana user.
As the legal use of hemp and other cannabis products grows, consumers are becoming more curious about their options. This includes cannabidiol CBD. Despite their similar chemical structures, CBD and THC don’t have the same psychoactive effects. CBD is psychoactive, just not in the same manner as THC. It doesn’t produce the high associated with THC. CBD is shown to help with anxiety, depression, and seizures.
There are people all over the world using marijuana to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, cancer, nausea, and even anxiety. In fact, as technology continues to increase in the scope of being able to produce medical marijuana products, there are ways being found for the medical marijuana user to ingest cannabis without even getting high. With CBD-only marijuana and CBD oil becoming more and more readily available, there are cannabis users who are receiving the medicinal benefits without the cerebral high. CBD-only marijuana is a strain of marijuana that does not contain the psychoactive compound of the marijuana plant THC, , and instead contains only the medicinal properties of CBD.
These cannabis users are definitely not sitting on their couches eating and watching mindless television all of the time. In fact, it is likely that they resorted to the use of medical marijuana in order to be able to continue productively living their lives.
