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One of the most difficult parts of cannabis treatment is the potential for side effects caused by THC, the compound in cannabis that is also to thank for much of its therapeutic potential. THC can lead to dizziness, nausea, anxiety, and cognitive difficulties like temporary short-term memory loss.
These side effects can be particularly troublesome for those who need to take cannabis medications during the day for relief. Cannabis can make it difficult to go to work, complete chores, take care of kids, or leave the house.
Fortunately, there is some evidence that CBD, another compound found naturally in the cannabis plant, can dampen the undesirable side effects of THC.
Both THC and CBD are cannabinoids, a certain class of compounds found in the Cannabis sativa plant. Medical marijuana products are usually high in THC and low in CBD while hemp-derived products are high in CBD and low in THC.
CBD and THC have both demonstrated promise in helping with a variety of conditions, but how they interact with our bodies and the effects that they have are different. One of the biggest differences is that THC is psychoactive, leading to changes in our cognition and mood, while CBD does not present these same effects.
Thanks to how CBD interacts with the body, it may help alleviate the undesirable side effects that can come from THC.
Dr. Jamie Corroon is the founder and Medical Director of the Center for Medical Cannabis Education. He is a leading cannabis researcher and licensed Naturopathic Doctor who helps his patients use cannabis as medicine. In an educational video, he shared how he uses a high CBD: THC ratio to help his patients who are concerned about the THC-induced “high.”
According to Dr. Corroon, “CBD has the ability to mitigate some of the effects of THC. There are some studies that bear this out and there are anecdotes of people that say that THC made them feel dizzy or made them experience short-term memory loss or feel uncomfortable, and then, when they added a certain dose of CBD subsequent to that, those symptoms were reduced.”
In one such study, CBD was found to reduce the paranoia and anxiety caused by THC in healthy volunteers. Another study even found that CBD with THC was more effective than THC alone in treating cancer pain, suggesting that this reduction of side effects doesn’t necessarily mean a reduction in efficacy. Taken together, these studies show that adding CBD may help some people find side effect relief and possibly even enhance medical cannabis efficacy.
So, how much CBD should you try with your THC? Dr. Corroon states that he usually starts out with a 1:1 CBD to THC ratio and adjusts from there. He will even go up to 4:1 CBD to THC for patients who are particularly concerned about the side effects of THC.
Talk to your dispensary agent the next time you go to purchase cannabis if you would like to try using CBD with your medical marijuana. They can help you pick products rich in both CBD and THC or help you choose a CBD-only product that you can take when you feel like you could use some side effect relief.
If you are an Arkansan suffering from one of these 18 medical conditions you may be eligible to treat your ailment with medical marijuana, which includes both THC and CBD products.
Click here to learn more about what Arkansas Marijuana Card's state-certified medical marijuana doctors can do for you, or give us a call at (844-249-8714) and our friendly support team can walk you through the entire process, and set you up with an appointment.