What are Cannabinoids?

 

Do you ever wonder why you get high from smoking weed? It is due to cannabinoids, various chemical compounds found in cannabis which work with the human endocannabinoid system. Many cannabinoids are present in marijuana, and each has a slightly different effect than others. Their cumulative effects can produce the weed-associated psychoactive effects.

 

How Many Cannabinoids Are There?

Natural weeds contain more than 120 different cannabinoids. More generally, most people find THC to be the most important feature of any cannabis product. It is only in the last decade that the benefits of cannabinoids from marijuana have been explored beyond THC. When these various cannabinoids act together, they create what is known as the "entourage effect." This effect is expressed in the human body when all these cannabinoid compounds interact with each other in combination with the endocannabinoid system , producing different health benefits and/or the particularly fun psychoactive reaction known when "getting high."

 

What Are The Different Cannabinoids?

As noted above, more than 120 different cannabinoids occur in the natural cannabis flora. Many of these cannabinoids can be found in hemp, too. In hemp however, you do not find any of the psychoactive drugs present in marijuana. A short list of some of the key cannabinoids and their potential medicinal properties is given here:

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What Are The Main Cannabinoids?

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – psychoactive, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, sleep aid, analgesic, appetite                                                                stimulant
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) – anti-epilectic, analgesic
Cannabidiol (CBD) – anti-bacterial, relieves anxiety, sleep aid, appetite suppressant
Cannabidiolic Acid (CBDA) – anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer
Cannabinol (CBN) – analgesic, anti-diabetic, sleep aid
Cannabigerol (CBG) - anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory
Cannabichromene (CBC) – analgesic, anti-proliferative
Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) – appetite stimulant, anti-epileptic

 

 

When Was Marijuana Discovered? 

If one were to investigate when marijuana was first discovered, cannabis would have been used for thousands of years for its medicinal benefits and practical uses. The response to how marijuana was first found may be from ancient China, more than 2500 years ago. The Science Magazine cites recent archeological findings which were found to be used in ritual settings when weed was found.
It traveled along trade routes, known as the Silk Road from the East to Africa and Western Asia, when weed was found to be a valuable crop.