A Beginner’s Guide to Cannabis Lingo
Even if the only cannabis connection you have is movies, you probably know what bongos, knuckles, and bowls are. But getting into a hospital or health center for the first time also means facing a whole new language.
We spoke with cannabis educators Emma Chasen and Kristen Williams to help us understand herbal alphabet soup. Chasen is the director of education for the Portland, Oregon, educational resource center of the Sativa Science Club , and Williams is the founder / CEO of the prohibitive state-focused health and wellness organization Hempsley in Columbia, Missouri. Read definitions (and comments) of the 20 most common words and phrases from CBD to THC.
Cannabinoid
The main class of secondary compounds found in cannabis that determine the overall impression. “I like to use the car analogy, where cannabinoids are like an engine,” Chasen says. “They create experiences, both psychoactive and curative, so they are primarily responsible for the intoxicating, kind of cerebral high we all know and love from cannabis.”
But that’s not all. They are also responsible for many of the medicinal properties of cannabis – spasmodic, anticonvulsant, antiproliferative, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, pain relieving, and more. Williams adds that while THC and CBD are the two main cannabinoids, there are over 100 in cannabis.
Cannabis / Hemp / Marijuana
“Cannabis is an all-encompassing plant,” Williams says, “and hemp and marijuana are two words we used to distinguish the cannabinoid profile of one cannabis plant from another.” Hemp, Chasen adds, is a legal cannabis species that has measurable CBD concentration (and less than 0.3 percent THC, according to Williams), but is also primarily bred for fiber and protein, not secondary compounds.
Chasen notes that cannabis has taken a different propagation path than the narcotic cannabis strain (also known as marijuana – although the word is out of fashion in light of its racist history ). “The narcotic cannabis strain, or as people say, marijuana, is a THC-predominant weed with a high THC level.”
Hemp is available nationwide, but Chasen adds that it’s important to make sure your hemp-derived products are tested for pesticides and potency “so you don’t just get snake oil.” The best way to do this is to contact the company directly and ask if they are testing their products. Chasen says that if they do, they are usually very happy to reveal the results of these tests. If you are unable to contact the company directly, research the company, its methods and products on other sites and read customer reviews.
CBD
It stands for cannabidiol, the second most important compound found in cannabis after THC. It is a cannabinoid that binds to our endocannabinoid receptors and triggers many signaling pathways. Chasen says, “It also affects many other receptors in our body, so it has the ability to interact or alter the confirmation of our opioid receptors, our serotonin receptors, our TRPV1 receptors, which are responsible for feeling and feeling pain – and other senses in the natural world. “
This is why CBD is believed to have a variety of medicinal properties and is associated with physiological properties such as anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, anti-depressant, analgesic, anti-spasmodic, immunomodulatory and immunostimulating, anti-inflammatory. convulsive and antiproliferative.
Chemotype
It is the actual chemical compound that is found inside any organism, or in this case, inside cannabis. “These chemicals will ultimately influence and guide the overall consumer experience,” Chasen says.
While much of the industry has relied on terms such as indica and sativa to define experience, chemotype and secondary compounds most commonly found in the cannabis chemotype, cannabinoids and terpenes are appearing in an increasing number of dispensaries.
Chasen says that while most dispensaries still label their cannabis flowers as indica / sativa / hybrid, many dispensaries also show THC / CBD concentrations as a percentage. These concentrations are examples of a product’s chemotype and will give you an idea of the type of experience it is causing. In addition, some dispensaries include the total percentage of terpenes on their product labels, and if so, you can ask staff to explain what effect these terpenes might have on the overall experience.
Indica / Sativa
Indica and sativa are scientific terms that define different types of cannabis plant. Chasen describes the indica as a plant that grows short, bushy to the ground, with a very dense floral structure and broad-leaved leaves. Alternatively, she says, sativa is a plant that grows tall, thin, with a loose floral structure and narrow leaves.
While indica and sativa are probably the two most common words used to explain the type of high a consumer will feel, Chasen says that between the fact that all cannabis varieties currently on the market are genetically hybrids, and that “we cannot really use genetics to help us determine the effect or experience that a particular strain will have,” it is really important to start understanding and referring to the chemotypes discussed above.
Swallowing
Unsurprisingly, ingestion is the primary method of using cannabis, which includes whatever you ingest, what your body digests and metabolizes, such as foods, tinctures, or teas.
