Transcription: Cannabis Q&A with Dr. Amber Wise

Is It OK to Smoke Cannabis Every Day?

“Some people use cannabis to modulate neurodivergent behavior, medically to get out of bed and reduce pain, some for arthritis. And these are daily applications. There are zero deaths attributed to natural cannabis use. Some would argue that getting high every day is potentially safer than getting drunk every day.”

Why Does Cannabis Make You Hungry?

“Cannabinoids in THC stimulate the release of our hunger molecule, a hormone that makes us feel hungry. Cannabinoids can also heighten your sense of smell and taste. So not only do you feel more hungry, but those doritos can also taste better.”

Did You Know the Human Body Naturally Produces Cannabinoids?

The thing is, our bodies do make cannabinoid molecules, though they are not exactly the same ones that the plant makes. These molecules regulate mood, sleep, awakeness, hunger, metabolism rates, energy level. We call it the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). The reason we react to the molecules the plant makes is because those molecules also bind to the same receptors that our bodies have in the ECS.

Is It Me or Is the Cannabis Out Here Getting Stronger?

Humans are now selectively breeding cannabis and have been for a long time to make more cannabinoids in the flower. Flowers from 30-40 years ago had fewer cannabinoids than flowers grown today. Years ago labels would say 25% THC, now we are seeing 35%. Those numbers are not real, there is a physical limit to the amount the plant can make. 30% is generally agreed upon as the maximum amount that you can get a flower to produce. And that is like the dankest sticky icky we’re talking about.

Is Cannabis a Psychedelic?

There are 3 terms I'd like to define a little more clearly here. Psychoactive is anything that reacts with your brain chemistry. Psychotropic is somehow affecting your perception of reality, mood, awareness, and sometimes your perception of time. And Psychedelic is generally agreed upon to include hallucinations and drastic changes in how you perceive reality. In terms of the generally agreed upon definition of psychedelic. Generally cannabinoids are not psychedelic, THC and CBD can both be considered psychoactive, they both react with our brains and generally THC is considered psychotropic: it can change our mood and how we perceive reality.

Does CBD Really Do Anything?

First I wanna show how similar CBD and THC are in terms of molecular structure. They weigh the same and have the same number of carbons and hydrogens and oxygens. The biggest difference is that the ring structure here is closed on the THC and open here on the CBD. However, in 3 dimensions the shape is different and leads to different behaviors in your body. Purified CBD all by itself might not be effective for what you are seeking treatment for. However, when we have a more full spectrum mixture of different molecules from the plant, it can be effective for a variety of reasons.

Why Do Edibles Hit Differently?

It’s because it’s actually a different molecule that your body is getting high from. So far, we’ve only talked about Delta-9 THC. And that is what happens when you inhale. It goes directly into your bloodstream from your lungs so you feel that effect quickly. With edibles you go through your stomach, intestines, liver, and your liver attaches a hydroxy group and causes a different molecule to form called 11-hydroxy THC. That’s why edibles hit different, meaning, they take longer and they also feel different because it’s a different molecule interacting with your receptors.

What’s the Difference Between Indoor & Outdoor Weed?

This is a very hot topic, and everybody falls on one side or the other. There was a recent study done where they grew clones from the same plant. So genetically the same starting material. Some were grown outdoors in natural living soil, some of it was grown indoors in potting soil and artificial lights. Looking at the molecular profile that the plant made, the outdoor cannabis had a wider variety of cannabinoids, it had more minor cannabinoids and rarer cannabinoids. The indoor often has slightly higher yield, and often more consistent molecular profiles. So, it really depends on what you are looking for and you can get quality out of both types of situations.

Why Does Cannabis Smell Like That?

Cannabis has a distinct smell and different strains do smell differently, but you can often say that that smells like weed. That’s because of terpenes: one of the most widely found molecules in the plant kingdom, all kinds of plants and herbs and spices and pine trees have terpenes in them. THC and CBD are odorless and in fact, the drug dogs that are used to detect cannabis are trained on terpene molecules. And that skunky smell in cannabis is actually due to sulfur containing compounds that were just very recently discovered.

What Are Cannabis Trichomes and Why Are They So Important?

Cannabis trichomes are actually only found on the female structure of the flower and the trichomes are where all the cannabinoids and terpenes are synthesized, in the plant. If you zoom in you will see these trichomes are these tiny little mushroom-shaped structures, and within that round part at the end of that stalk, that is the location that the plant actually makes the cannabinoids: The THC, CBD, and the terpenes. All in that one little head.

Is There Actually a Difference Between Indica and Sativa?

The old adage is that indica will make you feel in the couch or relaxed or sleepy, and sativas might make you more creative or more energetic. Recent studies actually show there is no molecular correlation between the two in terms of the kinds of terpenes and cannabinoid molecules that the plants make.