Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London found no evidence that cannabidiol (CBD) reduces tetrahydrocannabinol’s (THC’s) negative effects. It is a commonly held belief that using cannabis that contains higher levels of CBD reduces the psychotic influence and memory problems caused by tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but the study published in Neuropsychopharmacology suggests that altering the CBD:THC ratio in cannabis products does not significantly change THC’s negative effects.
To understand why Increasing the dose of CBD may not minimize the cognitive problems associated with THC’s high and psychoactive THC and CBD, it is important to remember CBD and THC work differently. CBD is non-hallucinogenic, so many people opt to use this cannabinoid for managing pain, anxiety, and insomnia. CBD and THC hit different receptors. Two main receptors that cannabinoids bind to are CB1 and CB2. THC binds to CB1 and affects memory concentration and coordination, while CBD hits other receptors that are responsible for inflammation, anxiety, and pain.
46 healthy participants who consumed cannabis infrequently completed a randomized and double-blind trial that included four experiments. In the 4 experiments, each participant inhaled cannabis vapor containing 10mg of THC and a differing level of CBD (0mg, 10mg, 20mg, or 30mg). They then completed a series of tasks, questionnaires, and interviews that the researchers used to measure the effect on their cognitive abilities, severity of psychotic symptoms, and how pleasurable the cannabis experience was.
Data analysis suggested minimal impact of CBD on cognitive, subjective, pleasurable, pharmacological, and physiological effects. Study author Dr. Amir Englund said, “None of the CBD levels studied protected our volunteers from the acute negative effects of cannabis, such as anxiety, psychotic symptoms, and worse cognitive performance. It also did not change the quality of the intoxication in any way.” The researchers observed that as the concentration of CBD increased, the more the participants coughed. The study highlights that although CBD does not mediate the effects of THC, cannabis products are still generally safe and well tolerated by most consumers.
Sources: Eureka News Alert, Neuropsychopharmacology
