Do You Need THC for CBD to Work?

CBD doesn't need THC to work but they have more to offer when combined. Learn about their benefits & risks when taking them together or separately.

Do You Need THC for CBD to Work?

CBD doesn't need THC to work, but the two have a lot more to offer when combined. One of the main reasons for taking CBD oil without THC is that it won't show up in a drug test result. Drug tests are designed to detect metabolites of THC, and CBD cannot be converted to THC in any way. THC and CBD are found in marijuana and hemp.

Marijuana contains much more THC than hemp, while hemp has a lot of CBD. However, many CBD products contain traces of THC, even if the amounts are small. These can still be detected if you consume large amounts of CBD or if the products you use contain more THC than indicated on the package label. Manufacturers can leave traces of cannabinoids and terpenes in the extract (but without THC) or use CBD alone.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), THC activates the brain's reward system by signaling the release of dopamine, a brain chemical. Products with a balance of THC and CBD are increasingly common in cannabis stores, as consumers realize the value of synergy between cannabinoids. Both THC and CBD are stored in body fat, meaning that both can be detected in drug tests for some time after you've stopped using them. For example, both compounds can have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects; they can act through different mechanisms, so consuming THC and CBD could improve the outcome related to pain relief.

To understand the side effects and potential benefits of these products, it's important to first understand the differences between CBD and THC. Project CBD gets a lot of inquiries from all over the world, and people often say they're looking for “CBD, the medicinal part of the plant,” not THC, the recreational part that gets you high. First discovered in the 1940s, CBD has recently become more popular as a natural treatment for a variety of conditions. While CBD oil has many benefits, there are some risks that a person may want to consider before taking it.

This is because THC has a molecular structure almost identical to anandamide, one of the two main endocannabinoids. Hemp-derived CBD oil contains only a small amount of THC (up to 0.3%), which is nowhere near enough to cause a high associated with this compound. However, CBD products containing more than 0.3 percent THC still fall within the legal definition of marijuana, making them illegal at the federal level but legal under some state laws. If a company doesn't publish lab reports on its website or make them available on request, the THC content in its CBD oil may be higher than the legal 0.3%. Some studies suggest that CBD oil is processed more efficiently even in the presence of small amounts of THC, but this may raise concerns about drug test results if a person undergoes regular checks for THC at their workplace.

In addition, there are virtually no regulations when it comes to labeling and manufacturing hemp-derived CBD oil, meaning that some full-spectrum oils may contain higher levels of CBD than those accepted at the federal level. The researchers found that the effects of THC on cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 did not change with the addition of terpenes. When it comes to taking CBD oil without THC, it's important to understand both its benefits and risks. While it won't show up in drug tests, it may not provide all of the potential benefits that come from taking both compounds together. It's also important to make sure that any product you buy contains only trace amounts of THC so that you don't risk breaking any laws.