Although it spent most of the 20th century being demonized by the scientific and political establishment, the cannabis plant and its extracts are now becoming legally and widely available for medicinal use in many countries. As it has become more widely studied, research has shown that the plant affects people in far more ways than the obvious psychological ones.
In fact, the psychoactive properties of cannabis come from THC, which is only one of over a hundred chemical compounds that the leaves contain. These compounds are known as cannabinoids, and many of them are not psychoactive at all. Processes have been developed that allow cannabinoids to be isolated, extracted, and placed into other things. Two of these that you can find inside many products nowadays are CBD and CBN.
These interact with the same receptors inside our bodies, so what’s the difference between them? That is what this short guide will answer.
Cannabidiol (CBD)
If you go to a medical cannabis dispensary, you can find a wide array of products containing CBD. These include pills, patches, oils, cosmetic products, and edibles such as gummies. The reason that there is such a variety of CBD products is that this is the most widely researched cannabinoid out of CBD and CBN.
So far, CBD has shown promise as a treatment for preventing seizures and is being studied as a possible treatment for schizophrenia, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease. Consumers of CBD products have claimed that it helped them with conditions including insomnia, chronic pain, arthritis, and addiction.
However, just because CBD has been the subject of more research than CBN does not mean that all of the health and medical claims made about it are true. Scientists have pointed out that the medical benefits of CBD tend to be overstated. This doesn’t mean that they are not there, only that we don’t really have enough evidence yet to definitively say that CBD causes them.
As for side effects, only the short-term ones have been studied so far. These include dryness of the mouth, drowsiness, exhaustion, a short temper and mood swings. These are temporary and will not affect everybody who consumes CBD.
Cannabinol (CBN)
CBN is the waste product of decaying THC. During the process of breaking down, THC loses about three-quarters of its potency. This is enough to eliminate its psychological effects unless an extremely large dose is consumed.
CBN is a popular ingredient in sleep capsules because it is mildly sedative, but it can also be found in everything from oils and tinctures to tea bags. It has not been as widely studied as CBD, but early research seems to suggest that it might help to relieve joint and muscle pain. However, the research showed that the pain-relieving effect was even stronger when it was combined with CBD, suggesting that it may not be unique to CBN.
The risks of CBN consumption are not yet known.
Conclusion
If you plan on taking medicinal cannabis in any form, including CBD or CBN products, it is best to discuss it with your doctor. Also be sure never to consume more than the recommended amount.
