CBD vs THC – All the things You need to understand Related to Medicinal Cannabis.
CBD and THC are two of typically the most popular chemical compounds within marijuana (Cannabis sativa) plant. Recent studies demonstrate the potential of those cannabinoids to be found in medical treatments. However, they could still cause some negative side effects especially when not taken properly.
As an employer, it's best to understand how CBD and THC can affect your workers'health and performance. Understanding the impacts of medicinal cannabis on your own employees might help protect your company from potential workplace accidents.
What is CBD?
A bottle of CBD oil
Cannabidiol (CBD) is just a non-intoxicating component of the cannabis plant, also known as marijuana. It's the next most prevalent of the active ingredients next to THC benefits of cbd. However, unlike THC, CBD doesn't produce any psychoactive effects. It doesn't alter the user's mind, emotions or behaviour. What this means is you won't get high from taking CBD as you would from using THC.
How CBD affects the mind
Both CBD and THC affect the human brain however in different ways. Upon taking the substance, it will make its way to the part of the brain known as cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptors. It will likely then bind itself to the CB2. However, the action won't release any dopamine as would normally happen if it were THC. For this reason taking CBD doesn't trigger any feelings of high or euphoria in users.
CBD also can bind with cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors, but it won't be as strong as THC and CB1. To do this, you will need to pair CBD with THC to manage to bind properly with CB1 receptors. It will help minimise the psychoactive effects of THC such as for instance sedation or euphoria.
Medical uses
Scientists have been exploring the chance of CBD use for medicinal purposes for years. Many of them started off by studying medical impacts of medicinal marijuana. But as more data are gathered, the more it's become apparent that CBD is the one which has the potential. A number of the medical great things about CBD include:
CBD might help people handle the impacts of anxiety. In a study, researchers gave participants suffering from social anxiety with 600mg of CBD. It helped them manage their condition before they gave a speech. Meanwhile, earlier studies involving animals also showed promising results. CBD can help relieve anxiety by lowering stress levels and reducing its physiological effects such as for instance increased heart rate. It might also help improve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and induce sleep for insomniacs.
Another study revealed that CBD can also help manage pain and inflammation. Researchers applied the cannabinoid on skin of animals. It helped decrease the pain and inflammation because of arthritis. A separate study also looked into potential of CBD to inhibit inflammatory and neuropathic pain. They are two of the very most difficult types of chronic pain to take care of in patients.
CBD can also hold the important thing in treating people who have epilepsy. Research is ongoing to find out how much the cannabinoid might help lower how many seizures in epileptic patients. They're also trying to find out exactly how safe it's to use.
In a 2016 study, researchers gave oral doses of 2 to 5mg of CBD each day to 214 people who have epilepsy. They added the cannabinoid to the patients'already existing anti-epilepsy medications. The researchers then monitored the participants for 12 weeks, taking note of any negative side effects of the CBD doses. In addition they recorded how frequent the participants had any seizures.
At the conclusion of this system, the participants experienced 36.5% fewer seizures per month. However, 12% of the patients suffered severe adverse effects.
For cancer patients suffering from chronic nausea, CBD may manage to allow you to manage the condition. Nausea and vomiting are two of the very most common side effects of cancer treatment, particularly chemotherapy. In 2016, researchers looked into the effects of CBD on the serotonin receptors of animals. Serotonin is just a hormone that affects a person's well-being, mood, and behaviour. The results revealed that the cannabinoid can help alleviate the impression of nausea. However, the team believes that THC is prone to reduce nausea and vomiting than CBD.
Meanwhile, in a 2016 study, researchers examined how Sativex might help people suffering from chemotherapy-induced nausea. The drug contains both CBD and THC. Participants said Savitex had an even more significant impact on the condition than any similar medications.
What is THC?
A bottle of THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the chemical compound most responsible for the psychoactive effects of marijuana. It acts much like the naturally occurring cannabinoid chemicals in the body.
How THC affects the mind
THC binds with the CB1 receptors in the brain. This causes users to feel a higher or euphoria after taking the cannabinoid. It can affect the user's memory, pleasure, movements and thinking. Additionally it may alter their concentration, coordination, sensory and time perception.
Medical uses
People use THC mostly as part of medicinal marijuana. However, drug manufacturers developed synthetic forms of cannabinoid to serve as medicines. These generally include Marinol (dronabinol), Cesamet (nabilone) and Savitex. The US FDA has approved the usage of dronabinol and nabilone to take care of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
Some doctors prescribe THC to take care of people suffering from glaucoma, low appetite, chronic pain and muscle spasticity. In addition they supply the cannabinoid to patients with anxiety and insomnia.
How CBD or THC use can impact workplaces
Researchers continue steadily to investigate the impacts of medicinal cannabis on people's capability to work safely. Some evidence claim that taking CBD alone and with no other sedatives doesn't produce any impairing effects. However, utilizing the cannabinoid along with THC or some other sedative can increase the danger for adverse effects.
Impairment
CBD and THC can impact driving ability
Using medications with CBD and THC can lead to driving impairment
One of many major issues involving medicinal cannabis use is impairment. Marijuana significantly impairs a user's judgment, motor coordination and reaction time, based on the US National Institute on Drug Abuse. Several studies have even suggested an immediate relationship between blood THC concentration and impaired driving ability.
In reality, marijuana is the illicit drug most often within the system of drivers in vehicular accidents, including fatal ones. Drivers with THC within their blood were roughly two times as apt to be associated with a deadly crash. That's in comparison to people who had not used drugs or alcohol ahead of driving a vehicle. The data comes from two studies conducted in Europe.
However, it's not yet determined just how big a role marijuana plays in road accidents. The drug can be detected in body fluids for days or even weeks after intoxication. Marijuana users also have a tendency to take the drug along with alcohol. People associated with crashes with THC within their blood were three to seven times prone to cause the accident. It becomes much more problematic for individuals with high levels of THC within their system. The chance for vehicular crashes seems to increase when marijuana can be used along with alcohol.
Pure CBD oils aren't detectable through drug screening. However, you have to be careful in choosing the merchandise you use. Many dubious CBD oils contain trace levels of THC. Some sellers also spread cannabis extracts in coconut oil as genuine CBD oils to mislead customers.
Meanwhile, THC has the exact same detection window as smoked cannabis. The cannabinoid is detectable via urine testing for up to 72 hours. However, this doesn't carry much weight because it doesn't necessarily correlate with impairment.
To detect impairment, it's best to use oral fluid testing. Saliva analysis can detect THC between 8 to 24 hours, depending on the dose. If a person tests negative, then they are assumed to be unaffected by impairment.
Take a look at our video below to comprehend more about CBD and THC. Inside it, SW Labs Chief Toxicologist Dr. Phil Tynan explains the differences between both cannabinoids and how they could impact workplaces.