Is the best THC also the best option?
Over the past few years, medical and recreational marijuana have been legalized in many countries across the world. As a result, intensive research and experimentation has gone into this field, producing hundreds of different strains and species of cannabis. However, since this is a relatively new field of knowledge, it is also very niche. This article will try to outline terms and ideas, like the different cannabis plants, best THC and CBD percentages, cannabinoids, etc., in this field, while explaining the facts around marijuana production today.
THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol (shortened to THC) is – for most recreational users – the main ingredient of a marijuana plant. It is the chemical compound responsible for getting the user high. THC activates pleasure hormones (mainly dopamine) in the brain, thus creating euphoria and …show more content…
Researchers have found that THC quantities of marijuana have increased exponentially in the past 30 years, showing averages of 20-25%. Tests done in the 1960s and 70s in North America showed THC levels of less than 5%, leading many to point to legalization of the drug as a cause. The increased THC levels are most likely a result of developers crossbreeding between different cannabis varieties to produce strains favored by recreational consumers. They in turn use these and develop high tolerance – which increases the demand for more potent strains, and so it goes.
Potential consequences
Some studies have shown that the increasing demand for cannabis that fits a rough profile – high THC, stimulating, inducing motivation – may lead to a large but only slightly varied set of options for the consumer. Moreover, the gradual reduction of CBD in marijuana is not the only potential problem: high THC also means lower quantities of terpenes, and thus potential health risks of THC-induced anxiety. Thus, it seems that the best THC levels are not necessarily the healthiest choice in this
Over the past few years, medical and recreational marijuana have been legalized in many countries across the world. As a result, intensive research and experimentation has gone into this field, producing hundreds of different strains and species of cannabis. However, since this is a relatively new field of knowledge, it is also very niche. This article will try to outline terms and ideas, like the different cannabis plants, best THC and CBD percentages, cannabinoids, etc., in this field, while explaining the facts around marijuana production today.
THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol (shortened to THC) is – for most recreational users – the main ingredient of a marijuana plant. It is the chemical compound responsible for getting the user high. THC activates pleasure hormones (mainly dopamine) in the brain, thus creating euphoria and …show more content…
Researchers have found that THC quantities of marijuana have increased exponentially in the past 30 years, showing averages of 20-25%. Tests done in the 1960s and 70s in North America showed THC levels of less than 5%, leading many to point to legalization of the drug as a cause. The increased THC levels are most likely a result of developers crossbreeding between different cannabis varieties to produce strains favored by recreational consumers. They in turn use these and develop high tolerance – which increases the demand for more potent strains, and so it goes.
Potential consequences
Some studies have shown that the increasing demand for cannabis that fits a rough profile – high THC, stimulating, inducing motivation – may lead to a large but only slightly varied set of options for the consumer. Moreover, the gradual reduction of CBD in marijuana is not the only potential problem: high THC also means lower quantities of terpenes, and thus potential health risks of THC-induced anxiety. Thus, it seems that the best THC levels are not necessarily the healthiest choice in this