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CBD and THC are two of the most used chemical compounds present in marijuana (Cannabis sativa) plant. Recent studies have shown the potential of those cannabinoids to be found in medical treatments. However, they could still cause some negative negative effects specially when not taken properly.

As an employer, it's best to understand how CBD and THC make a difference your workers'health and performance. cbd vs thc Understanding the impacts of medicinal cannabis on your own employees might help protect your company from potential workplace accidents.

What's CBD?

A container of CBD oil

Cannabidiol (CBD) is just a non-intoxicating part of the cannabis plant, also referred to as marijuana. It's the next most prevalent of the active ingredients close to THC. However, unlike THC, CBD doesn't produce any psychoactive effects. It doesn't alter the user's mind, emotions or behaviour. What this means is you won't get high from taking CBD as you'd from using THC.

How CBD affects mental performance

Both CBD and THC affect the human brain but in different ways. Upon taking the substance, it will make its way to the area of the brain referred to as cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptors. It will bind itself to the CB2. However, the action won't release any dopamine as would normally happen if it were THC. This is why taking CBD doesn't trigger any feelings of high or euphoria in users.

CBD may also bind with cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors, however it won't be as strong as THC and CB1. To get this done, you'll need to pair CBD with THC to have the ability to bind properly with CB1 receptors. This can help minimise the psychoactive ramifications of THC such as sedation or euphoria.

Medical uses

Scientists have been exploring the possibility of CBD use for medicinal purposes for years. Many started out by studying the health impacts of medicinal marijuana. But as more data are gathered, the more it's become apparent that CBD is one that gets the potential. Some of the medical advantages of CBD include:

CBD might help people handle the impacts of anxiety. In a study, researchers gave participants suffering from social anxiety with 600mg of CBD. It helped them manage their condition before they gave a speech. Meanwhile, earlier studies involving animals also showed promising results. CBD could help relieve anxiety by lowering stress levels and reducing its physiological effects such as increased heart rate. It may also help improve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and induce sleep for insomniacs.

Another study revealed that CBD could also help manage pain and inflammation. Researchers applied the cannabinoid on skin of animals. It helped decrease the pain and inflammation as a result of arthritis. A different study also investigated potential of CBD to inhibit inflammatory and neuropathic pain. These are two of the most difficult types of chronic pain to take care of in patients.

CBD could also hold the key in treating people with epilepsy. Research is ongoing to discover how much the cannabinoid might help lower the number of seizures in epileptic patients. They're also trying to find out so how safe it is to use.

In a 2016 study, researchers gave oral doses of 2 to 5mg of CBD each day to 214 people with epilepsy. They added the cannabinoid to the patients'already existing anti-epilepsy medications. The researchers then monitored the participants for 12 weeks, taking note of any negative negative effects of the CBD doses. In addition they recorded how frequent the participants had any seizures.

At the end of this system, the participants experienced 36.5% fewer seizures per month. However, 12% of the patients suffered severe adverse effects.

For cancer patients suffering from chronic nausea, CBD may have the ability to assist you to manage the condition. Nausea and vomiting are two of the most common negative effects of cancer treatment, particularly chemotherapy. In 2016, researchers investigated the results of CBD on the serotonin receptors of animals. Serotonin is just a hormone that affects a person's well-being, mood, and behaviour. The results revealed that the cannabinoid could help alleviate the sensation of nausea. However, the team believes that THC is prone to reduce nausea and vomiting than CBD.

Meanwhile, in a 2016 study, researchers examined how Sativex might help people suffering from chemotherapy-induced nausea. The drug contains both CBD and THC. Participants said Savitex had a far more significant impact on their condition than every other similar medications.

What's THC?

A bottle of THC

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) could be the chemical compound most accountable for the psychoactive ramifications of marijuana. It acts much like the naturally occurring cannabinoid chemicals in the body.

How THC affects mental performance

THC binds with the CB1 receptors in the brain. This causes users to feel a top or euphoria after taking the cannabinoid. It may affect the user's memory, pleasure, movements and thinking. It can also alter their concentration, coordination, sensory and time perception.

Medical uses

People use THC mostly as part of medicinal marijuana. However, drug manufacturers developed synthetic forms of cannabinoid to serve as medicines. These include Marinol (dronabinol), Cesamet (nabilone) and Savitex. The US FDA has approved the use of dronabinol and nabilone to take care of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Some doctors prescribe THC to take care of people suffering from glaucoma, low appetite, chronic pain and muscle spasticity. In addition they provide the cannabinoid to patients with anxiety and insomnia.

How CBD or THC use can impact workplaces

Researchers continue to investigate the impacts of medicinal cannabis on people's power to work safely. Some evidence claim that taking CBD alone and with no other sedatives doesn't produce any impairing effects. However, utilising the cannabinoid along with THC or some other sedative can increase the danger for adverse effects.

Impairment

CBD and THC can impact driving ability

Using medications with CBD and THC can result in driving impairment

One of many major issues involving medicinal cannabis use is impairment. Marijuana significantly impairs a user's judgment, motor coordination and reaction time, in line with the US National Institute on Drug Abuse. Several studies have even suggested an immediate relationship between blood THC concentration and impaired driving ability.

In fact, marijuana could be the illicit drug most frequently present in the system of drivers in vehicular accidents, including fatal ones. Drivers with THC inside their blood were roughly doubly probably be involved in a dangerous crash. That's compared to people who'd not used drugs or alcohol just before driving a vehicle. The data comes from two studies conducted in Europe.

However, it's not clear just how large a part marijuana plays in road accidents. The drug can be detected in body fluids for days as well as weeks after intoxication. Marijuana users also tend to take the drug along with alcohol. People involved in crashes with THC inside their blood were three to seven times prone to cause the accident. It becomes a lot more problematic for those with high levels of THC inside their system. The chance for vehicular crashes seems to improve when marijuana can be used along with alcohol.

Pure CBD oils aren't detectable through drug screening. However, you need to be careful in choosing the products you use. Many dubious CBD oils contain trace levels of THC. Some sellers also spread cannabis extracts in coconut oil as genuine CBD oils to mislead customers.

Meanwhile, THC has the same detection window as smoked cannabis. The cannabinoid is detectable via urine testing for 72 hours. However, this doesn't carry much weight since it doesn't necessarily correlate with impairment.

To detect impairment, it's best to make use of oral fluid testing. Saliva analysis can detect THC between 8 to 24 hours, with regards to the dose. If someone tests negative, then they are assumed to be unaffected by impairment.

Check out our video below to know more about CBD and THC. Inside, SW Labs Chief Toxicologist Dr. Phil Tynan explains the differences between the 2 cannabinoids and how they could impact workplaces.