CBD and THC are two of the most used chemical compounds within marijuana (Cannabis sativa) plant. Recent studies show the potential of those cannabinoids to be found in medical treatments. However, they are able to still cause some negative unwanted effects particularly when not taken properly.

Being an employer, it's best to learn how CBD and THC can affect your workers'health and performance. Understanding the impacts of medicinal cannabis in your employees can help protect your company from potential workplace accidents.

What is CBD?

A bottle of CBD oil

Cannabidiol (CBD) is really a non-intoxicating element of the cannabis plant, also referred to as marijuana. It is the 2nd most prevalent of the substances alongside THC. However, unlike THC benefits of cbd, CBD doesn't produce any psychoactive effects. It doesn't alter the user's mind, emotions or behaviour. This means you won't get high from taking CBD as you would from using THC.

How CBD affects the mind

Both CBD and THC affect the human brain however in different ways. Upon taking the substance, it is likely to make its solution to the area of the brain referred to as cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptors. It will then bind itself to the CB2. However, the action won't release any dopamine as would normally happen if it were THC. This is the reason taking CBD doesn't trigger any feelings of high or euphoria in users.

CBD can also bind with cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors, nonetheless it won't be as strong as THC and CB1. To get this done, you need to pair CBD with THC to manage to bind properly with CB1 receptors. This can help minimise the psychoactive effects of THC such as for example sedation or euphoria.

Medical uses

Scientists have already been exploring the chance of CBD use for medicinal purposes for years. Many started off by studying medical impacts of medicinal marijuana. But as more data are gathered, the more it's become apparent that CBD is the one which has got the potential. A few of the medical great things about CBD include:

CBD can help people cope with the impacts of anxiety. In a study, researchers gave participants suffering from social anxiety with 600mg of CBD. It helped them manage their condition before they gave a speech. Meanwhile, earlier studies involving animals also showed promising results. CBD can help relieve anxiety by lowering stress levels and reducing its physiological effects such as for example increased heart rate. It may also help improve outward indications of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and induce sleep for insomniacs.

Another study showed that CBD might also help manage pain and inflammation. Researchers applied the cannabinoid on your skin of animals. It helped decrease the pain and inflammation as a result of arthritis. Another study also investigated potential of CBD to inhibit inflammatory and neuropathic pain. These are two of the very difficult kinds of chronic pain to treat in patients.

CBD might also hold the key in treating people with epilepsy. Research is ongoing to find out how much the cannabinoid can help lower the number of seizures in epileptic patients. They're also trying to determine just how safe it is to use.

In a 2016 study, researchers gave oral doses of 2 to 5mg of CBD each day to 214 people with epilepsy. They added the cannabinoid to the patients'already existing anti-epilepsy medications. The researchers then monitored the participants for 12 weeks, taking note of any negative unwanted effects of the CBD doses. Additionally they recorded how frequent the participants had any seizures.

By the end of this program, the participants experienced 36.5% fewer seizures per month. However, 12% of the patients suffered severe adverse effects.

For cancer patients suffering from chronic nausea, CBD may manage to assist you to manage the condition. Nausea and vomiting are two of the very common unwanted effects of cancer treatment, particularly chemotherapy. In 2016, researchers investigated the results of CBD on the serotonin receptors of animals. Serotonin is really a hormone that affects a person's well-being, mood, and behaviour. The outcome showed that the cannabinoid can help alleviate the sensation of nausea. However, the team believes that THC is prone to reduce nausea and vomiting than CBD.

Meanwhile, in a 2016 study, researchers examined how Sativex can help people suffering from chemotherapy-induced nausea. The drug contains both CBD and THC. Participants said Savitex had a far more significant impact on the condition than any other similar medications.

What is THC?

A jar of THC

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) may be the chemical compound most responsible for the psychoactive effects of marijuana. It acts much like the naturally occurring cannabinoid chemicals in the body.

How THC affects the mind

THC binds with the CB1 receptors in the brain. This causes users to feel a higher or euphoria after taking the cannabinoid. It could affect the user's memory, pleasure, movements and thinking. It can also alter their concentration, coordination, sensory and time perception.

Medical uses

People use THC mostly as part of medicinal marijuana. However, drug manufacturers developed synthetic forms of cannabinoid to serve as medicines. These include Marinol (dronabinol), Cesamet (nabilone) and Savitex. The US FDA has approved the utilization of dronabinol and nabilone to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Some doctors prescribe THC to treat people suffering from glaucoma, low appetite, chronic pain and muscle spasticity. Additionally they provide the cannabinoid to patients with anxiety and insomnia.

How CBD or THC use can impact workplaces

Researchers continue steadily to investigate the impacts of medicinal cannabis on people's capability to work safely. Some evidence claim that taking CBD alone and without other sedatives doesn't produce any impairing effects. However, using the cannabinoid along with THC or some other sedative can increase the danger for adverse effects.

Impairment

CBD and THC can impact driving ability

Using medications with CBD and THC can cause driving impairment

Among the major issues involving medicinal cannabis use is impairment. Marijuana significantly impairs a user's judgment, motor coordination and reaction time, according to the US National Institute on Drug Abuse. Several studies have even suggested an immediate relationship between blood THC concentration and impaired driving ability.

In fact, marijuana may be the illicit drug most regularly within the device of drivers in vehicular accidents, including fatal ones. Drivers with THC within their blood were roughly doubly probably be involved in a fatal crash. That's in comparison to people who'd not used drugs or alcohol just before driving a vehicle. The data originates from two studies conducted in Europe.

However, it's not clear just how large a part marijuana plays in road accidents. The drug can still be detected in body fluids for days or even weeks after intoxication. Marijuana users also often take the drug along with alcohol. People involved in crashes with THC within their blood were three to seven times prone to cause the accident. It becomes even more problematic for people that have high quantities of THC within their system. The risk for vehicular crashes seems to increase when marijuana is used along with alcohol.

Pure CBD oils aren't detectable through drug screening. However, you have to be careful in choosing these products you use. Many dubious CBD oils contain trace amounts of THC. Some sellers also give cannabis extracts in coconut oil as genuine CBD oils to mislead customers.

Meanwhile, THC has the same detection window as smoked cannabis. The cannabinoid is detectable via urine testing for approximately 72 hours. However, this doesn't carry much weight because it doesn't necessarily correlate with impairment.

To detect impairment, it's best to make use of oral fluid testing. Saliva analysis can detect THC between 8 to 24 hours, depending on the dose. If someone tests negative, then they're assumed to be unaffected by impairment.

Take a look at our video below to understand more about CBD and THC. In it, SW Labs Chief Toxicologist Dr. Phil Tynan explains the differences between the two cannabinoids and how they are able to impact workplaces.