Cannabis is becoming more mainstream than ever following the 2018 farm bill allowing the cultivation and extraction of cannabinoids giving way to a new wave of CBD and hemp derived products. We believe the best approach to beginning to use cannabis products is understanding what you would like to achieve by using cannabis and what cannabinoids are going to help you achieve these goals. The entire basis of our brand and products revolves around 1 thing, cannabinoids. So what in the world ARE cannabinoids? 

The medicinal aspect of cannabis is provided via cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are the chemicals found in cannabis and cannabis products that work together with your endocannabinoid system (ECS) which is a system of receptors that is found throughout the body. There are over one hundred different cannabinoids and each cannabinoid has a different effect on the body and mind. Some common cannabinoids are:

• CBD
• THC
• CBG
• CBN
• CBC

While there are over one hundred cannabinoids, the most common are CBD and THC. These are considered major cannabinoids and are found in the highest concentrations in cannabis. Other chemicals like CBG and CBC are minor cannabinoids and are found in small concentrations in cannabis. CBD is becoming known as a more therapeutic option of herb and THC as a more recreational and psychoactive cannabinoid.

What are cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are the phytonutrients found in cannabis plants and are the chemicals which are naturally provided by cannabis plants. They are what make cannabis products work, they are what make cannabis products effect the body and mind. Cannabinoids like CBD and CBG work with our bodies naturally occurring ECS to achieve balance in the body. If you are sore they can provide your body with a boost in recovery. Cannabinoids are the element of cannabis that work with your body and brain to create effects. 

Cannabinoids like THC and CBN are psychoactive and influence the brain much more than the body. THC and CBN can both be great for rest and mood improvement and are also known for creating euphoric like effects. THC is the cannabinoid responsible for the high commonly associated with marijuana.

What is CBD?

CBD is an abbreviation of Cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is one of the most commonly used cannabinoids. CBD is a cannabinoid which has shown to have tremendous health benefits in scientific studies. CBD can help with things from minor to major. From simply increasing a persons appetite all the way to decreasing severe discomforts, there is basically something for everyone when it comes to CBD. Some of the most common uses revolve around physical and mental discomforts. CBD works with your naturally occurring endocannabinoid system to assist your body in balancing itself out. Studies have shown tremendous results with things like decreasing mental pressures and improving rest which is great for improving mental health! Scientific studies have also shown great benefits for decreasing physical discomforts in people regularly using CBD.

CBD can be a great alternative to pharmaceutical medicine for some people. For others, it is a great way to relax, unwind and even focus. CBD can be great for calming the mind for a variety of uses like sleep or work.

General dosing ranges anywhere from around 20 MG to 60 MG or higher depending on a variety of factors like tolerance, body weight and desired result. Someone wanting to confront serious issues may prefer to use more than someone wanting better rest. 

What is THC?

THC is the commonly known psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis. The concentration of Delta-9 THC is also what defines hemp from marijuana. Delta-9 is also responsible for the high associated with marijuana.

THC dosing can be tricky and psychoactive results can begin with as little as 5 MG of THC. It is important to understand desired dosing and effects prior to ingesting THC to avoid unwanted results like paranoia. Again, dosing can vary quite a bit depending on tolerance, body weight and desired effects. 

What do the percentages of cannabinoids mean?

All legal cannabis products are labeled with a percentage of cannabinoids or a milligram amount of cannabinoids. Generally speaking, the percentage or milligram amount is a summary of the cannabinoids in the product in its entirety. For example, a product may be 20% cannabinoids but contain no THC. Likewise, products may contain an isolation of a particular cannabinoid like CBD in our CBD Isolate Gummies or have a profile of a few chosen cannabinoids. It is important to learn a bit about these cannabinoids as well as how to determine if a product is right for you.

For example, lets take Best Buds Hemp Flower:
Our Dragon Piss strain is 26% cannabinoids. This means that per gram, 26% of the weight is cannabinoids. So for every 1 gram of dry flower you have 260 milligrams of cannabinoids. This strain is 0.26% THC so it has about 3 milligrams of THC per gram. Dragon Piss is 24.80% CBD which means it provides 248 milligrams of CBD per gram of dry flower. The remaining percentage is compensated by the remaining minor cannabinoids like CBG and CBN.

Based on the above example you can see how understanding cannabinoids can be important. Although a product may be labeled 20% cannabinoids customers should be able to read a certificate of analysis in order to understand how much of a product they would like to use to meet their goals or if it is even feasible to reach the desired dose with a certain product. However, we do not see that being an issue with our flower strains or CBD Oil! For a break down of tincture dosage check out our blog about CBD Oil.

Need help understanding cannabinoids?

Best Buds is all about cannabis awareness and education and leading people into this emerging industry. We hope that you found this article useful and you gained something from us today. If you have any questions regarding CBD or cannabinoids contact us directly and we would love to help you find an answer!