What is The Entourage Effect?
Respected by cannabis connoisseurs and novices alike, the entourage effect refers to a phenomenon that takes place with certain strains of cannabis. The strain is an integral part of the entourage effect, but we'll unravel the details of how strains impact the entourage effect later down the line.
Before we get carried away, let's define the entourage effect on a broader level. According to years of research backing the claim that cannabis as a whole is more efficacious than its parts, the entourage effect has been defined as
One molecule found in cannabis is going to be less beneficial to the human body and mind than a multitude of molecules working together. The entourage effect explains why a hybrid strain of cannabis will offer more to consumers in terms of health benefits, relaxing effects, and other positive aspects of cannabis than a CBD isolate or THC-dominant strain ever could.
How Do THC- and CBD-Only Medicines Compare?
The entourage effect has been looked at for years, and one of the most effective ways of testing the health benefits of the entourage effect has been by monitoring the progress of people taking isolates. In cannabis, an isolate refers to cannabis that is completely stripped of everything except for one specific cannabinoid.
For example, a CBD isolate is the purest form of cannabidiol because it does not contain terpenes, flavonoids, essential oils, or any other cannabinoid aside from CBD itself. THC isolates are the same idea, though these are less common than the CBD version, seeing as THC-only medication requires a prescription.
When looking at the results of patients who are prescribed medicine in the form of THC isolates, the outcome is debatable. While advocates for THC-only medicine will say that the drug works wonders in the nausea department, other researchers combat this claim by saying that CBD isolates do the same.
Also, prescription THC-only medications take a long time to kick in, as opposed to simply consuming a strain of cannabis that contains both THC, CBD, and other naturally-occurring cannabis compounds. CBD-only substances have received much more accolade for their remedial properties.
CBD isolates are excellent supplements for people who suffer from chronic seizures and mental illnesses, but even with all of the hype surrounding the efficacy of CBD on its own, cannabidiol is not nearly as effective when isolated as it is when taken alongside other cannabis compounds. The same goes for THC and all of the other cannabis compounds. If the compounds found in cannabis were to have a slogan, it would be “better together!”
How is CBD Non-Psychoactive if THC is Present?
We keep using the word effective to describe cannabis compounds that work together, but that’s because there’s no better way to express how beneficial the collaborative efforts of cannabis compounds can be. A question that often arises is how pairing THC with CBD is possible.
After all, isn’t the entire point of a cannabis product marketed as CBD that the product will not ever induce psychotropic effects in the person who consumes it? Why yes, yes it is!
CBD is most effective in full-spectrum form, rather than as an isolate. Even broad-spectrum CBD is “better,” if you will, than an isolate if all-around healing is your goal. But in order for you to reap all of the benefits of CBD to the fullest, the slightest amount of THC must be present.
When cannabidiol contains 0.3% THC or less, the CBD still falls within the ballpark of being a non-psychotropic substance. The possibility of experiencing psychoactive results only arises from situations where you’ve consumed cannabis with more than that specific percentage of a THC concentration.
The entourage effect upholds the notion that THC enhances the natural healing properties of CBD, just as the presence of cannabidiol makes tetrahydrocannabinol more effective. You can trust that CBD products will never get you high. Just think of the ever-so-minimal trace amounts of THC as a supportive parent, cheering CBD on and helping CBD reach its full potential!