You're probably hearing a great deal about cannabis and marijuana products because they become legal in more and more states. Two natural compounds are receiving the absolute most attention: CBD and THC.

Cannabis is a plant that makes a heavy substance full of compounds called cannabinoids cbd benefits. There are more than 100 of those chemicals in cannabis. They cause drug-like reactions in your body.

Chemical Structure

CBD and THC have exactly the same chemical formula -- 21 carbon atoms, 30 hydrogen atoms, and two oxygen atoms. The difference is based on the way the atoms are arranged. That provides CBD and THC different chemical properties, and they affect your system differently.

Both CBD and THC assist receptors that release neurotransmitters in your brain. They are able to affect such things as pain, mood, sleep, and memory.

How CBD and THC Affect the Body

THC is the main psychoactive compound in marijuana. It's what makes people feel "high."

We have two kinds of cannabinoid receptors within our bodies. THC binds with receptors -- mostly in the brain -- that control pain, mood, and other feelings. That's why THC could make you are feeling euphoric and offer you that so-called high.

CBD doesn't cause that high. Instead, it's thought to work with other elements in the torso connected to feelings of well-being.

Medical Benefits

People take CBD products to simply help with sets from arthritis and Crohn's disease to diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Some say it can help with anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain. So far, there's little evidence that CBD helps with some of these.

CBD is a hot topic for researchers. The National Institutes of Health clinical trials database shows significantly more than 160 trials involving CBD that are either active or recruiting.

What's Legal?

Laws are changing constantly on cannabis. Many states allow medical marijuana, containing THC, for many uses, but it's still illegal under federal law. Some states have made recreational marijuana with THC legal for personal use. But it's also illegal under U.S. law.

Included in the Farm Bill in December 2018, Congress legalized hemp. But you can find still rules about where and ways to sell products that contain CBD. You can't sell some across state lines, for example. All CBD products are illegal if they're sold with the promise of medical benefits.