A cannabinoid is any molecule that interacts with at least one of the body’s two cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. This large class of chemicals can be divided into
three parts: those produced by cannabis, called phytocannabinoids; those produced within the body, called endogenous cannabinoids or endocannabinoids; and those produced in a lab (that don’t also exist in nature), called synthetic cannabinoids. It’s this latter class of novel molecules, encompassing valuable research chemicals and dangerous street drugs alike, to which we turn our attention.
