Cannabidiol is an active substance from the group of cannabinoids with anticonvulsant, neuroprotective and antioxidant properties, which is used as a medicine for the treatment of epilepsy in children. The substance is obtained from the flowers and leaves of the hemp plant. Other areas of application are being investigated. Cannabis is also used in dietary supplements and edibles.

Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol is not psychoactive and not a narcotic. According to the specialist information, CBD can be administered orally, topically, buccally and inhalatively, among other things. Taking it with a high-fat/high-calorie meal increases the speed and extent of absorption.

Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol is not a narcotic. Since the sale of hemp with a THC content of less than 1% is permitted in Switzerland, hemp flowers with a high proportion of CBD and a low THC content are sold as tobacco substitutes or as food.

The effects of cannabis are caused by chemical compounds in the cannabis plant. This is caused individually by 113 different cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 120 terpenes, which allow its drug to transmit various psychological and physiological effects to the human body. Different plants of the Cannabis genus contain different, unpredictable concentrations of THC and other cannabinoids, as well as hundreds of other molecules that have a pharmacological effect, so the final net effect cannot be reliably predicted.

Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the two most prominent cannabinoids found in cannabis, the plant genus that includes both hemp and marijuana. While there are over 100 different cannabinoids identified by scientists in cannabis to date, CBD and THC are by far the most studied and the best understood cannabinoids.

One of the main differences between CBD and THC is that tetrahydrocannabinol produces a euphoric effect when consumed.

THC does this, while CBD does not produce this effect when consumed. CBD and THC both interact with the body via the endocannabinoid system, a vital signaling system responsible for regulating a variety of functions.

Both plant cannabinoids such as CBD and THC, as well as the body's own endocannabinoids, interact with this regulatory network through its cannabinoid receptors found throughout the body. A well-functioning endocannabinoid system promotes health and well-being.

Cannabinoids are actually not a substance but a chemical compound that is already present in the body.

There are receptors in our body that, after consuming substances containing cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBG...), attach themselves to the receptors. This is how a chemical compound is created in the body, which causes the effect of the «high».

To explain "high" one must first learn how the endocannabinoid nervous system works.

The endocannabinoid system consists of enzymes and receptors that are not yet fully understood. The discovery of the receptors then led to the realization that there must also be endogenous cannabinoids (or endogenous ligands) for these receptor types. In 1992, researchers then isolated a substance from pig brains for the first time, which it binds to CB1. This is N-arachidonylethanolamide (AEA), which is a condensation product of ethanolamine and arachidonic acid. N-arachidonylethanolamide is also better known under the abbreviation "anandamide" (Sanskrit word for "bliss").

The nerve receptors differ between CB1 and CB2 receptors.

CB1: Mediates the effects of endogenous cannabinoids as well as oxygenated cannabinoids.

• Regulation of nerve signal transmission.

• Compensates for excess or deficiency of dopamine

• are responsible for the "high" feeling

CB2: Found on the cells of the immune system. In addition, it was detectable on cells, e.g. on the bone structure (osteoblasts).

• Responsible for the immune system.

• Detect virus, bacteria.

• Regenerate damaged cells.

As target structures, the receptors are responsible for the range of effects of hormones (e.g. adrenaline) and messenger substances (e.g. serotonin). Some viruses, such as the HI virus, also use these receptors as a binding site to get into the cell. The transferrin receptor CB2 is found on the cells of the immune system. It was also detectable on cells involved in bone formation (osteoblasts) and bone breakdown (osteoclasts).

Cannabis use lifetime - European Health Information Gateway (who.int)