Cannabis has garnered considerable popularity, thanks to its powerful medicinal properties. If you haven’t incorporated cannabis into your health and wellness routine, then you’re missing out on its research-backed health and dietary benefits.
In this article, we include some of the fascinating facts about cannabis that you need to know.
Cannabis and Marijuana are Not the Same
The terms “cannabis” and “marijuana” have always been used interchangeably. However, they do not denote the same thing.
Cannabis is actually a plant genus that comprises different species, also known as strains. The most common cannabis strains include Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica.
Cannabis Sativa Afgoo strain is the species that produces marijuana and is characterized by its significant levels of the psychoactive compound, tetrahydrocannabinol. On the other hand, Cannabis Indica strains produce a variant of the plant known as hemp, which is where cannabidiol (CBD) is mostly extracted.
Besides the variation in chemical composition, cannabis strains differ in their ease of cultivation, maturation period, and average yield.
Cannabis Contains More Than 400 Compounds
Cannabis contains more than 480 compounds. Out of these, of particular interest includes a special group known as cannabinoids, in which CBD and THC belong.
The fundamental differences between CBD and THC are how the two cannabinoids interact with the user’s mind. THC contains both psychoactive and intoxicating effects, whereas CBD does not. That explains why CBD products like CBD gel capsules are mostly used for medicinal purposes while THC is popular among recreational cannabis users.
In addition to CBD and THC, other popular cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant include;
- CBC (cannabichromene)
- CBCV (cannabichromevarin)
- CBDA (cannabidiolic acid)
- CBDV (cannabidivarin)
- CBE (cannabielsoin)
- CBG (cannabigerol)
- CBGM (cannabigerol monomethyl ether)
- CBGV (cannabigerovarin)
- CBL (cannabicyclol)
- CBN (cannabinol)
- CBT (cannabicitran)
- CBV (cannabivarin)
- THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid)
- THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin)
Besides cannabinoids, terpenes are another crucial component of cannabis compounds. Terpenes play a significant role in varying the effects of different cannabis strains.
The following are some of the popular terpenes found in the cannabis plant.
- Alpha-bisabolol
- Alpha-pinene and Beta-pinene
- Borneol
- Camphene
- Caryophyllene
- Delta 3 Carene
- Eucalyptol
- Geraniol
- Humulene
- Limonene
- Linalool
- Myrcene
- Terpineol
- Trans-nerolidol
- Valencene
Cannabis Can Treat Numerous Medical Conditions
As we already pointed out, cannabis can be used to treat, prevent, or manage a wide spectrum of conditions.
Essentially, you can use cannabis for;
- Diseases whose primary symptom is pain, such as arthritis and headache.
- Inflammatory conditions, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome, cancer, and acne.
- Anxiety disorders, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress.
- Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and Panic Disorder
- Neurological conditions like epileptic seizures and Multiple Sclerosis
- Mental disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and schizophrenia
Cannabis remains one of the most popularized herbs, and deservedly so. Extracts from the plant are hailed for their immense medicinal properties. The best part is that cannabis doesn’t come with significant side effects.
