Cannabinoids are natural chemical compounds found in a viscous resin produced in glandular trichomes in the cannabis plant. They interact with your body through receptors that are part of our natural endocannabinoid system. According to different sources, there could be over 60, and up to 140 cannabinoids.

• Over 100 cannabinoids — the cannabis plant contains more than 100 identified compounds.

• THC and CBD are primary — the two most studied and widely known cannabinoids.

• Cannabinoids work via receptors — they bind to CB1 and CB2 receptors in the body.

• Minor cannabinoids matter — CBN, CBG, and CBC each offer distinct effects.

• Effects vary by product — consumption method and dose shape the experience.

If you need cannabinoids explained in detail, you’re at the right place: in this guide, we’ll cover the different types of cannabinoids, how they're classified, and where the cannabis plant produces them.

Below, you'll find a breakdown of cannabinoid types and effects, plus a comparison table for the six cannabinoids you'll see most often on a RISE menu. By the end, you'll have a working understanding of cannabinoids and their effects. Enough to read a product label and know what you're picking up.

Cannabinoids are the active compounds in cannabis. They form in resinous glands called trichomes, and they give the plant its psychoactive and non-psychoactive character.

These cannabis compounds (also called marijuana cannabinoids, or phytocannabinoids when produced by the plant itself) include THC, CBD, and over a hundred different cannabinoids the plant produces in smaller amounts. The human body makes its own cannabinoids too, called endocannabinoids, and both kinds talk to the same receptor network.

About 100 of the 600+ molecules in Cannabis sativa are classified as cannabinoids. Each one has a different molecular structure, which dictates how it behaves once it reaches the body. [Source]

The cannabis plant contains more than 100 identified cannabinoids, including a handful you'll recognize (THC, CBD) and a long tail of minor cannabinoids researchers are still cataloging. The total could climb past 140 as analytical methods improve.

These cannabis compounds fall into three main classifications, based on where they come from:

• Phytocannabinoids: These are produced by the cannabis plant. THC, CBD, CBN, CBG, and CBC all sit here. These are the cannabinoids (sometimes called marijuana cannabinoids) you'll see in dispensary flower, edibles, and full-spectrum concentrates. [Source]

• Endocannabinoids: These, on the other hand, are produced by the human body. Anandamide and 2-AG are the two most-studied. Your body makes these whether you use cannabis or not, which is why the receptor system that responds to THC exists in the first place. [Source]

• Synthetic cannabinoids: These are lab-created in research settings rather than produced by the plant or by the body. These don't appear on dispensary shelves and shouldn't be confused with the plant-derived kind.

Below, the list of cannabinoids and their effects covers the six you're most likely to find on a dispensary menu.

Of the 140+ cannabinoids in cannabis, six show up often enough on lab tests and product packaging to be worth knowing by name: THC, CBD, CBN, CBG, CBC, and THCV. The breakdown below covers their key properties side by side.

Here's a closer look at each:

• THC is the most abundant intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis, typically 15-30% in modern flower. Raphael Mechoulam first isolated it in 1964, and it's still the cannabinoid most consumer research and regulation centers on. THC is associated with euphoria, relaxation, and a shift in sensory perception. [Source]

• CBD got its name in the scientific world a little earlier, identified in 1963. It doesn’t produce a high the way THC does, which is part of why it shows up in so many different wellness-leaning cannabis and hemp products. RISE carries CBD in three main forms: isolate (CBD only), broad-spectrum (no THC), and full-spectrum (with trace THC), with doses usually labeled in milligrams. [Source]

• CBN isn't produced by fresh cannabis. It accumulates as flower ages and THC slowly oxidizes, which is why an old jar can test in single-digit CBN percentages while a fresh harvest sits near zero. Today, CBN often appears in evening-formulated gummies, tinctures, and capsules, especially products built for slower, quieter routines. It’s mildly intoxicating, though not in the same way or intensity most people associate with THC. [Source]

• CBG usually tests below 1% in finished flower because most converts to THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids during plant maturation. CBG is non-intoxicating, so it does not create the traditional cannabis high. The consumer experience is often described as clear, steady, and functional, which is why CBG has become popular in daytime-friendly products. [Source]

• CBC typically appears below 0.5% in cannabis, which is why it rarely gets featured on packaging. CBC is non-intoxicating and does not produce a high. Its role is usually part of the broader full-spectrum experience, where multiple cannabinoids and terpenes appear together rather than acting as a single-feature ingredient. [Source]

• THCV appears under 1% in most cannabis, but specific landrace and selectively bred strains like Durban Poison can hit 4-5%. Its dose-dependent pharmacology means a low-THCV strain feels different than a high-THCV one even at the same THC level. At lower amounts, it is generally considered non-intoxicating; at higher amounts, it can become mildly intoxicating. [Source]

There are also the acid precursors (THCA, CBDA, CBGA, CBCA), which are the raw-plant versions of these cannabinoids. They convert to their active forms when heated, which is why raw cannabis flower won't get you high until it's lit, vaped, or otherwise decarboxylated. THC and CBD generate most of the questions at the counter. Here's how they actually differ.

