CBD vs THC: What's the Difference?
Did you know that the United States sold a total of $620 million worth of CBD products last year? Not all of it was for human use either, as pets can consume CBD too!
Regardless of whether it’s for human or pet consumption, full-spectrum CBD is a great way to reap various benefits. If you aren’t familiar with CBD, you might think it’s synonymous with marijuana with its ability to make you high. This misconception might discourage you to use CBD as a health product.
Don’t dismiss CBD yet.
With this guide, we’ll tackle CBD vs THC, the two main compounds found in cannabis products. Here, you’ll learn the differences between the two and how both can work together for your pet’s health. Read on and find out more:
1. Chemical Structure
CBD and THC share a similar molecular makeup but they’re slightly different when it comes to their arrangement. This is the reason why the way they affect your body is different.
Your body’s endocannabinoids have chemical similarities with THC and CBD. This enables your cannabinoid receptors to interact with these chemicals. The interaction will play a part in releasing your brain’s neurotransmitters.
These chemicals function by relaying messages between your body cells. They help you feel sleep, pain, stress, and other bodily functions. These also control your immune system response to a degree.
2. Psychoactive Components
Even with similar chemical makeup, CBD and THC won’t affect your body the same way psychologically. The former has no psychoactive compound, meaning it won’t make you feel high. The latter will bind with your brain’s CB1 receptors, producing the high and the feeling of euphoria.
For CBD, it has little to no binding properties to CB1 receptors. In some cases, this chemical compound can make it difficult for THC to bind with the receptors. That way, its psychoactive effects are less strong, giving you or your pet more clarity.
3. Legality
In the United States, you’ll find that the laws related to cannabis are changing all the time. That’s why under federal law, they consider Marijuana and THC as controlled substances. This makes them prohibited for human use.
But the good news is that most states and Washington, D.C. passed laws related to cannabis that enabled marijuana and high THC levels legal provided it’s for medical uses. That’s why if you’re getting marijuana, most states will require you to get a prescription from a licensed medical practitioner.
As for recreational marijuana and THC use, only several states made it legal. Within these states, you’re also allowed to buy CBD without legal repercussions. To be safe, look for resources related to your state’s laws before you buy products containing CBD or THC.
If you get products related to cannabis and you’re in a state where they’re illegal, you’ll get penalized. It matters not whether you bought the products from states where it’s allowed. If you want a good place to check your state’s laws, check out NORML Foundation’s interactive map for more information.
What About Pets?
The good news is that the majority of top CBD brands for pets are legal for consumption. It’s because CBD oil is completely legal, provided their THC content is lower than 0.3%. The best part is that most pet products related to cannabis have much lower levels of THC since it’s required for the Entourage Effect to happen.
4. Medical Benefits
When it comes to medical benefits, your pets can reap a lot of benefits by ingesting CBD oil. THC can be toxic when ingested by your pet, provided it’s much higher than the 0.3% legal limit. As long as your pet ingests CBD-dominant products, they’ll experience a wide array of benefits, such as:
1. Reduced Anxiety
It’s common for pets to experience separation anxiety when you leave the house for whatever reason. This can have long-lasting effects, including increased aggression. If you use CBD products, you can help your pet calm down even while you’re out.
2. Pain Relief
CBD’s ability to manage pain made it into a new drug class. Pets won’t have the capabilities necessary to tell you their specific pain spots. With CBD, you can reduce nerve-related pain or inflammation that’s causing them to experience the pain.
3. Seizures and Epilepsy Treatment
Most artificial drugs are effective in subduing their seizures. The cost is their digestive and cardiovascular systems. That’s why it’s better to use more natural treatments like CBD products since it’s a more holistic approach without the troublesome side effects.
4. Appetite Increase
Recent studies found that CBD products help increase appetite in animals. This means you can help your pet achieve healthier eating habits while decreasing the discomfort that comes with hunger loss. Also, if your pet vomits a lot because of nausea, use CBD to decrease it.
5. Cancer Prevention
CBD shows promise in stopping the growth of cancer cells. This increases the rate of death of tumor cells. The study showcases promise in helping pets deal with pancreatic cancer and melanoma.
5. Dosage
As stated before, THC is dangerous to your pet if ingested at high levels. Depending on your pet’s size, the level of THC toxicity can vary. But if your pet suffers from THC poisoning, they will exhibit the following behavior:
- Lethargy
- Slowed breathing
- Seizures
- Dilated pupils
- Drunk walking
- Low blood pressure
Take note, your pets can suffer from this by inhaling concentrated THC fumes. Bring them to a veterinarian if they inhaled or ingested products with high THC levels.
As for CBD-based products, you can use our guide to calculate the right dosage level for your pet. It’s based on various factors like their size. But the key is to be consistent with the dosage for them to stay healthy.
CBD vs THC: Learn More Today!
These are the things you must consider when comparing CBD vs THC. Use this to ensure that your pet gets the best out of it.
Do you need high-quality CBD products for your pet? If so, contact us today and we’ll help you out.
