When you hear about cannabis, words like psychotropic, psychoactive and narcotic substances and other adjectives and terms are thrown about. But what do they really mean? Do they identify the same thing or different effects? 

Cannabis and, even more, marijuana have always had a difficult life around the world because they are classified as substances that alter psychic functions within the brains of users. 

However, when we talk about psychotropic substances it is good to make a distinction: not all of them act negatively on the brain. 

Some can alter the mental faculties as they cause a sensation of high and, in this case, we talk about narcotics. But other components of these plants positively act on psychic functions. 

Suffice it to say that there are also psychotropic drugs used for medical purposes, that is, those that help to normalise psychic functions in individuals suffering from some disorder or pathology that cause delirium, psychosis, alterations in memory or the perception of reality. 

It is very important to learn the differences, or similarities, between all these terms to know exactly which are harmful substances and which are healing. You should know that the cannabis plant produces over one hundred cannabinoids, components with psychoactive qualities and that not all are equal!

Let’s discover these terms to understand whether substances are legal, as well as which are beneficial and which are harmful. 

What do psychotropic substances mean?

Psychotropic substances are those that act on psychic functions, so they can induce changes in thoughts, mood, sensations and even behaviour. 

Such substances can be both synthetic and natural. What is noted is that in all cases they act as antipsychotics. That’s why we talked about psychotropic drugs earlier. Including those for the treatment of schizophrenia, depression, anxiety or insomnia.

Over time the term psychotropic has been increasingly associated not so much with substances that normalised psychic functions, but with those that altered them, therefore with narcotics. 

So today, when we refer to plants such as cannabis or marijuana, we tend to talk about psychotropic substances. When the alteration of psychic functions is very high, thus causing a sensation of a high, these substances are considered illegal and often create addiction. 

Sometimes you will read “psychotropic substances” on the web while other times you will read “psychoactive substances”. What’s the difference?

Effectively, there isn’t one. 

Psychotropic and psychoactive are two terms that are used synonymously. And now, let’s grasp how they affect the central nervous system, as well as the peripheral one. 

How do psychotropic substances work?

Are CBD and THC, the two main cannabinoids produced by cannabis, psychotropic substances?

The answer is yes because they interact with the endocannabinoid system. This system regulates many cognitive and physiological functions of the body because it is located in the central and peripheral nervous systems, therefore also in the brain. 

Simply put, the endocannabinoid system is tasked with regulating functions within most of your body’s organs and does so by producing substances chemically similar to cannabinoids, namely endocannabinoids. 

When an individual takes CBD, scientists have noticed that the active substance binds to particular receptors of the system affecting many functions. 

CBD is therefore certainly psychoactive, because entering the body normalizes psychic functions and not only, but does not cause a sensation of high. It cannot, therefore, be considered a drug. 

Now let’s dig even deeper to understand how many types of psychotropic substances exist and what different effects they cause. 

Which families of psychotropic substances are there?

When psychotropic substances were associated with narcotic substances, they were divided into different classes according to the type and mechanism of action. In common terms, we tend to talk about psychotropic substances as those whose production, possession or use are considered illicit. 

Indeed, there are several families: 

• Cannabis and derivatives: this family we refer to and within which it would be necessary to make further differentiations since not all varieties of cannabis contain the same amount of psychoactive substance and are not all in a position to cause a high; 
• Coca and derivatives: Coca (which is perfectly legal and used in Peru) is a plant considered illegal in many countries and even more so are the products that derive from its refining such as cocaine; 
• Opium and derivatives: again from the refining of a plant, the official poppy, they sell derivatives that have effects similar to those of morphine; 
• Mescaline and hallucinogens: always from plants such as peyote, the so-called power plants used for millennia by shamans in Central America, hallucinogens are obtained, which can also be compared to synthetic ones.

The list is very long and could continue between legal substances like caffeine and nicotine, to illegal ones like amphetamines, benzodiazepines and many other addictive substances. 

CBD and THC are different

This being the case, CBD and THC can be considered psychoactive substances if by this term we mean those active ingredients that have the power to act on the central nervous system and act on mood, thought, consciousness, movement, etc. 

However, CBD and THC are different. 

They are because of a small difference in their chemical composition. This difference makes THC cause the high and is therefore considered illegal while CBD does not cause it and is therefore perfectly legal even in high concentrations. 

THC in small amounts is still tolerated because it would be too little to cause a mental disturbance. Products containing up to 0.5% THC are legal in Italy. The products called “full spectrum” are those that provide it along with CBD and all other natural substances produced by cannabis. 

Products with no THC include the broad spectrum and isolated products, the best choice for particularly sensitive subjects. 

Legal CBD products

If you are approaching the world of cannabis for the first time, the information you have read so far can be very useful to understand what you are buying, if it is legal and how it acts on the body. 

There are many CBD products on the market, just to meet any need. The world of CBD oils is the largest because you can find the full spectrum, broad spectrum and isolated versions and you can even choose the concentration of CBD based on the use you want to make of it. 

In addition to these, there are many other products such as candies, capsules and many others, all perfectly legal since they contain the amount of THC considered safe for consumers. 

Some have no THC while others provide a small percentage, but with the elements you now have in hand you can choose the best formulation for you. Visit our shop now and discover all the CBD products we have designed for you.