Cannabinoids - More than THC

THC is the most well known cannabinoid, but if you have tried marinol (pharmaceutical THC) you can see that the high is different from cannabis.

This is because Cannabis contains many other cannabinoids, most aren't psychoactive but have many medicinal proprieties, the concentration of these different cannabinoids and their synergy makes the high of each cannabis strain unique.

This Infographic will give you a little idea of some natural cannabinoids and their effects

Canabinol for example is slightly psychoactive, about 10% potency of THC, causes drowsiness and is a breakdown product of THC, Apart from the concentration I believe this is the main cause for the difference in the Hashish High and Weed High.

My favorite, and the most relevant for recreational users, is tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)

THCV is very similar to THC, THCV is like THC’s propyl cannabinoid cousin. Their chemical structure is nearly identical, but the process involved in their creation is slightly different.

High-THCV Strains Are Considered To Be Euphoric, Although tetrhydrocannabivarin does affect the same receptors in the brain as THC, it produces a much different high.

THCV is psychoactive, but causes more of a psychedelic, clear-headed effect. It causes the effects of THC to hit you much faster, and some think it could be the reason for those “1 hitter quitter” strains. With that said, the THC effects also die off a bit more quickly with the presence of THCV.

Some of the most beloved Sativas in the world are high in THCV. It is most prominent in African landraces, like Durban Poison, and the haze strains. Some breeders have started to focus on the production of more high-THCV strains

Additional Reading:

Handbook of Cannabis

List of cannabinoids

Chemical constituents of marijuana: the complex mixture of natural cannabinoids.