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Drive through any retail area in the city, and it can seem as if there’s a weed shop on every corner, selling scores of different strains of the cannabis plant, along with a cornucopia of CBD products, from gummies to oils. Today Portland has at least 210 licensed marijuana retailers
Medical and recreational marijuana, along with CBD, are all legal in Oregon, and business is flourishing, with more than 9.6 million pounds of marijuana harvested in 2023. According to Oregon State University, the hemp industry is also seeing strong growth, with a harvest value of $126 million in 2023 and a listing in the top 20 Oregon crop commodities in 2024.
For the inexperienced buyer, knowing the difference between THC, the main active component of marijuana, and CBD, its close relative, is important.
Harvard Medical School breaks it down: “Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the two best-known active compounds derived from the marijuana plant. The other is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the substance that that produces the ‘high’ from marijuana.”
Common Treatment Uses
According to Medical News Today, both THC and CBD are typically used to treat pain, anxiety and nausea; while THC has “potential uses in treating glaucoma, muscle spasticity, low appetite and insomnia.” CBD’s most common treatment uses are for “IBD, seizures, depression, inflammation, psychosis or mental disorders and migraine.”
Although CBD by itself will not produce the typical marijuana high, Harvard Medical School goes on to say, “It does change your consciousness. You may feel mellow or sleepy, experience less pain, and be more comfortable. In addition, some CBD products do contain small amounts of THC, which might affect how you feel.”
Legal Considerations
CBD is most often derived from hemp, a relative of the marijuana plant which naturally contains much lower concentrations of THC. PBS’s 2019 “A cheat guide to CBD,” published shortly after production and sale of hemp and its byproducts became legal, noted, “Hemp, by federal law, cannot contain more than 0.3 percent THC. Anything with more THC is classified as marijuana.”
Hemp is legal in all 50 states, but the fact that CBD products aren’t regulated by any official body, including the Food and Drug Administration, means that some may contain trace amounts of THC that could possibly show up in drug screening.
A 2020 paper in JAMA Psychiatry reported on an open-label clinical trial that showed people taking a legal CBD product listing just .02 percent of THC still had measurable quantities of THC in their urine, which could have employment repercussions.
Getting a Good Product
The Oregon Health Authority requires all cannabis products sold at retail to be tested for a number of contaminants, including pesticides, mycotoxins, heavy metals and microbiological contaminants. Testing also must measure the percentages of THC and CBD.
Test results should always be available on the maker’s website, and also summarized on the product label. CBD buyers concerned about a possible “positive” on a drug screening test should be sure to scrutinize the percentage of THC listed, keeping in mind that this isn’t a guarantee that no THC will show up on that test.
Smart CBD users will make sure they’re buying both THC and CBD products from reputable retailers. Sorting through the city’s 210 retailers may seem like a daunting task, but it becomes easier when the search is narrowed down to those with a long history of being in business and with staff knowledgeable about the different products.
Side Effects
There are very few side effects with either CBD or THC. According to the World Health Organization, CBD is generally safe and does not appear to have abuse potential or the ability to cause harm. The Food and Drug Administration adds that potential side effects are likely the result of interactions with other medications a person may be taking. It may also have some impact on the liver and male fertility.
The following link will take you to products related to this story that may be of interest. If you choose to purchase a product, we may receive an affiliate commission. pdxmonthly.com/advantage
“]] What to consider, and how to find a reputable cannabis product. Read More