Description and composition of cannabis

Cannabis is a psychoactive substance derived from the plant of the same name. Below are a few of the forms in which it is sold:

• Dried plant material: marijuana (a.k.a. pot, buds, ganja, weed, grass)
• Solid concentrates: hashish (or hash), resin, dabs (a.k.a. wax, shatter)
• Liquid concentrates: resin oil, vaping cartridges, oral cannabis oil

Cannabis can also be added to certain foods, such as brownies, cookies, and chocolate.

Another type of product is synthetic cannabinoids. These are manmade chemicals that mimic the effects of cannabis. They go by various names, such as Spice and K2, and have different effects from delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC).

Cannabis may be a plant-based product, but that does not mean it is harmless. Using it can cause a number of health risks. Cannabis is composed of over 500 different substances. We will focus on two:

• Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
• Cannabidiol (CBD)

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main active ingredient in cannabis. It works by disrupting the nervous system of the person taking it. The THC present in cannabis isn’t psychoactive in its natural state; it has to be heated to be activated.

The more THC there is in a product, the stronger its effects. Over the past few decades, the average THC potency in cannabis flower has steadily increased.

Increasing THC concentrations mainly stem from:

• Better selection of cannabis plants and strains
• New cultivation methods
• Crossbreeding

The final potency of THC varies between the different forms of cannabis:

• Dried cannabis flower: 5% to 25%
• Hash (concentrated): up to 35%
• Hash oil: up to 60%
• Other solid concentrates (e.g., wax, shatter): up to 90%

Cannabidiol (CBD) is another substance found in cannabis. It seems to lack the disruptive properties of THC, but researchers have recently taken a particular interest in CBD for its therapeutic potential.

In contrast to THC, the average CBD potency in cannabis has steadily declined since the early 2000s, creating an imbalance between the two compounds.

It’s possible to buy products containing only CBD. CBD is usually consumed in the form of dried cannabis flower or infused oil.