Did Jamaican Scientists Just Discover A New Compound In Weed Or Are They Just High As Sh*t?

It’s no secret the Jamaicans have the best bud, at least that’s what they say. But who knew they had the coolest scientists?

Jamaican scientist, Hawthorne Watson, says he has isolated a new chemical compound from the plant, but has yet to determine whether it has any medicinal value. Somehow marijuana is illegal in Jamaica – though thankfully decriminalization may happen as early as this year – but perhaps this new ganja discovery will end up helping push its legality along.

State by state in the US, and abroad in the UK, governments are recognizing the medical importance of cannabis, and slowly but surely allowing the public to legally get their hands on it.

Cannabidiol (CBD), the primary known healing compound of cannabis, has long been touted as the miracle hiding in marijuana. Now, Watson’s breakthrough in finding a new compound, one he has named Cannabitriol (CBT), shows how little is known still about cannabis.

If one were to walk into a medical marijuana dispensary, the cannabis is usually classified by its CBD and THC content. THC, the active compound responsible for getting high, has it’s own medical benefits, however, like decreasing nausea and increasing appetite in cancer patients.

What CBT contributes is yet to be found out, but perhaps it is equally as important as its other counterparts.

Strains have traditionally been bred to alter their CBD and THC content. cannabis indica (high in CBD,) cannabis sativa (high on THC) and hybrids of the two have largely been the focus of scientist and seller alike. How CBT will influence the cannabis strains of the future is unknown but may potentially be important.

Despite the uncertainty, scientists devoting their time and knowledge to the potential healing properties that cannabis contain is certainly exciting nonetheless.

via Lexichronic