April 9, 2023

Cannabis Chemistry: The Endocannabinoid System

Join Hometown Hero CEO and Co-Founder Lukas Gilkey as he sits down with Lab Director Mark Krause as they discuss chemistry, the endocannabinoid system, regulation, definitions, and much more in the video below:

What is the definition of "hemp?"

Hemp is Cannabis sativa L. with a 0.3% or lower concentration of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on a dry weight basis. In essence, this definition pretty much means that if you removed the water content from plant material (or a product), no more than 0.3% of its weight could be Delta-9 THC.

As of this writing, the 0.3% standard is how the federal government defines hemp. Initially, this is how many states have defined hemp as well, but as state laws have changed over the years, this definition has been shifting on a state-by-state basis.

The Endocannabinoid System

Why does cannabis interact with your body? Because it interacts with your endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a network of receptors and chemical receptors that helps regulate a wide variety of functions, such as:

Sleep
Pain management
Emotional processing
Memory
Learning
Appetite

THC is structurally similar to anandamide, a chemical messenger used in the ECS. However, when THC bonds to ECS receptors, it can (as we all know) produce more pronounced effects.

Krause Analytical & More Information

This video concludes our two-part series with Mark Krause. If you missed part 1 of this series, you can check it out right here, and if you're interested in speaking with Mark Krause, you can find all the information you need on Krause Analytical's website.

This video is part of an ongoing series on the state of the hemp industry. If you are curious about getting an "insider's look" into hemp and recent developments, you can find our previous installments on the Hometown Hero blog: