Welcome to the Sticky Fields Cannabis Education Page. Read on to gain some insight into why cannabis makes you feel the way it does. How it interacts with our brains, and bodies, and how things like food, sleep, and lifestyle can all have an effect on your high.

The Basics:

The Endocannabinoid System:
All humans have what is called an endicannabinoid system, which regulates a number of important functions – physiological, mental and emotional. It’s amazing and keeps us all tuned up. Our bodies have special receptors that respond to the endocannabinoids we create; which then trigger actions for maintaining good health. When we consume cannabis, the cannabinoids that the plant produces are very similar to the endocannabinoids our bodies produces, making it easy for cannabinoids to bind or “plug in” to our endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system effects:

appetite and digestion
metabolism
chronic pain inflammation and other immune system responses
mood
learning and memory
motor control
sleep
cardiovascular system function
muscle formation
bone remodeling and growth
liver function
reproductive system function
stress
skin and nerve function

All of these functions contribute to homeostasis, or your bodies internal balance. If something disrupts homeostasis, the endocannabinoid system kicks into gear to rebalance it.

There are two main receptors in our endocannabinoid system called CB1 and CB2.

CB1 receptors are mostly found in the central nervous system.
CB2 receptors are mostly found in your peripheral nervous system, especially immune cells.

For example, endocannabinoids might target CB1 receptors in a spinal nerve to relieve pain. Others might bind to a CB2 receptor in your immune cells to signal that your body’s experiencing inflammation, a common sign of autoimmune disorders.

Just like endocannabinoids, cannabinoids found in cannabis bind to either CB1 or CB2 receptors as well. Since CB1 is strongly connected to the central nervous system cannabinoids that bind to it give you more of a head high. Cannabinoids that bind to CB2 give you more of a body high.

Cannabinoids:

What is a cannabinoid and what does it do?
Cannabinoids are chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant that interact with our bodies natural cannabinoid receptors. There are hundreds of cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, but only a few that we have done extensive research on.
The cannabis plant produces cannabinoids as a defense and attraction mechanism for unwanted and desired creatures.
Some of the most commonly known, and well studied cannabinoids are THC, and CBD.

THC: Tetrahydrocannabinol is one of the most common cannabinoids found in cannabis. It is known to most people as the cannabinoid that knocks you on your ass and gets you high AF. It is extra powerful because it binds to both CB1 and CB2, effecting your brain and body. It is important to have a good balance of cannabinoids to work synergistically with your body to give a more desirable effect. Too much THC on its own can cause paranoia and anxiety.

CBD: Cannabidiol is another one of the most common cannabinoids found in cannabis. It tends to not fog up the brain, but instead provides symptoms of relief to the body, and is a bit of a miracle when it comes to fighting illnesses such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, chronic inflammation, depression, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, anxiety, and opioid withdrawal. CBD does not bind directly to either the CB1, or CB2 receptors but instead impacts them indirectly. These indirect actions include activating TRPV1 Receptors that work to control important functions like pain perception, body temperature, and inflammation. CBD can also increase the amount of anandamide in the body aka the “bliss molecule,” anandamide plays a role in the neural generation of pleasure and motivation. CBD on its own is not as effective as it is when it works with all of the other cannabinoids to compliment it. On its own it may have little to no effect at all.

The Entourage Effect: This is the theory that all the compounds in cannabis work together, and when taken together, they produce a better effect than when taken alone. Like I just explained above, THC will give a more desirable effect when it is complimented by its fellow cannabinoids. The same goes for CBD and all of the other hundreds of cannabinoids found in cannabis.

Terpenes: The compounds responsible for the aroma and flavors of cannabis. They support cannabinoids in producing desired effects.

Flavonoids: These are similar to terpenes in that they contribute to a plant’s aroma and flavor profile, but may offer their own unique therapeutic effects.

The terpene chart below compares terpenes found in cannabis to familiar things they can be found in in our every day lives. It also explains how these terpenes effect our brains, and body. Some have a more energizing effect, and some a more calming effect.

Looking at the chart above, and combining it with the information we’ve provided on the endocannabinoid system, cannabinoids, and how they effect our minds and bodies differently when they are used together, or separately, you should have a pretty basic understanding of the high our Sticky Fields strains, and other cannabis strains you consume might effect you. Of course there is a lot more in depth science to all of this, and still so much we have yet to discover. We encourage you to educate yourself, and experiment with different strain profiles to find the ones that compliment you the best.

Everyone is different, therefore cannabis effects everyone differently. Something your bestie loves, that makes them feel a certain way, you may not like at all and it may make you feel the complete opposite. That’s why it’s important to understand what you’re smoking, its profile, and why it is making you feel the way it is. Keep a journal and record not only your experience with the flower, but what you’ve eaten that day, as what we eat absolutely has an effect on our high, cannabis is lipophilic, meaning it combines with or dissolves in lipids or fats. If you’ve eaten fatty foods such as avocado, french fries, nuts, or anything high in fat, it will help the cannabinoids enter your blood stream faster, and intensify your high. You can even record things like how much sleep you got the night before, exercise you’ve done that day, or amount of water you drank, as all of these things can alter the way cannabis effects you.

Tip to bring you down if you consume too much THC:
Dr. Ethan Russo recommends keeping a jar of homemade basil pesto in the fridge. Make sure it has lots of basil, pine nuts, black pepper and lime. We found a great recipe for this pesto from Kitchen Toke. Also keep on hand a large glass of water with lots of fresh lemon, rinds and all squeezed into it. Due to the limonene and pinene content, and the uplifting effects both have on the brain, this meal should help to reverse the effects of THC.

We will continue to update this page as new discoveries are made! Feel free to reach out here at any time with questions or comments.

Much Love,

The Sticky Fields Team