Dr. Shane Johnson, GM of BayMedica, InMed’s subsidiary, answers these questions:
- What makes a cannabinoid intoxicating?
- Which cannabinoids are intoxicating?
- Which cannabinoids are non-intoxicating?
- What receptors are activated by intoxicating cannabinoids?
- Is CBD intoxicating?
- Is THC intoxicating?
- Are all cannabinoids intoxicating?
If a cannabinoid activates the CB1 receptor it will be intoxicating. THC, for example, binds to the CB1 receptor and is intoxicating. This means that it can impair or alter one’s mental or physical capability. Conversely, the non-intoxicating cannabinoids don’t activate the CB1 receptor. CBD, for example, is widely considered non-intoxicating as it does not bind to the CB1 receptor. Most of the non-THC cannabinoids are non-intoxicating.