How and Why Does Cannabis Work?
Cannabis provides therapeutic results by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which is one of the major communication networks in the human body.
“Our endocannabinoid system helps control some of the most important physical, mental and emotional functions in the brain and body, everything from body movement, pain control, and immune system function to mental health, sleep, gut function and even brain protection. You literally cannot overstate how important the endocannabinoid system is.”
-Dr. Dani Gordon, The CBD Bible
Cannabis can be helpful in such a wide array of conditions because we have receptors on cells, all over our body, that interact with the cannabinoid molecules found in the cannabis plant (THC, CBD, and more).
Our endocannabinoid system has one job: To keep your body’s various systems in a state of balance. It operates as a system of locks and keys. When your system is out of whack, you may be able to use cannabis molecule “keys” to help bring it back to a state of health and balance.
Understanding the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
The endocannabinoid system is a complex network in the body that humans are still working to fully understand. However, there are many researchers who have devoted their careers to uncovering the inner workings of this system and are helping us to understand all that it does – and the answers that it holds!
ECS Fundamentals
Image attribution: The Cannabis Coaching Institute
The ECS is the largest receptor system in the human body
The ECS consists of cannabinoid receptors (CB1 & CB2 – both types are located throughout the body), naturally created endocannabinoid molecules, and enzymes that catabolize (break down) the endocannabinoids after they are used
Note that the human body naturally creates cannabinoid molecules that are very similar to the cannabinoids found in cannabis!
Cannabinoids created within the body are called endocannabinoids, while those produced from plants (including cannabis) are called phytocannabinoids
Cannabinoids interact with the ECS and deliver therapeutic relief
The ECS is responsible for maintaining balance, or homeostasis, in the body
It’s through this system that the body self-regulates when something in the body is “off” or when we suffer a stress event
When there aren’t enough endocannabinoids in the ECS, also called endocannabinoid deficiency, symptoms and disease can occur. Common ailments such as migraines, anxiety, fibromyalgia, IBS, and more are associated with endocannabinoid deficiency.
Did you know? The ECS wasn’t discovered until the early 1990s!
Why the ECS Matters
To put it simply, the ECS helps us to eat, sleep, relax, protect, and forget. It has also been said that the ECS supports “human thriving behavior”. This means… Cannabis can help you thrive!
A healthy ECS supports a healthy and thriving human body. And when our bodies are healthy, we are able to carry balance & ease into the rest of our lives.
For more on the endocannabinoid system, check out one of my favorite written descriptions of the ECS by Dr. Ethan Russo, a renowned cannabis and endocannabinoid researcher in the PNW. In his paper, called Introduction to the Endocannabinoid System, he calls out the key functionality of the endocannabinoid system, saying:
“The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is the human body’s primary biological harm reduction system tasked with bringing the body back into balance or homeostasis whenever it is challenged by stress, infection, injury or lifestyle. The ECS regulates/modulates every biological system in the body including:
Pain
Inflammation
Mood
Cognition
The ECS is comprised of an extensive network of receptors, enzymes and critical chemicals called endocannabinoids. Remarkably, the cannabis plant makes chemicals called cannabinoids that mimic endocannabinoids.”
Basically… When your ECS is healthy and well supported with enough cannabinoids, your body is more resilient! This keeps your body in “fighting shape” against stressors, illness, and pain.
Along with pain, inflammation, mood, and cognition, here are some of the other areas affected by the health and functionality of the ECS: sleep, appetite, pleasure, memory, visceral sensation, growth, movement, and immune function.
Benefits of THC, CBD & Minor Cannabinoids
The cannabis plant contains many beneficial constituents, including cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. Of the various cannabinoids in the plant, THC and CBD are the most abundant.
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
This cannabinoid is abundant in most strains of cannabis and is well known for its psychoactive and intoxicating effects. Scientific interest relating to treating pain, appetite disorders, depression, nausea, muscle spasms, regulating the nervous system, treating certain cancers, reducing eye pressure, and more.
CBD (Cannabidiol)
This non-intoxicating cannabinoid is commonly used to balance the endocannabinoid system, boost the body’s natural resiliency, and treat pain, depression and anxiety, stress, and inflammation. Scientific interest relating to treating diabetes, inhibiting cancer cell growth, relieving anxiety, reducing inflammation, treating seizures and epilepsy, and more.
