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Cannabinoids
101

​THC and CBD aren't the only compounds worth knowing in cannabis. There are more than 100 cannabinoids in the plant, each interacting with the body's endocannabinoid system a little differently — which is the whole reason a sativa high feels nothing like a CBD tincture.

Most of those 100+ barely register, though. A practical cannabinoids list only needs six names: THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, CBC, and THCV. THC gets you high. CBD doesn't. The rest fall somewhere in between, each doing its own thing.

Here's a cannabinoids chart to keep them straight:

  • THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) — gets you high, stimulates appetite along the way

  • CBD (Cannabidiol) — no high, tied to calm and lower inflammation

  • CBG (Cannabigerol) — converts into THC, CBD, and CBC as the plant grows, non-intoxicating on its own

  • CBN (Cannabinol) — shows up as THC ages, leans sedating

  • CBC (Cannabichromene) — doesn't do much solo, works better alongside other cannabinoids

  • THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin) — suppresses appetite instead of boosting it, shorter high than THC

Different Cannabinoids and What They Do

THC binds tightly to CB1 receptors in the brain. That's the mechanism behind the high, and it's also why THC stimulates appetite and eases nausea — two reasons chemo patients often get steered toward THC-heavy products.

CBD skips that tight binding almost entirely. Instead of locking onto CB1 or CB2 receptors, it changes how the body handles other cannabinoids already in the system. That's the working theory behind using it for anxiety, inflammation, and seizure disorders without the high.

CBG barely shows up on a typical cannabinoids chart, and there's a reason for that: the plant converts most of it into THC, CBD, and CBC before harvest. What's left has been studied for eye pressure and gut inflammation, though human trials are still thin.

CBN and CBC are the last two names on most cannabinoids lists. CBN forms as THC breaks down with age — light and oxygen speed that up — and gets marketed as a sleep aid. CBC doesn't do much on its own, but paired with THC and CBD, it seems to boost what they're already doing.

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