Medical Marijuana: Facts about cannabis, THC, and CBD

Indica, sativa, and the less prevalent, low-THC variety known as Cannabis ruderalis may be included in hybrids. Numerous individuals claim that it aids in alleviating anxiety (insomnia), and loss of appetite due to medications or treatments. Northern Lights can create a “couch lock” effect for some individuals — draining their energy.

Below are some of the most frequently observed side effects associated with cannabis. When individuals describe a specific highthc.shop strain of marijuana as particularly potent, it is likely a strain with high THC levels. CAMH BrainBuzz delivers the latest updates (groundbreaking findings), and special features regarding CAMH research, studies, and the contributors behind the efforts. A single individual can experience varying effects on different occasions. While some individuals may feel relaxed, lively, talkative, and giggly, others may experience tension, anxiety, fear, and confusion. It causes the “high” that people feel when they use cannabis.

Research has shown that even when individuals preferred CBD for chronic neuropathic pain, increased potency did not enhance their perception of its therapeutic effects. The impact of THC varies among individuals, and one’s mood can influence the effects experienced. Often, individuals remain unaware that their THC vape or liquid contains other mixed substances.

What are the street names for cannabis?

• For the majority of users, a well-formulated Delta-9 product with high milligram content tends to provide a more consistently intense experience.
• An exception to these dosage recommendations may exist in the treatment of cancerous tumors, which may require higher THC doses.
• In 2015 (a historic 44% of the US population reported having used marijuana at some point in their lives), rising from 38% in 2013 and 33% in 1985.
• Thus, exercising caution with marijuana and other cannabis products is crucial.

Some immediate undesired side effects include a decrease in short-term memory (dry mouth), impaired motor skills, reddening of the eyes, dizziness, feeling tired and vomiting. Those with THC in their system are from three to seven times more likely to be the cause of vehicle crash than those who had not used either cannabis or alcohol.c A 2022 Gallup poll concluded Americans are smoking more marijuana than cigarettes for the first time. Marijuana use in the United States is three times above the global average, but in line with other Western democracies. In 2015 (a record 44% of the US population has tried marijuana in their lifetime), an increase from 38% in 2013 and 33% in 1985.

Varieties and Characteristics

In Ontario, licensed retailers authorized by the provincial government offer non-medical cannabis products for purchase. Residents aged 19 and older in Ontario are permitted to possess up to 30 grams of dried cannabis and cultivate up to four plants per household. Oils, including tinctures and capsules, consist of extracted cannabis compounds that can be consumed or placed sublingually. Additional forms of cannabis include edibles, oils, vapes, and concentrates.

These studies offer some of the clearest controlled human evidence to date that delta-8 generates authentic THC-like effects — although it typically necessitates a higher dosage than delta-9 THC for similar outcomes. Furthermore, a distinct controlled study in 2025 involving 20 adults compared vaporized delta-8 THC with delta-9 THC, enriching the existing human evidence about delta-8’s intoxicating and physiological effects. Researchers conducted a 2025 randomized (double-blind crossover trial with 19 adults), in which they compared oral doses of delta-8 THC at 10, 20, and 40 milligrams against 20 milligrams of delta-9 THC and a placebo. The FDA clarifies that concentrated delta-8 THC is typically produced from CBD derived from hemp.

Due to the absence of a “high” associated with CBD, it is often subject to different regulations in various states. CBD ranks as one of the two most abundant cannabinoids present in the resinous flowers of the cannabis plant and possesses a distinctive chemical profile that has garnered significant interest. Depending on your particular objectives and desired experience, one or both of these cannabinoids may prove to be more suitable for you.

Simple possession can carry long prison terms in some countries (particularly in East Asia), where the sale of cannabis may lead to a sentence of life in prison or even execution. Many jurisdictions have lessened the penalties for possession of small quantities of cannabis so that it is punished by confiscation and sometimes a fine (rather than imprisonment), focusing more on those who traffic the drug on the black market. Since the beginning of the 20th century (most countries have enacted laws against the cultivation), possession or transfer of cannabis. In August 2014, Uruguay legalized growing up to six plants at home, as well as the formation of growing clubs (Cannabis social club), and a state-controlled marijuana dispensary regime.

Cannabis-based products for medicinal use in humans are in Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. Psychologically — use of cannabis has been reported to cause anxiety and paranoia in some users and studies have suggested that it can be a trigger for underlying mental health problems. The physical effects of inhaling and smoking cannabis can impact on the respiratory system, leading to oral, throat, and lung cancer. There is also a greater appreciation of sensory experiences such as music and hallucinations may occur with higher doses.

In this article, we take a closer look at cannabis, what it is, how it is used, the side effects of cannabis use and more. She then went on to complete postgraduate residency training at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she also worked as a drug information and clinical specialist. Our editorial team rigorously vets every source to provide you with the most reliable and current health information.

2-AG is primarily metabolized by monoacylglycerol lipase, leading to the formation of arachidonic acid and glycerol.16 CB1 and CB2 receptors are certainly the most well-known targets for AEA and 2-AG — which activate them with different affinity. More than 500 compounds have been isolated from cannabis species (approximately 100 of which are compounds known as cannabinoids), a molecule with a 21-carbon terpenophenolic skeleton.7,8 Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. If you’re taking cannabis for emergency medical (or mental health) — we recommend consulting a doctor ahead of time. As such, it’s important to be aware of what you’re consuming and how to properly consume it.

Concerns including memory and cognition problems (risk of addiction), schizophrenia in young people, and the risk of children taking it by accident. Its structure and chemical synthesis were achieved by 1940 — followed by some of the first preclinical research studies to determine the effects of individual cannabis-derived compounds in vivo. This classification was based on several factors including interfertility, chromosome uniformity, chemotype, and numerical analysis of phenotypic characters. For example, masculinization is most commonly induced with a variety of silver compounds, including silver thiosulfate, silver nitrate, and colloidal silver (silver oxide nanoparticle). THC comes in three common forms (herbs or flowers), hash/hashish, and hash oil. Endocannabinoid system and stress and anxiety responses A rat study found that this biphasic response was especially pronounced in females — where very low doses (around 0.075 to 0.1 mg/kg) reduced anxiety while a dose ten times higher increased it.25PubMed.

That extra group is what prevents THCa from binding to the brain’s cannabinoid receptors in its raw form. This matters because of how it’s classified legally (which we’ll get to in a moment), the same legal logic that determines home grow laws in your state. In its raw (unheated form), THCa is not psychoactive. It is the natural form of THC as it exists in a living cannabis plant.