There have been quite a few recent drastic changes that have swept the nation. However, none of the changes have been quite as drastic as the dual waves of medical and recreational cannabis legalization that have been passed in various states and cities throughout the US.

It seems like a growing number of regions of the country are going to push further marijuana legalization in one form or another. This means that there are now finally some legal places for United States’ residents to acquire and use marijuana. Now that people can treat themselves to some cannabis, they usually have a variety of questions about this wonderful plant that has been shrouded in secrecy all these years.

One common question that marijuana newbies commonly ask is whether all weed plants are the same. Well, they are certainly not!

There are thousands of different cannabis strains that produce vastly different flavor profiles, physical effects, and medicinal benefits. Have you ever given any thought to the difference between medical and recreational weed in the first place? Is there actually any real or noticeable difference at all? Let’s take a deeper look at the variations between medical marijuana vs recreational cannabis.

What Is Medical Marijuana?

Medical marijuana refers to the cannabis plants (and the products extracted and developed from these plants) that are used to alleviate a variety of medical conditions. Throughout history, cannabis has shown a pronounced healing effect against many different health concerns and ailments. However, only recently have the laws in the United States allowed qualifying patients the ability to obtain and use these plants and the healing compounds in them legally.

All cannabis plants contain a combination of over 100 different compounds known as cannabinoids. Each of these cannabinoids has a certain effect on your body.

The two main cannabinoids that are used in medical marijuana applications are THC and CBD. THC, which is a short name for tetrahydrocannabinol, causes the famous psychoactive effect or “high” that is felt when marijuana is used. CBD, which is short for cannabidiol, is another potent cannabinoid that is known as the primary powerhouse compound found in medical marijuana.

Both of these compounds together produce the profound healing effects that medical cannabis is known for. However, medical marijuana usually has a much higher CBD content than recreational marijuana in order to provide for increased medicinal benefits.

What Is Recreational Marijuana?

Recreational marijuana is quite similar to medical marijuana. This class of cannabis is primarily grown to accentuate the “high” that is felt when using it. This is why strains of recreational marijuana will usually have much higher THC contents than medical marijuana varieties.

It makes sense then; when users notice quite a bit of a difference between the medical vs recreational potency of the cannabis they ingest. The recreational varieties of weed will almost always produce a stronger psychoactive effect, while the medical strains will be a bit more mellow.

Now that you more fully understand the difference between medical vs recreational weed, perhaps you are starting to get interested in trying some of either type of cannabis.

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