While we usually only hear about THC & CBD, hundreds of other compounds are found in every cannabis plant, and we are discovering more every day. So what are the effects of the two most popular compounds – THC and CBD?
THC is responsible for the high or euphoria that you typically associate with marijuana. This molecule has been grown in an ever greater concentration in plants ever since it was pinpointed as the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis.
Despite being from the same plant, CBD has no psychoactive components and will not give you a high in the traditional sense. Instead, CBD has been praised as a natural way to ease muscle pain, nausea, epilepsy, and more.
We are learning about these well-known cannabinoids because, despite their differing effects, they work best together. This is what is called the Entourage Effect, which means that when THC & CBD are used together as well as with other cannabinoids native to the plant, their collective effectiveness is increased. An example of this is that full-spectrum CBD oil has better anti-inflammatory results than CBD distillate (CBD only).
We are a long way away from the days where your only options for getting the effects of THC or CBD were to smoke it or eat it. Currently, there are hundreds if not thousands of different products you can eat, drink, or even apply to your skin that give you the benefits of the diversity of cannabinoids found in the native plant.
One of the most popular ways to get the benefits of THC or CBD is edibles. While smoking has long been the most common method to get high and brownies have been a crude way to consume cannabis edibles, modern edibles are much more refined. From CBD gummies to THC cookies, you can find edibles that are much higher in cannabinoid potency and more diverse in cannabis content than their predecessors 10 or 20 years ago. This is primarily due to the progress in the cannabinoid extraction process and a growing understanding of the plant itself. This means you can choose from a wide range of strengths as well as CBD or THC distillates if you are looking to pinpoint a specific high.
The fastest-growing edible category is the cannabis-infused beverage space. The initial attempts at weed drinks were pretty nasty, and producers had a hard time separating the skunky taste of cannabis from its excellent benefits. Now, this is not as much of a concern as companies have been able to formulate natural flavorings and marry them to the parts of the marijuana plant they want. Companies have even started using the native cannabinoid known as flavonoids to create naturally produced flavors such as vanilla and citrus. Olala has created a portfolio of full-spectrum THC-infused sodas that give you all the benefits of full-spectrum cannabinoids in a full-flavored Orange Cream or Blue Raspberry package. The products taste like tropical fruits with minimal cannabis after taste. No more suffering through terrible tasting drinks to experience the THC effects. Try Olala today and find your chill.
A smaller but growing subset of marijuana products is in skincare and salves in general. A growing number of consumers are learning about the medicinal benefits of CBD, THC, and even full-spectrum oil, which includes both. Today you can buy CBD-infused products from companies such as Sephora or Burts Bees. Many of these products contain CBD, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, an attribute long sought after in the skincare industry. You can also find different CBD-infused salves which are used to reduce pain for afflictions such as joint pain or muscle aches.
Whether you just remembered you had an exam or you are trying to plan out your high for other reasons, it is helpful to know how long THC & CBD effects last and how long they stay in your system. While you may think that those two things are the same, it is far from the truth.
The duration of your high depends on the dozens of factors, including the form factor by which cannabis enters the system. For simplicity, we will focus on edibles and cannabis beverages as form factors for this discussion. To start, there will be about a 30-minute delay to any of the effects due to it being absorbed into the bloodstream through the stomach and intestines. This is the standard “onset time”. Once the THC high hits, you can expect the THC effects to last around 2-10 hours. The time depends on things like your metabolism, the amount of THC taken, and your tolerance level. Once the THC effects are gone, it can still be found in your system. THC can be found in your hair for 90 days, urine for 30 days, saliva for 48 hours, and blood for 36 hours. This being said, the effects will be long gone even a day after.
When taking CBD, like THC, the ingestion method determines how quickly you will feel its effects. Inhalation will take about 3 minutes, whereas oral consumption will take around 30 minutes. Once you feel the effects of CBD, it will last approximately 1-3 hours. How long CBD lasts in your system depends on many factors, such as metabolism, frequency of use, and dosage. Generally, it is found in the system for anywhere between 24 hours and a couple of weeks. The nice thing, though is that you don’t have to worry about it coming up during a test as CBD oils are only allowed to have up to .3% THC. To have a positive test, you would have to take a huge amount – along the lines of 1000mg+ a day. Still, worried? Just be sure to buy CBD distillate which is pure CBD and has no THC in it.
