CBD and THC still raise questions for many people. Until recently this was debated in Europe, too, but following a World Health Organization recommendation made two years earlier, the European Parliament decided on December 2 that CBD was not a narcotic substance.
CBD is therefore no longer a matter of debate in Europe and America. Much of the world accepts its benefits. Many CBD-containing products, from cosmetics to foods, can be bought in shops.
Differences between CBD and THC
We have examined this in detail in many articles. For new readers, CBD and THC are just two of about 140 cannabinoids in cannabis. Their most important difference is that THC is psychoactive, while CBD does not produce a psychoactive effect! This is why all developed countries now accept that CBD is not a narcotic. For more information, read “Everything about cannabinoids.”
Can CBD be harmful?
To understand CBD, first understand the endocannabinoid system, or ECS. This communication network, present in all mammals, operates through CB1 and CB2 receptors. In brief, the ECS manages hormones, diseases and mood. In other words, CBD is a compound naturally present in the human body! Taking CBD supplements supports the ECS.
Does CBD turn into THC?
This claim comes from a 2016 study. A research article concluding that CBD could become THC, Merrick 2016, appeared through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
The Merrick study used simulated stomach acid to test conversion. Laboratory experiments with the artificial acid concluded that CBD turned into THC. However, this is not the whole situation. Many studies have followed the Merrick paper.
Nahler 2017
Research by Austrian and German scientists, Nahler 2017, contradicts Merrick. Unlike Merrick, Nahler used living human subjects and found no THC effects in any patient.
The key point is that living-human studies differ from experiments in a medical laboratory's controlled environment. It is also impossible to recreate the stomach's natural conditions exactly.
Russo 2017
In Russo 2017, Ethan Russo examined various misconceptions about CBD. Discussing conversion to THC, he noted that no study in living subjects supported it. He also pointed out that humans lack enzymes capable of converting CBD into THC.
Animal experiments: Wray 2017 and Palazzoli 2018
Animal research, Wray 2017, refutes the Merrick study. Pigs received CBD for five consecutive days, and no THC was detected in their plasma or blood. In a rat study, Palazzoli 2018, nothing other than CBD was detected in blood after high CBD doses.
Conclusion
A pharmacokinetic study of how THC, CBD and other cannabinoids interact and affect the body, Huestis 2007, suggests that taking CBD and THC together may reduce THC's side effects.
Human and animal research has repeatedly refuted the claim that CBD turns into THC under acidic stomach conditions. There is no evidence in humans of conversion in the stomach, even after very high CBD doses.