Here are some of the primary benefits of both THC and CBD:
There are also other minor cannabinoids and raw cannabinoids found in cannabis that provide medicinal value, including CBG, CBN, THCa, CBDa, and more.
CBG (Cannabigerol)
CBG has been noted to be advantageous for:
Boosted mood (an overall happy feeling)
Increasing mental acuity and neuroprotection
Reducing pain
Increasing appetite
Helping to achieve deep rest and sleep
Reducing seizures
Bladder contractility
Linked to reduction in many types of cancers, notably glioblastoma
CBN (Cannabinol)
CBN has been noted to be advantageous for:
Helping to achieve deep rest and sleep (CBN is a popular sleep aid!)
Reducing pain
Increasing appetite
Reducing inflammation
THCa (Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid)
THCa is a “raw” or acidic cannabinoid, meaning it remains in its carboxylated state (essentially, heat has not yet been applied to turn THCa into THC). THCa, as well as other acidic cannabinoids, are often used for their medicinal properties.
THCa has been noted to be advantageous for:
Reducing nausea
Increasing appetite
Reducing muscle spasms
CBDa (Cannabichromenic Acid)
CBDa is the “raw” or acidic form of CBD.
CBDa has been noted to be advantageous for:
Reducing anxiety
Reducing inflammation
*CBDa is unlikely to impact the effects of THC like CBD (CBD, when taken with THC, can “mute” the effects of THC). Therefore, people interested in maintaining the therapeutic effects of THC may opt for CBDa over CBD.
Cannabinoids Work Better Together
Cannabinoids work synergistically, meaning that the overall potential of cannabis is heightened when multiple cannabinoids are taken together. This can be important to know because many new users will ask, Should I take just one cannabinoid in isolation? Or should I take a “mix”?
The use of isolated cannabinoid molecules is not as effective as when multiple cannabinoids are taken together. Cannabinoids simply work better together. This phenomenon is known as the Entourage Effect, and is one of those rare times where 1+1=3.
If you can, incorporate multiple cannabinoids into your daily dose. This will help the cannabis work better!
Safety of Cannabis
Of note, there is no lethal dose of cannabis and when people start low and go slow, it has very few side effects. This is why many people are turning to plant-based medicines to help them achieve their health and wellness goals as opposed to a reliance on only pharmaceutical medications.
That said, there can be drug interactions or “contraindications” between CBD/cannabis and certain medications, including but not limited to: anti-epileptic drugs, statins, blood thinners, psychiatric drugs, immunosuppressive drugs, and drugs affecting metabolic enzymes.
Disclaimer: Remember, I am not a medical doctor.
And so, while I have researched the information provided in this article, I encourage you to speak openly with your primary care provider about your cannabis use, particularly when it comes to considering any pharmaceutical drugs you may be taking alongside cannabis-derived products.
If you’re not sure of your doctor’s openness to cannabis, you might ask them, “I have heard that other patients with this condition have had good results with medical cannabis. What do you think about that?” Then, based on their response, you can determine how to best proceed.
For more on the drug interactions possible with CBD use, read Dr. Dustin Sulak’s article on this here: A Patient’s Guide to CBD and Drug Interactions
Additional Resources
Have any questions? Seeking additional information? I want to set you up for success on your cannabis journey!
Great website by renown Dr. Dustin Sulak and his team; visit for cannabis information, patient-oriented information, usage guides, and more!
Healer.com also sells products; if you’re interested in purchasing, I can help you find the right product for you
Website that can help you connect to dispensaries in your area or access helpful and easy-to-understand articles about cannabis wellness. I also highly recommend the “Strain” section of their website, which can help you find the right cannabis cultivar or strain for you based on terpene profiles, desired felt effects, and more!
Grandma Cat Jeter
Grandma Cat, of grandmacatextracts.com, is a well-renown and knowledgable cannabis healer here in the Pacific Northwest. Her Youtube Channel is chock full of practical and actionable information people can use to educate themselves and inform their cannabis experience. She has helped hundreds, if not thousands, of patients develop their own canna confidence and canna competency.
Project CBD is a California-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting and publicizing research into the medical uses of cannabidiol (CBD) and other components of the cannabis plant.
And, if you have any additional questions, book a call with me and we can get you signed up for one of my cannabis coaching programs! I’d be happy to help you better understand cannabis and learn about the ways you can apply it to your own endocannabinoid system for increased balance & ease.