fresh buds | the beginner's guide to the endocannabinoid system
Such was the case this morning when I happened upon an op-ed piece in the Review-Journal, claiming the publication's stance against legalizing weed (if you weren't aware, Nevada will be voting on it this fall--Yes on Question 2 to legalize!) I was annoyed and frustrated for a lot of reasons, but none more than this specific passage:
"Legalizing weed would jeopardize the health of countless Nevadans, expose more people to drug abuse and addiction, put excessive stress on the state’s health-care facilities and do little to relieve the state’s bloated prison population.
The pro-pot lobby hails marijuana as relatively harmless. But that’s misleading, at best.
Marijuana contains nearly 500 dangerous chemicals when inhaled or ingested, including about five times more tars and other cancer-causing agents than tobacco smoke. Cancer, respiratory diseases, mental illness, birth defects, reproductive problems and irreversible brain damage are all linked to marijuana use."
Anyone who benefits from medical marijuana knows this is BS. I can think of a dozen people off the top of my head--many even sicker than me!--who have received a renewed lease on life after starting cannabis. To argue that it has no medicinal benefits and will actually cause cancer is, well, ridiculous.
I'd been planning to write this post for this week's segment for a while, but this article really lit a fire under my ass. There's a lot of misinformation and fear mongering when it comes to cannabis as medicine, and I figure as someone new to cannabis, my Fresh Buddies probably have a few questions, too!
I should preface this post by saying I am not a doctor or a scientist--quite the opposite! (I went to school for communication and journalism and I failed high school chem twice.) However, I have done a fair amount of research on this topic and feel comfortable relying on my sources. I'll link when appropriate!
{ terp wheel with some strain recs courtesy of Leafly }
{ dispensary bud always includes a terpene profile! }
"Endocannabinoid" has been a bit of a buzzword in the stoner community for a while now, and it's a hot topic among many activists. But what is this system, exactly? What are all these acronyms? And perhaps most importantly: why does weed help?
We still have a lot of questions about this system--it's this Kween's hope that we will research it more as legalization becomes widespread--but here's what we do know!
What is the endocannabinoid system?
In biology, our body and its functions are broken down into various "systems" to describe what they do. You may have heard of the endocrine system or the nervous system.
The endocannabinoid system is the newest to have been discovered (credit goes to Dr. Ralph Mechoulam, who coined the term in the mid-90s). The endocannabinoid system is present in all humans and many animals (yep, your dog has an endocannabinoid system too!) The system as we know it is a set of receptors--cannabinoids 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2)--that are designed to receive cannabinoids.
{ yep, even Frankie can benefit from cannabis! }
So what's a cannabinoid?
Cannabinoids are complex chemical compounds that are processed by the endocannabinoid system. They're what gives pot its medicinal and recreational values--without cannabinoids, we might as well be smoking tulips!
THC is the most well-known cannabinoid--you might recognize it as being (mistakenly) synonymous with cannabis, or from drug tests in the past ("she popped for THC"). It's the one that gives you that "high" feeling. CB1 is the receptor for THC, located throughout the brain, and allows its distribution to help manage pain and anxiety, and fight insomnia. Interestingly, the positioning of the CB1 receptors is the reason why it is impossible to consume a lethal overdose of cannabis.
THC is the most well-known cannabinoid--you might recognize it as being (mistakenly) synonymous with cannabis, or from drug tests in the past ("she popped for THC"). It's the one that gives you that "high" feeling. CB1 is the receptor for THC, located throughout the brain, and allows its distribution to help manage pain and anxiety, and fight insomnia. Interestingly, the positioning of the CB1 receptors is the reason why it is impossible to consume a lethal overdose of cannabis.
CB2 receptors receive CBD. CBD is another buzzword in the community, due to its newfound (and still relatively mysterious) healing properties. CBD doesn't provide the same psychoactive effects of THC, but don't be mistaken: it's hard at work in your immune system as an antioxidant, blood pressure regulator and it even helps kill cancerous cells!
CBD and THC work together--without the THC to work as a "carrier agent," CBD cannot properly process through the body and do its full job. That's why you see trace amounts of THC in CBD high strains, and that's also why many activists and scientists are leery of CBD from hemp (which is typically almost completely free of THC). Both THC and CBD are present in every cannabis plant, although genetics and growing methods determine its unique profile.
So what other cannabinoids are out there, and what do they do?
There are currently over 70 known cannabinoids that work with our endocannabinoid system
Unfortunately, since cannabis is still illegal on a federal level, we don't know much about the rest of the cannabinoids out there. We know that cannabinoids like CBN and CBG exist and we have an idea of how they work in the body, but until we're able to study this plant's effects on a biological level--without fear of persecution--we have a lot of questions!
So what about terpenes?
Terpenes, or terps as they may be called in a more informal setting, are just as important as THC and CBD to your smoking experience. Two strains can have an identical THC level, but what determines the experience you have--both in terms of flavour/smell and effect--is your terpene mix.
Some terps you might recognize from your own meds include:
• limonene, which is responsible for the citrusy taste in your bud.
• linalool, which has a floral scent.
• myrcene, which has an earthy smell and taste.
• terpineol, which is piney.
There are over 100 recognized terps, although like cannabinoids, this is an area seriously lacking in research while this plant is still criminal. We do know, however, that certain terps can help relieve certain ailments--for example, linalool is known for its effects as an anti depressant.
If you're new to smoking, you'll know a bud is good if someone describe it as "terpy." That means it's going to have a strong taste and smell, it's probably covered in those pretty little crystals you can collect from your grinder as kief, and it will make you feel great!
As you can see, there's a lot left to be learned about terpenes and the endocannabinoid system, but from what we know so far, we can definitely back up our argument of cannabis as medicine. I'm looking forward to learning more about this plant and continuing to enjoy its numerous health benefits.
Join me next week as we talk about concentrates and dabbing, here on Fresh Buds. Stay high!
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Additional Reading
Mary Jane's Diary - for more information on terpine profiles
NORML - another introduction to the endocannabinoid system
Leafly - Cannabinoids 101
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Additional Reading
Mary Jane's Diary - for more information on terpine profiles
NORML - another introduction to the endocannabinoid system
Leafly - Cannabinoids 101
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