I Tested a High-THC and a High-CBD strain

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are both naturally occurring compounds in the cannabis plant, two of roughly 113 cannabinoids which have been identified thus far. The simple take is that CBD is non-psychoactive, whereas THC most definitely is, which leads people to see THC as the problem child of the group. This, however, is not true. Both THC and CBD offer extreme benefits and warrant serious investigation.

Enter me.

In the debate around the medical values of THC and CBD, it’s not about choosing one over the other. It’s about understanding how they both work.

Current guidelines for the main disparities between a medical THC strain and a medical CBD strain are tried and true – and are usually dead on.

They go like this:

1) THC plays the heavyweight champ of highness and symptomatic pain relief

Tetrahydrocannabinol makes the body feel euphoric, drowsy, and hungry. It is a one-punch knockout for many serious medical conditions such as pain disorders, nausea, sleep disorders, and stress disorders.

THC is extremely useful in fighting the symptoms of spinal injuries, AIDS treatment, chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis, and glaucoma.

THC is an amazing remedy for stomach issues and overall physical disconnection. It stimulates appetite, it can relax the muscles and connective tissues of the body, and it is extremely analgesic, i.e. working against pain and inflammation.

THC can act as a sleep aid – something CBD cannot do – and it possesses a unique psychoactive effect, which increases sensory sensitivity and boosts socialization. THC can slow one’s experience of time, which can be beneficial for anxiety patients

2) CBD, on the other hand, plays the wiser warlock character with less physical push and more magic dust. Think of Gandalf or Merlin.

CBD can do most of the things that THC can – treat pain, inflammation, and nausea – but it has some serious add-ons. CBD can help with many serious mental conditions, such as depression, high-grade anxiety, and neurodegenerative disorders.

CBD handles neuro-connective pathways in silence, acting as a neuroprotective agent that fights epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and who knows what else. Literally.

Many patients choose CBD for its broad swath of availability and lowered psychoactive effects. Pure CBD products claim – arguably so – to offer no psychoactive component.

CBD actually works to curtail the psychoactive effect of THC in the body. More on that later.

Legal CBD products, like oils and salves, derive from industrial hemp plants that do not produce flower and must have a THC content of under 0.3-.8%, per state law. This is how CBD products may be legal in states where cannabis is still outlawed.

I tested a high THC strain and a high CBD strain, for science. Here’s what I found.

Drum roll please…

Here’s what I found:

High THC: Cherry Truck Driver – estimated THC @ 24-28%+

This strain was extremely relaxing and very psychoactive. I was mentally and physically at ease, almost uncontrollably so, but the extreme potency of its effects was not lost on me.

Very physically potent, this strain left me feeling hazy afterward.

This was a diesel-pumping joyride, one that I would have liked to get off of sooner. Still medicinal, still appreciated. It just felt like more of a recreational drug than a mellow herb due to the psychoactive component. If I am ever looking for physical relaxation, this is the one. THC is a strong medicine and a necessary one.

I smoked with a friend, and he said it was one of the most relaxing and euphoric cannabis experiences of his life.

Great job to the growers. Here, here!

High CBD: 1:1 CBD:THC Moby Dick – estimated CBD & THC @ 8-10% ea.

I loved all of it. The effects were both satisfying and dense without being overwhelming, physically or mentally. This was a more stable experience in my book, and less physically overwhelming while still being unavoidably medicinal.

Light and easy, yet still penetrative, I would use this high-CBD strain more as a regular staple in my diet

Mind you, this was a 1:1 ratio strain. Full on CBD strains have a more minimal THC content, and CBD actually functions to curtail some of the psychoactive principles of THC in the body. That could account for the overall balance and ease that I felt while smoking it.

I did have to smoke a slightly larger portion of this stuff to get high since it was much lower in THC content, but it was quality flower, and I enjoyed every minute of this surprisingly long-lasting experience without suffering much physical recoil. Can’t wait to smoke it again.

10/10 Would recommend a friend. A high-CBD strain is not everyone’s jam, but its worth the jelly. You know what I’m sayin’?

You know what I’m sayin’.

@TreesbyBP where you at? If you’re sellin’, I’m buyin’.

Overall, THC and CBD are strong medications.

THC is the champion of physical acuity and mental ease, but it can become overwhelming to an inexperienced user. Patients in need of its anti-nausea, sleep-promoting, pain-reducing magic know that THC is the ticket to holistic recovery of the body. CBD is a wholesome, low-impact healer that is effective for too many reasons to count. It’s neurological effectiveness and jack-of-all-trades ability makes it undeniably relevant to a wide variety of users. Both function best in some form of combination and no one substance is better than another.