The molecule that gives cannabis its citrusy smell can make THC less anxiety-inducing
By Allison Parshall Fadel Senna/AFP via Getty Images At the right dose, cannabis has relaxing effects that can help ease anxiety and manage pain . The right dose is notoriously hard to determine, however, and just a little too much can produce a dramatically opposite effect: an experience that recreational users sometimes call “paranoia,” an acute anxiety and panic that makes the world feel hostile and terrifying. Such acute anxiety is commonly reported by people seeking emergency care for cannabis-induced intoxication.
But one of the many aromatic compounds found naturally in the cannabis plant may actually ease these anxiety-inducing effects , according to new research published this month in Drug and Alcohol Dependence. The findings suggest that cannabis strains with a high concentration of this citrusy compound, called d-limonene, could help some users avoid anxious reactions and thus benefit more from marijuana’s therapeutic potential.
Cannabis plants contain more than 500 chemical compounds. The cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the one that causes the high, and other cannabinoids (such as cannabidiol, or CBD) are widely believed to affect the experience as well. The plant also contains hundreds of aromatic compounds called terpenes, which give it its distinct scent profile. For decades, researchers, growers and cannabis enthusiasts alike have speculated that there’s something special about the effect of consuming products made from whole flowers rather than single compounds—such as THC or CBD—selectively isolated from the plant. This “entourage effect” concept arose from […]
Lemon-Scented Marijuana Compound Reduces Weed’s ‘Paranoia’ Effect
