Understanding CBD:THC Ratios and Finding the Perfect Balance

Understanding CBD:THC Ratios and Finding the Perfect Balance

As marijuana penetrates the legal market more and more, we are seeing a whole bunch of new numbers appear alongside your favorite recreational strains, and particularly at dispensaries for medical marijuana use. The medical weed industry is a fast moving sector and these numbers can be alien to some, and confusing to most. Even the most regular users are having a tough time getting to grips with these facts and figures. So what are these numbers? – They are in fact, among other things, the CBD:THC ratio of a particular strain. Actually, this can have a big impact on you, and the desired impact of your marijuana. Therefore, we will examine in more detail exactly what CBD:THC ratios are, and how to find the correct balance to suit your individual needs.

What Exactly Are CBD:THC Ratios

This ratio is directly related to the make-up of your cannabis strain. It tells you the exact balance between the amount of THC in the strain when compared with the amount of CBD. As with any ratio, it is expressing two elements in proportion to each other.

In the past, most recreational marijuana strains have been heavily balanced toward a higher degree of THC content. The THC is what give you a high, and produces psychoactive results when used in higher quantities. With this in mind, most marijuana strains would typically have as much as 18-23% THC to just 1-2% CBD.

With the advent of medical marijuana and the uncovering of all the benefits it can provide to a whole host of patients suffering from a variety of medical conditions, extensive research and experimentation is ongoing to determine how varying the CBD:THC ratio can be of benefit for different conditions. This means, now more than ever, there is a much-increased focus on CBD dominant strains for medical purpose.

In the most basic of terms, a 1:0 CBD ratio is a strain which contains no THC at all, and thus would produce no high effects whatsoever, but may be well utilized for therapeutic purpose. Most likely in this case though are ratios which vary between 20:1, 3:1, and 1:1 in treating a variety of different cases. The higher the CBD ratio, the less psychoactivity and the more useful a strain will be in fighting anxiety and depression, while the opposite is true for chronic pain related conditions.

How to Calculate Your Own Ideal Ratio

Besides the varying medical uses of a particular strain dependent upon its CBD:THC ratio, you will also have to consider your own tolerance and experience with marijuana when deciding which number is the best fit for you.

Now with an increased understanding of the numbers, you can easily identify that CBD dominant strains are less psychoactive. This effectively means that the higher the CBD:THC ratios are in favor of CBD, the easier it will be for a novice of non-experienced user to withstand.

As well as factoring in your own experience when it comes to deciding the most appropriate ratio, you should also weight the other factors involved, particularly if you are using the marijuana as part of medical treatment.

For recreational use however, your selection will very much be a subjective one, based on the effects you wish to feel from your high. For those who are just starting out with using marijuana, or who may be sensitive to the psychoactive effects of THC, it is best to start out with a strain which has lower levels of THC.

At a ratio of 2:1 CBD to THC for example, you will feel a more balanced impact, and only experience notable “high” psychoactive effects at more moderate amounts. From here, you can quickly build your tolerance before making your way through the ranks to higher THC dominant strains.

When you start to reach levels closer to 1:2 or 1:3 in favor of THC, then you will note considerably more euphoria and other high effects which are associated with particular strains. This type of balanced and progressive approach can also be really beneficial when it comes to avoiding negative experiences as a recreational user. We all have more than one friend who has over-indulged through lack of experience or other reasons. Knowing your ratios and which is most suitable for each occasion as well as your own tolerance can really help to mitigate against these events, and ensure you have the most positive experience possible.

The Benefits of Finding the Right CBD:THC Ratio

The main driver behind the experimentation with CBD:THC ratios and why they are so important is majorly connected with medical marijuana and the treatment of particular conditions. While research is continuing, science has already shown that these ratios can have a big impact on how different conditions are treated in terms of effectiveness. The benefits for the medical sector in finding the right ratio is the most effective treatment for any given issue.

We are already well versed in the ability of THC to relieve painful chronic conditions and help with reducing inflammation. Therefore, in sufferers of these conditions, a ratio which is equal at 1:1, or more dominant in THC at 1:2 or greater is proven to be more effective.

Oppositely, with the likes of anxiety, depression, and other neurologically degenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s, research has shown that patients benefit from strains which have a ratio highly weighted toward CBD of more than 20:1.

The key in any of these situations is testing. Each condition and disease is quite unique to an individual, and as with most mainstream medical treatments, each patient is likely to respond in their own slightly different ways. Although extensive research is still being done, and the field is evolving at a fast pace, once the ideal ratio is identified though, you are likely to notice a series of much more effective results.

As mentioned, on a recreational level, these correct ratios allow you to choose the strains you wish, with almost completely full and transparent knowledge as to the effects which they will have on your body and mind.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it is very evident that as the mainstream legal cannabis and medical marijuana sectors progress, people are becoming more aware of the nuances to be found within each and every strain and exploring the positive impacts these can have. Continued experimentation and discovery in terms of CBD:THC ratios could well prove the catalyst to unlocking more and more solutions to medical conditions which mainstream medicine has failed to solve. On recreational levels, it can also allow for a more aware, and rewarding marijuana experience with a much greater degree of transparency.

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