How THC, a psychoactive compound in weeds, makes you high

Marijuana contains over 500 active compounds. But most people focus on two things. It has cannabidiol or CBD. Reduces inflammation.

And then there's THC. This is the main psychoactive component. This is why weeds give you Relax and feel euphoria A sense of high.

THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol. It is a compound that comes from the flowers of female cannabis plants, but there are some in other parts of the plant as well.

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In raw cannabis, most THC is in the form of tetrahydrocannabinoleic acid or thca. That is, the molecule contains extra acid groups.

THCA won't make you high. However, it converts THCA to THC by heating the weeds and evaporating them or exposing them to sunlight.

When you consume cannabis by smoking, vaping, tapping, or eating “edibles”, THC enters the bloodstream.

From there, it passes through the blood-brain barrier and binds to the cannabinoid receptor brain region that controls memory, appetite, fear, and motor control.

Compounds Block short-term memorychanges the perception of time.

that Tell your brain that you're hungryand improves the smell and taste of the food. It also causes the release of dopamine, creating intense feelings of joy.

People in ancient China and South Asia used cannabis as a drug For thousands of years.

The ancient Romans used it to treat their ears. In Africa, it was used to reduce childbirth pain and treat malaria.

The plant was also used to make paper in China and the Middle East, and Muslims introduced this process to Europe.

Over the centuries, this led to two different versions of the same plant. One was kept for high THC and the other was kept for industrial purposes.

In the 1830s, Irish doctor William O'Shernessy learned about medicinal cannabis while teaching in India.

O'Shaughnessy began using it to treat muscle cramps and cholera, and reported success to Western researchers who quickly began using it on everything from cough to pain to go disease.

By the early 1900s, Americans were familiar with cannabis.

However, in the mid-1800s, the Mexican media began reporting on “marijuana” (spelled as “H” or “G”). Make people sick and violent.

It is unclear what actually caused the public incident.

However, Mexico banned the drug in 1920. The US Congress violated marijuana in 1937 effectively illegal and illegal, imposing enormous taxes on it, and selling or owning it.

1970 Controlled Substances Act Along with heroin, I was designated as “marijuana” (which was now spelled “J” in the United States).

That designation is always debatable.

As early as 1972, experts Recommended decriminalized marijuana It is based on new research that shows it is addictive, harmful, and has no stepping stone to worse medications.

However, President Richard Nixon refused.

THC has several risks.

As a psychoactive compound, high doses of THC can burn panic attacks and delusional thoughts.

It can exacerbate mental health problems in people with genetic predisposition to schizophrenia. And since THC impairs motor function, it is dangerous to drive high.

However, for most people, medium amounts of THC are safe and often helpful. It can be alleviated nausea.

CBD is also more effective in some of these issues, but also helps with anxiety, insomnia, pain, and muscle spasms.

However, there is still much I don't know about weeds.

From 1974, to study marijuana, researchers had to obtain it through the National Institute of Drug Abuse, or through the NIDA. Primarily supported research focuses on the harms of drugs.

Also, marijuana in Nida is Low in THC and often low qualityit is not effective in studying what is actually on the market.

But we're trying to get it More research About drugs.

President Joe Biden in 2022 I signed the invoice It will allow more institutions and private companies to grow and process cannabis for research purposes.

Among the things scientists want to study are different types of THC.

Although they have historically focused on Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, isomers of the compounds have recently begun to collide with the market. Essentially, these are versions of THC with subtle differences in chemical structure.

For example, Delta-8-THC and Delta-10-THC are gentle Cannabinoids Found with hemp cannabis. However, the research on them is very preliminary. Some states They are already in motion to ban them.

Researchers hope that fewer restrictions will allow people to speed up the science of marijuana in the way they actually use it.

It should also provide us with much better ideas about the specific medical benefits of THC, and how to find more applications for use.