So, what exactly is a cannabinoid?

Hi Friends, 

We hope you are enjoying our cannabis learning series so far. We have now covered Indica vs Sativa, what makes up a cannabis strain and took a deep dive into terpenes. Today, we are ready to answer all your questions about cannabinoids.  

So, what exactly is a cannabinoid ? 

Cannabinoids are the chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant. 

Did you know that cannabinoids in the cannabis plant are actually called phytocannabinoids?

"Phyto" means "derived from a plant." Although for simplicity, most people refer to phytocannabinoids as cannabinoids.The first discovery of an individual  phytocannabinoid was made by British chemist Robert S. Cahn who discovered cannabinol (CBN). 

Are THC and CBD cannabinoids ?  

Yes, both THC and CBD are cannabinoids. Researchers have now found over 100 cannabinoids, like Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), Cannabinolic acid (CBNA), Cannabichromene (CBC) and Cannabigerol (CBG) in the cannabis plant 🤯. The most talked about and studied cannabinoid, thus far is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) which was first discovered in 1964. It's the component of the cannabis plant that is responsible for the intoxicating effects (or high). Cannabidiol (CBD) is the second most studied cannabinoid known for its non-intoxicating effects. There is so much more to learn!  

Potency & ratios 

What is critical to understand is that the ratio of CBD and THC influences the effects. In general, it is believed that the larger the proportion of THC to CBD, the stronger the high. For example, a product that contains 20% THC and 5% CBD may deliver more potent sensations of psychoactivity than a product with 15% THC and 15% CBD. This is what budtenders mean when they say this is a “balanced” strain. 

Reading cannabis labels 

The next time you go to purchase cannabis take a closer look at the label to understand the cannabinoid content and the ratio for the strain you are looking at. The cannabinoid content and its ratios are important to understand for each strain but to get the full Stori about the strain you are choosing you should also understand its terpene profile. 

Missed the previous posts in our learning series?

Catch up using the links below: 

1. Its not just Indica vs. Sativa
2. So, what exactly is a cannabis strain?
3. So, what exactly are terpenes?