Glossary
Terms used across this site, in one place. Each links back to where it's discussed in more depth.
Longer articles on the science →
Cannabinoid
Any of over 100 chemical compounds unique to the cannabis plant. THC and CBD are the best known, but far from the only ones.
CBD (cannabidiol)
A non-intoxicating cannabinoid studied for anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, and neuroprotective properties. See CBD: What the Research Shows.
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)
The primary intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis, first isolated by Raphael Mechoulam's team in 1964.
Endocannabinoid system
A signaling network in the human body that helps regulate pain, mood, appetite, and immune function, using its own cannabinoids — anandamide and 2-AG — via CB1 and CB2 receptors.
Entourage effect
The theory, developed by Dr. Ethan Russo, that cannabis compounds work better together than any single compound does alone. See Researchers to Follow.
Hemp vs. cannabis
Both come from the Cannabis sativa species. "Hemp" generally refers to low-THC cultivars grown for fiber, seed, or CBD; other cultivars are bred for higher THC content.
Hempcrete
A building material made from hemp shiv, lime, and water — lightweight, insulating, and can be carbon-negative over its lifetime. See Hemp Today.
Hemp shiv
The woody core of the hemp stalk, left over after the outer fiber is removed — the main ingredient in hempcrete.
Epidiolex
The first FDA-approved, plant-derived CBD medication, approved in 2018 for two severe childhood epilepsy conditions.
Yakar
Israel's medical cannabis regulatory unit within the Ministry of Health, overseeing licensing and advertising rules for medical cannabis.
Terpenes
The aromatic compounds made in the same glands as cannabinoids, and the reason each variety smells as it does.
Trichomes
The resin glands on the flower where cannabinoids and terpenes are made and stored.
Decarboxylation
The reaction that turns the acids the plant actually makes into the compounds people know by name.
CB1 and CB2 receptors
The two receptors through which cannabinoids, whether from the plant or from the body, act.
Tissue culture
Growing plants from small pieces of tissue in sterile conditions — for cloning, for cleaning up disease, and for keeping a variety unchanged.