“The tinctures are interesting because they can be used as a mucous membrane or edible,” Williams says. “If you put them under your tongue, they will be absorbed faster, but then of course you will swallow them, so you will still digest them and have some of these longer lasting effects.” Add the tincture to drinks or food and it becomes edible.
When it comes to food, Williams cautions to remember what and how much you ate around the time you intend to eat. “Cannabinoids bind to fat, so if you ate fatty foods, THC and CBD will be able to bind to them and be better digested and better accepted by your body,” she says. “Eating on an empty stomach can scare your body a little. He does not know what to do with it, because there is no fatty food in it, which he could also bind. “
Inhalation
Inhalation is another main method of consuming cannabis through smoking or vaporization. “Smoking involves cannabis igniting, and whenever you do, there is a fire, and only about 12 percent of what you inhale is really beneficial because you are destroying a lot of cannabinoids and other beneficial compounds that are in the plant in this moment, ”says Williams.
On the other hand, she explains, vaporization involves heating the cannabis to release its beneficial compounds without causing this harmful burning. “You get all of these benefits, but you don’t have excess material that gets burned into your lungs, so this is considered a healthier way to use the inhalation method.”
Intoxicating / Non-intoxicating
THC is intoxicating, which means “cerebral high,” says Chasen. CBD is not intoxicating. While product labels usually do not indicate intoxicating or non-intoxicating, if you know the THC / CBS concentration percentages, you will have a good idea of how intoxicating the experience can be.
For example, a product with 70 percent CBD and 30 percent THC may not be as intoxicating as a product with 70 percent THC and 30 percent CBD. When shopping, Chasen recommends always talking to your buddy if you have any questions.
Mucous membrane
The term “mucous membrane” encompasses any product that is absorbed through the mucous membrane. Tinctures, baths, and suppositories are all common mucosal delivery methods. “They act faster than they swallow,” Williams says. “Because it is absorbed through the mucous membrane, it can enter the bloodstream faster than [if it were] digested and processed by your digestive system and metabolized.”
Foods that are digested this way should take 15-30 minutes to take effect, compared to the 1-2 hours you would expect from a regular edible.
Psychoactive / non-psychoactive
The dictionary definition of psychoactive is that which affects the mind. Although CBD is often referred to as “non-psychoactive,” both it and THC are psychoactive, Chasen says, because they bind to receptors in the brain and affect the mind. Usually, when people refer to CBD as non-psychoactive, they are actually referring to the absence of intoxication, because it does not cause the type of cerebral intoxication that THC does.
Sublingual
Another way to talk about sublingual delivery.
Terpene
These are aromatic compounds found in all plants. Terpenes, Williams says, give plants their smell and taste, and when it comes to cannabis, dictate what type of high you’re going to get.
“If… cannabinoids act like a car engine, terpenes are like a steering wheel. They really influence the direction of the mood, ”explains Chasen. The bottom line is that it is the terpenes that determine whether you feel relaxed or calm, alert or agitated, or somewhere in between.
THC
It is the main cannabinoid found in cannabis. As Chasen explains, it is the most common cannibinoid because over the past century people have been bred specifically for high THC levels due to its cerebral psychoactive experience.
However, she adds, it is also associated with many physiological properties, including pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. For some, it helps reduce anxiety or acts as an antidepressant, she said. (Of course, if you are considering replacing traditional medicines with any cannabis-based products, be sure to check with your doctor and mental health professional.)
It’s worth noting that an overdose of THC can definitely cause severe anxiety, paranoia, increased heart rate, bloodshot eyes, dry mouth, and “all those things that come with a not-so-funny cannabis experience.” If you do end up in this unfortunate place, Dr. Margaret Gedde, a physician who provides marijuana treatment services through the Colorado Springs Vibrant Health Clinic , suggests drinking and waiting water, or taking CBD to counteract THC.
Topical
This term covers whatever you put on the surface of your skin. Think about lotions, balms, and sprays. “Since topical drugs usually do not cause toxicity, even if they contain THC […], you do not need to consider the ratio of THC to CBD in case of toxicity,” says Williams, only because of their various therapeutic properties, such as headache or relief muscle pain. The only exception to this rule is topical transdermal products, which are designed to deliver a specific dose through the skin and can cause highs.
Transdermal
Anything that is meant to pass through the skin into the circulatory system. Williams says there are transdermal patches and gels for use on the wrists or venous areas of the body. Unlike other topical topical products, topical transdermal products offer more precise dosing and longer periods of pain relief (all day or overnight versus 4-6 hours).