That said, with such a clear difference between the two plants legally, there's two main compounds, or cannabinoids, that lead to people's individual preferance of the two. For hemp, the compound commonly sought after is called CBD. With Marijuana, it's typically THC. That said, there are some key differences between the two, and even some unique factors that come from the cannabinoids interacting.

CBD vs THC

So, what exactly is the difference between the two? For starters, Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive component of marijuana that has shown potential in the treatment of certain diseases and disorders. It does not make you high. However, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive component in marijuana that produces the feeling of being “high”.

That said, there are some other important differences between the plants known for each of these. One is that hemp is a plant that contains minimal amounts of THC, while having a proportionately high amount of CBD, while marijuana is a plant that typically has a higher concentration of THC than CBD.

Hemp is also generally used for making clothes, building materials, and food, while marijuana is usually used for recreational purposes.

Can THC and CBD be used together?

Some experts believe that cannabidiol (CBD) and THC work best when used together. They have found that this combination seems to help with conditions like pain relief. However, others believe that using the two alone has its own benefits.

Although there is a lot of research about how CBD interacts with THC, there is little information on whether they work better together or separately.

Others think that the effects of one compound may cancel out the effects of the other. In short, it's a difficult concept to communicate exactly how these two will synergize.

How does CBD modulate the effects of THC

One concept that has been covered, is how CBD can modulate the effects of THC.

However, we need to take a step back and understand these neat compounds and their origination.

Marijuana and hemp are both cannabis plants that produce compounds called cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are chemicals that activate the cannabinoid receptors in the body. Some cannabinoids are psychoactive. Others are not. These compounds include THC, which is the main psychoactive component of marijuana. Hemp contains small amounts of THC, but it is not psychoactive.

One thing that is key to how these two cannabinoids interact is dependent on our endocannabinoid system. Our endocannabinoid system is responsible for regulating a variety of functions in the body, including mood, appetite, and pain. This system is what cannabinoids such as CBD or THC interact with to create some of the effects that we're familiar with.

Although more research is necessary, studies have shown that CBD can actually be an essential component to mitigating some of the effects of THC.

What does this mean?

Well for starters, CBD can be used to mitigate the negative effects of THC, particularly in high doses.

For reference, THC is a cannabinoid compound that binds to CB1 receptors in the brain. The result of this is the "high" feelings you get. However, in contrast to this, CBD's binding affinity to the CB1 receptors are much less significant, in fact, nearly un-measurable.

However, the key thing to note here is that when consumed, CBD requires THC to bind to the CB1 receptor.

Long story short, the resulting interaction has been noted to mitigate some of the less-desireable effects that come from consuming too much THC.

What is the entourage effect?

It has been discovered that when people consume cannabinoids together, the overall effect is entirely different than when they consume them separately, IE: consuming THC and CBD together vs just consuming CBD alone.

There are two ways in which this occurs - it just depends on the potency of the cannabis plant as well as the method in which you consume it.

In short, the entourage effect is a term that is similar to the effect that CBD on THC when consumed together. In short, when a multitude of different cannabinoids are consumed together, you can expect them all to play off of eachother and create a unique effect that's entirely different from what would be expected when they're consumed individually.

How to Experience the Entourage Effect

As mentioned, there's a variety of ways to experience this "entourage effect".

The most popular of these two is by smoking hemp flower.

Due to the fact that hemp flower is the most un-altered form of hemp that is consumable, you're able to enjoy the wide canvas of cannabinoids that is naturally in each bud. This can range from CBD, CBG, THC, CBN, and others. As the hemp industry grows, there's even companies like CBD Hemp Direct who are innovating new ways to include a wider variety of alternative cannabinoids into their hemp flower products, such as the recently discovered THC-P. As a result, enthusiasts are able to experience an even more diverse array of cannabinoids in a synergistic fashion, allowing more a more refined entourage effect.

The second most popular way to experience the entourage effect is via Tinctures.

Tinctures are an oil based extract from hemp that allows for people to consume hemp products without the need for smoking or vaping. Much like hemp flower, tinctures commonly are extracted with a minimal amount of additional processing, so it's common to find full spectrum CBD tinctures that include a nearly identical cannabinoid ratio that could be found in the hemp plant it is extracted from.

That said, the entourage is a great way to experience the ways that CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids interact with eachother.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, both THC and CBD have their similarities and contrasts. One thing is for sure though, that regardless of how you combine these two, or even other cannabinoids, you're definitely going to feel an effect. If you're new to the hemp scene, we'd definitely suggest doing some personal tests to see what kind of effect fits you best, and really reign in the entourage effect!