The Complete
Cannabis Glossary

• ✓The compound that gets you high
• ✓Reduces pain and nausea (used medically)
• ✓Stimulates appetite
• ✓Low doses may reduce anxiety; high doses can increase it
• ✓Can impair short-term memory at high doses

Tetrahydrocannabinol — the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. Binds to CB1 receptors in the brain and CNS. Documented effects: euphoria, altered sensory perception, increased appetite, analgesic (pain-reducing) and antiemetic (anti-nausea) properties. Important nuance: THC's effect on anxiety is biphasic — low doses may be anxiolytic; higher doses can be anxiogenic, causing anxiety and paranoia in susceptible individuals. Short-term memory impairment at high doses is well-documented.

• ✓Does not get you high
• ✓Reduces anxiety and inflammation
• ✓FDA-approved for epilepsy (Epidiolex)
• ✓May reduce the anxious side effects of THC
• ✓One of the most studied cannabinoids

Cannabidiol — does not produce intoxication. Acts via partial agonism of 5-HT1A receptors and negative allosteric modulation of CB1 — not through direct CB1 binding. Documented effects: anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, antipsychotic properties in research. The only cannabis-derived compound with FDA approval: Epidiolex (approved June 2018) treats seizures in Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis complex in patients ≥1 year old.

• ✓Does not get you high
• ✓The chemical parent of THC, CBD, and CBC
• ✓Found in very low amounts in most strains (<1%)
• ✓Early research suggests anti-inflammatory benefits
• ✓No human clinical trials yet — research is early stage

Often called the mother of cannabinoids — CBGA (the acid form) is the biosynthetic precursor from which THC, CBD, and CBC are synthesized. Typically found at <1% in finished cannabis. Preclinical evidence shows anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective activity in cell and animal models. No human RCTs published as of 2026 — all findings remain preclinical. An active and promising research area.

• ✓Forms naturally as THC ages and degrades
• ✓Marketed as a sleep aid — evidence is mixed
• ✓May reduce nighttime wake-ups (2024 RCT)
• ✓Does not help you fall asleep faster
• ✓Much weaker psychoactive effect than THC

Formed when THC oxidizes with age or heat exposure. Widely marketed as a sleep cannabinoid. A 2024 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study (Bonn-Miller et al.) found 20mg CBN nightly reduced nighttime awakenings and overall sleep disturbance, but had no significant effect on sleep onset latency. Mildly psychoactive at higher doses but significantly less potent than THC. The broader sedative reputation may partly originate from aged cannabis with degraded terpenes.

• ✓Does not get you high
• ✓Anti-inflammatory effects shown in lab studies
• ✓Works better alongside CBD (combined effect)
• ✓Pain-relieving potential under investigation
• ✓No human clinical trials yet

Cannabichromene — non-psychoactive, does not significantly bind to CB1 receptors. Anti-inflammatory activity demonstrated in human macrophages in vitro (2023) and in arthritis models, where CBC combined with CBD produced greater anti-inflammatory effect than either compound alone. Antinociceptive effects shown in animal studies via TRPA1 and TRPV1 receptor interactions. Anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, and antibacterial properties under active investigation. No human RCTs published as of 2026.

• ✓Suppresses appetite at low doses (opposite of THC)
• ✓Energising and stimulating at low doses
• ✓Studied for weight management and diabetes
• ✓Rare — found in very small amounts in most strains
• ✓Effects change significantly depending on dose

At low doses, acts as a neutral CB1 receptor antagonist — reducing appetite, increasing satiety, and producing stimulating effects (Pertwee et al., 2008). At higher doses, animal studies suggest partial CB1 agonism, though human high-dose psychoactivity is not yet well-characterized clinically. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 62 type 2 diabetes patients (Diabetes Care, 2016) found THCV modulated glycemic control and lipid parameters. Rodent studies confirm appetite suppression and upregulated energy metabolism.