Around 14 percent of Americans use CBD products. If you're one of them, or you've done any research into the compound, you may have heard about the entourage effect. Put simply, the entourage effect is where you use THC and CBD together.
It's been debated whether this is required. THC is the compound in cannabis that gets you high, so some people believe it should be avoided.
However, there's a lot of good science that shows the entourage effect has some powerful healing effects. Want to learn more and start using CBD to its full potential? Then read on!
What is the Entourage Effect?
A product that contains CBD, THC and other extract is called whole plant medicine. The most obvious form of whole plant medicine is smoking medicinal cannabis, but it isn't the only route of administration. In areas where medicinal marijuana is legal, you can buy CBD extracts that contain the full spectrum of compounds found in pot.
While CBD is highly effective on its own, partnering it with THC appears to boost its efficacy.
One study found that pinene helps to counteract memory loss caused by THC. Along with myrcene and caryophyllene, it also helps to cut anxiety caused by the psychoactive effects.
It appears that CBD only reaches its full effectiveness when partnered with other cannabis extracts.
This has been shown through anecdotal evidence too. One drug called Marinol was effectively synthetic THC, and while it was effective, users reported paranoia and anxiety. Sativex is a mixture of THC and CBD, which users report lacks these ill effects in most patients.
How Do I Buy Whole Plant Medicine?
While CBD shows effectiveness alone, it is worth using THC and CBD together if this is legal in your area. If you are in Canada or many parts of the United States this is easy: you could just go and buy some medicinal marijuana at a dispensary.
If you would prefer not to smoke your medicine, then we would recommend looking at CBD and THC extracts.
The strength of these extracts will often vary depending upon the route of administration. THC, in particular, is faster-acting when inhaled, but more potent if eaten. This is why edibles will often get you higher than smoking pot.
If you suffer from depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, arthritis or any number of other conditions, we'd recommend trying whole plant medicine. This is particularly true if you've tried CBD before and not found it useful.
Got Questions About Using CBD and THC together?
We would recommend trying THC and CBD together, but you should remember that it isn't a replacement for other drugs. You should also speak to your doctor before beginning treatment to avoid any harmful interactions.
If you've never smoked pot before or have had bad experiences with getting high, you've probably got a lot of questions about whole plant medicine. Get in touch with us, and we'll do our best to help you out!