Cannabis use has increased at a quick pace and word-of-mouth marketing is to thank for that. But is the plant even safe? While the cannabidiol it contains can benefit health in a number of ways, the composition also houses THC which makes one high.
Different people experience a different high from the use of hemp. Some feel drowsy and sleepy while others become anxious and paranoid. The way THC influences one’s behavior depends on various different factors.
A new test, which comes from Lobo Genetics, a Toronto-based healthcare technology company, is believed to enable consumers to see what their sensitivity to cannabis compound THC is. Through this test, the company educates weed consumers about the plant’s safe consumption.
According to the company, it is not just the strength or the strain of pot that determines how high one would get by using it but one’s genetic factor of how sensitive he is to THC matters too. For ensuring that they were on the right route, the company’s people tested 3000 individuals and the aggregate data collected in the process was found to match what some previous studies say.
Using information gathered from several studies, this test can provide cannabis users with an overview of how THC would influence them the short and long term with regards to its induced effects of psychosis and schizophrenia.
The CEO of Lobo Genetics, John Lem, says that such an understanding can help save users from overdosing and experiencing a bad episode, such as visiting the hospital due to munching on too many edibles.
As per this company, how the human body metabolizes THC depends on the CYP2C9 gene. Up to 20% of people carry a variant CYP2C9*3 gene which results in 2 to 3 times slower metabolization than normal. Now people who metabolize THC slowly, experience an increased high due to the drug.
The CEO further explains that the intoxicating effect of THC is due to an increased release of dopamine in the brain which leads to psychotic symptoms. 25% of people carry a genotype AKT1 C/C which has the ability to increase the risk of THC-caused psychosis as well as schizophrenia.
However, experts say that genetic variations play a small role in determining how one’s body would be effected by THC’s high. This is because several other factors also count. What’s more, consumers need to take results from such tests with a grain of salt as typically such tests aren’t held accountable for their medical standards.
Looking at the rapid popularity and legalization of cannabis, it is essential to adhere to safety. While Cannabis has been proved to be great for health in many ways through several researches, there is still some lingering hesitation being felt among experts.
In America, the Food and Drug Administration has not yet given its thumbs up to the plant even though Canada is seeing it on shelves as a legal product. Though many people use cannabis for medical purposes, several are still using it for getting high. Furthermore, some are only consuming cannabis because of the relaxation it introduces.
