The compound that causes the psychoactive effects or high when smoking weed is the delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol or known as THC. The THC has a close affinity to our brain receptors, which is the CB1 receptor to be specific. This receptor is found abundantly in our brains and is also present in our limbic system. This is the one responsible for the feelings of emotion, thirst and hunger, and brain response to pain as well as pleasure and mood among many things. Consuming cannabis can bring in these psychoactive effects to its consumers but does CBD make it easier or more difficult to get high or does CBD lower the effects of THC?
How Does CBD Make it Easier or More Difficult to Get High
It is not difficult to end up assuming that CBD is capable of blocking the effects brought about by THC but based on studies the results are going both ways. In a few cases, CBD actually reduces the effects of THC while a similar amount of cases show that it actually intensifies those side effects. The reason behind this is that CBD has multiple levels of interaction with THC and is not always the same. Below are the 3 mechanisms wherein THC and CBD affect each other.
- The first mechanism is by pharmacokinetic which there is an effect of modulation between two molecules.CBD has a certain effect that it actually boosts THC levels in the system through one of its molecules. This is the same enzyme that metabolizes THC. It has been observed that administering CBD before THC will allow better absorption of THC in the system which results in a higher concentration in the blood.
- Secondly, there is another mechanism called pharmacodynamics which means there is modulation in the molecules allowing them to bind in the same receptor which results in CBD to reduce the activation of the CB1 receptors.
- Lastly, the last mechanism is when a molecule modulates another molecule and allows its binding to different receptors and these are evident on our physical absorption of the terpenes found in Cannabis and how its corresponding effects on our bodies are.
Conclusion
So, does CBD make it easier or more difficult to get high? Well, there is a noticeable reaction and the answer is Yes, but keep in mind that this is still dependent on many factors such as the size of the consumer and the amount of CBD per dosage, as well as the ratio of each cannabinoid as well as the time when each was taken. In short, without those conditions in place then the said negation of the CBD to the effects of THC is less likely to happen.
