Cannabis Fact vs. Fiction - 5 Common Myths Busted

Cannabis is a hazy topic, regardless of whether you consume or not. Shrouded by decades of prohibition and limited funding for research, it remains a mysterious plant, with lots of misinformation circling around it. In this article, we explore five of the most common cannabis-related myths and provide the real facts.

Myth #1: All cannabis gets you high.

Each cannabis plant contains hundreds of cannabinoids, most of which you’ve probably never heard of. While THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is one of the more commonly known, certain cannabinoids – like CBD (Cannabidiol) – don’t produce intoxicating effects¹. While consuming THC might leave you feeling “high”, CBD has very different effects.

Now that prohibition has ended and research opportunities into our endocannabinoid system are increasing, more and more information is surfacing about this non-intoxicating cannabinoid. For all those who thought cannabis was all about THC, think again. Cannabis strains like Daytime CBD and DM2 are high in CBD and may produce different effects than high THC strains (like Ultra Sour and MK Ultra).

Myth #2: Consuming raw cannabis has the same effects as smoking it.

Ever thought about sprinkling some dried bud onto your food to make it into an edible? Unfortunately, this won’t work very well, because cannabis must be decarboxylated² before being consumed in order to convert THCA into THC, the main psychoactive component of weed. In other words, you’ll need to heat it to feel the effects, regardless of whether you’re consuming it through inhalation or ingestion. With inhalation, that’s easy – all you need is a lighter or vaporizer. With ingestion, however, that means you’ll need to heat your dried bud in the oven before cooking with it, or purchase cannabis that’s been pre decarboxylated (such as cannabis oils).

If you’re planning to cook with cannabis, our Corporate Red Seal Chef John MacNeil’s recipe on base cannabis infusions is a great place to start.

Myth #3: Reefer madness is real.

There was a time when reefer madness was widely considered a legitimate threat: the idea that, upon consuming cannabis, one would lose all self-control. This was primarily enforced via propaganda and scare tactics, leading to a belief among the general public that cannabis was something to fear and stay away from. It doesn’t help that a propaganda film called Reefer Madness was released in 1936, where the protagonists’ untimely descent into madness was as a result of cannabis consumption. If you’ve ever consumed cannabis, however, you’ll know that the “reefer madness” portrayal is extremely far-fetched and not an accurate representation of the effects most people experience from cannabis.

Myth #4: Smoking cannabis is the only way to consume it.

When we picture someone consuming cannabis, we tend to think of someone smoking a joint, or maybe hitting a bong or pipe. But there are so many more options out there for consumers, whether you’re new to cannabis or a connoisseur. Especially since the legalization of cannabis for recreational use in Canada, a range of formats have appeared in the market. Gone are the days where you only have the option of smoking or vaporizing – now, many different formats exist, from oil droppers to gel caps.

Myth #5: There is a significant difference between sativa and indica cannabis strains.

This one’s tricky. Many cannabis consumers, particularly those who have been consuming for many years, will swear by the distinction between sativas and indicas. While we understand that anecdotal evidence is valuable, the truth of the matter is that the difference in these effects have not been backed by science. Essentially, while pure sativa strains and pure indica strains may have existed at one time, decades of cross-breeding has resulted in almost all modern strains being hybrids.

So, then, why are these classifications used? While there isn’t a scientifically proven difference in their effects, the categories “sativa” and “indica” can be useful when identifying cannabis plant characteristics. Sativa plants tend to have smaller, thinner leaves while indica plants tend to have shorter, bushier leaves and a shorter, wider stature.

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References

1. Bakas T, Nieuwenhuijzen PV, Devenish S, Mcgregor I, Arnold J, & Chebib M (2017). The direct actions of cannabidiol and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol at GABA A receptors. Pharmacological Research, 119, 358–370.
2. Wang M, Wang YH, Avula B, Radwan MM, Wanas AS, Antwerp JV, Khan IA (2016). Decarboxylation Study of Acidic Cannabinoids: A Novel Approach Using Ultra-High-Performance Supercritical Fluid Chromatography/Photodiode Array-Mass Spectrometry. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 1(1), 262–271.