The main difference between THC and CBD is intoxication. THC produces a high; CBD doesn't.

The two often appear together in the same flower. THC binds directly to CB1 receptors in the brain, which produces the psychoactive effect. CBD doesn't activate CB1 the same way; it interacts with the endocannabinoid system indirectly. [Source]

That difference shows up commercially. THC-containing cannabis is sold through licensed dispensaries like RISE, while CBD with under 0.3% THC is federally classified as hemp and sold more widely.

Most pre-employment and workplace screenings look for THC metabolites, not CBD. People who use only CBD generally pass these tests, though product contamination occasionally causes false positives.

Many products combine the two at different ratios. A 1:1 tincture gives equal parts of each; a 20:1 has 20 parts CBD per part THC. The ratio you pick usually comes down to how much head-change you want alongside the rest of the experience.

THC and CBD aren't the whole picture, though. The four minor cannabinoids (CBN, CBG, CBC, THCV) get covered below.

All other cannabis cannabinoids, except for THC and CBD, are considered to be minor cannabinoids. The term "minor" comes from the low presence of those cannabinoids in the flower, but this doesn't mean that they are any less significant chemically speaking.

CBN, CBG, CBC, and THCV are the four most researched minor cannabinoids. In most cases, these four compounds appear in cannabis flower in amounts under 1%, and therefore, they can't make it into finished products on their own.

• CBN: This is usually a by-product formed due to the oxidation of THC in aged or stored cannabis. The only slightly intoxicating cannabinoid in the list; others do not have such effects.

• CBG: The compound from which most other cannabinoids present in cannabis evolve during growth. Unlike THC, which oxidizes to form CBN, CBG remains stable in storage. Non-intoxicating, with minimal interaction with CB1 or CB2 receptors.

• CBC: A rare cannabinoid that usually occurs in trace quantities, less than 0.5% of cannabis. As opposed to THC or CBD, CBC acts on TRP receptors instead of CB1/CB2, so it has unique effects.

• THCV: Has a similar molecular structure to THC, but the chain is shorter. In small dosages, THCV blocks CB1 receptors, whereas in larger dosages, it activates them.

Every cannabinoid covered here, major or minor, feeds into the same body system. Here's how it works.

Cannabinoids work through the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a network of receptors and signaling molecules that runs throughout the body. The two main receptors are CB1 and CB2. [Source]

CB1 receptors concentrate in the brain and central nervous system. They're what THC binds to directly, which is why THC produces the intoxication.

CB2 receptors concentrate in the immune system and peripheral tissues. Cannabinoids acting here produce effects outside the brain.

When you consume cannabis, the cannabinoids enter your bloodstream and bind to these receptor types in different proportions, which shapes how each one feels.

The body also makes endocannabinoids that keep the ECS running continuously, maintaining homeostasis (the body's baseline regulatory balance) whether or not you consume cannabis.

For the deeper read, see our guide where we have the whole endocannabinoid system explained.

Cannabinoids work alongside another family of compounds in cannabis: terpenes. The two often get conflated.

No. Cannabinoids and terpenes are different types of compounds. They form in the same trichomes on the cannabis plant but behave differently in the body.

Cannabinoids work through the endocannabinoid system. Terpenes are aromatic compounds that give cannabis its smell, and they appear in plenty of other plants too: pine trees, citrus peels, herbs, hops. The samelimonene terpene in cannabis is what makes a lemon peel smell like a lemon peel. [Source]

The two cannabis compounds work together through the entourage effect, where the full chemical profile of a strain shapes how it actually feels, but they are completely different from one another.

That's the working knowledge of cannabinoids you'll need to walk into a dispensary and read a label. The rest is product-by-product preference.

At RISE dispensary locations, you can explore a variety of cannabis products online or in-store, from flower and vapes to edibles, tinctures, concentrates, and more. Use the menu filters to shop by product type, cannabinoid content, and the kind of experience you’re looking for. And when the label gets too science-y, your local RISE dispensary team can help you read between the milligrams.