CBD Is Not Intoxicating

A lot of sites claim that CBD is non-psychoactive. That is not entirely true, because the definition of psychoactive is any compound that can change brain function. And as you can see from the other science articles on Wai Natural, CBD can adjust activity at serotonin receptors to help reduce anxiety and depression. However, the truth is that CBD is non-intoxicating, unlike THC, the compound in marijuana responsible for the “high” associated with smoking it.

In investigations of the different cannabinoids in animal models, THC use consistently results in behavioral abnormalities. In rats, THC exposure during adolescence (teenage years) has been associated with long-term behavioral alterations in adult animals, including memory deficits, social withdrawal, and altered emotional reactivity. These effects are hypothesized to be due to the effects THC has through CB1 receptors. CBD does not activate the CB1 receptors, and may actually block the actions of THC at these receptors.

In human studies, functional MRIs showed that THC activated the same areas of the brain associated with anxiety, impaired cognition (ability to think clearly), and the acute manifestation of psychotic symptoms. CBD, on the other hand, reduced activity of brain areas associated with anxiety and fear and did not affect cognitive ability (ability to think clearly).

So not only is CBD not intoxicating, but CBD may help to protect the brain from the negative effects of THC.