At Commencement Bay Cannabis, we get questions every day that sound different, but often point to the same curiosity: Why does cannabis affect so many parts of the body? Sleep, appetite, stress, soreness, mood, focus. It can feel like cannabis has a hand in everything.
One big reason is that your body already has a built-in communication network designed to work with cannabinoid-like compounds. It is called the endocannabinoid system, often shortened to ECS. In the simplest terms, the ECS helps your body maintain balance, especially when life pushes you away from it.
Commencement Bay Cannabis has multiple locations across the South Sound, including Tacoma and Fife, and our team spends a lot of time translating cannabis science into real-world choices. This article is our beginner-friendly explanation of what the ECS is, how it works, and why understanding it can make your experience with cannabis more predictable.
The endocannabinoid system, in plain English
The ECS is a body-wide signaling system that helps regulate homeostasis, which is your internal balance. That balance includes things like stress response, sleep and wake rhythms, appetite, immune signaling, memory, and pain processing.
A useful way to picture it is as a set of “dimmer switches” rather than simple on and off buttons. When something is too high or too low, the ECS helps nudge it back toward center.
That does not mean the ECS makes life perfect. It means your body has a constant feedback system trying to keep you stable, even when you are under pressure.
The three core parts of the ECS
Most high-ranking educational pages that explain the ECS clearly all do the same thing first: they break it into three parts. We do the same at Commencement Bay Cannabis dispensaries because it makes everything else easier to understand.
1) Cannabinoid receptors (the “locks”)
The two main receptors are:
CB1 receptors: found heavily in the brain and nervous system, and also in some peripheral tissues. CB1 is a major reason cannabinoids can affect mood, memory, appetite, coordination, and perception.
CB2 receptors: found largely on immune cells and in immune-related tissues, which is why CB2 is often discussed in the context of inflammation and immune signaling.
Both receptors were identified in the early 1990s, with CB1 cloned in 1990 and CB2 cloned in 1993.
2) Endocannabinoids (the “keys” your body makes)
Your body produces its own cannabinoid-like molecules. The two best-known are:
Anandamide (AEA): identified in 1992 and recognized as a natural ligand for cannabinoid receptors.
2-AG (2-arachidonoylglycerol): identified as an endogenous cannabinoid receptor ligand in the mid-1990s and generally understood to be more abundant than anandamide in the brain.
Unlike many neurotransmitters that are stored and released, endocannabinoids are often described as being made “on demand.” This matters because the ECS is designed to respond dynamically to what is happening right now.
3) Enzymes (the “cleanup crew”)
If endocannabinoids are made when needed, your body also needs a way to break them down after they have done their job. Two key enzymes are:
FAAH: primarily breaks down anandamide (AEA).
MAGL: primarily breaks down 2-AG.
This is one reason the ECS is often described as a tight feedback loop. Your body produces the signal, delivers the message, then clears it away.
How ECS signaling works, and why it is different
One of the most fascinating things about the ECS is how it communicates in the nervous system.
In many cases, endocannabinoids act as retrograde messengers, meaning the signal can travel “backward” across a synapse. Instead of the classic direction of neuron A talking to neuron B, the postsynaptic cell can send an endocannabinoid signal back to the presynaptic side to reduce further neurotransmitter release. This is one way the ECS helps prevent overactivation and keeps signaling in a manageable range.
That is the theme of the ECS in general: it often functions like a braking system. Not to shut things down, but to keep them from spiraling.
What the ECS influences in everyday life
It is hard to find a single “ECS job description” because it shows up across many systems. But there are a few areas that matter most for day-to-day cannabis consumers.
Stress and the nervous system
Stress is not just a feeling. It is a cascade of hormones and signals that affect the brain and body. There is strong scientific discussion of the ECS as an important regulator of the stress response, including how stress can change endocannabinoid signaling and how that signaling influences stress-related outcomes.
If you have ever noticed that the same cannabis product feels different when you are calm versus when you are already anxious, that is not surprising. Stress state and ECS tone are closely linked.
Sleep and your 24-hour rhythm
Sleep is one of the most common reasons people explore cannabis, but the ECS story behind sleep is often missed. Endocannabinoids fluctuate across the day, and research suggests sleep restriction can alter circulating endocannabinoid levels.
This matters because it helps explain why timing can change experience. A product taken at 6:00 p.m. may not feel the same as the same product taken at midnight, especially if your sleep schedule is already disrupted.
Appetite and energy balance
The ECS is deeply involved in appetite and metabolism signaling. CB1 receptors in the central nervous system, including areas involved in hunger regulation, are linked to food intake and energy balance.
This is why “the munchies” is not just a cultural joke. It connects to a real regulatory system.
Pain processing and immune signaling
The ECS is also involved in pain modulation and immune regulation. CB1 is prominent in neural signaling, while CB2 is more associated with immune cells, and both receptor types can influence messenger release and immune activity.
This does not mean cannabis is a cure for pain or inflammation. It does mean your body has built-in cannabinoid receptors that participate in these systems, which is part of why cannabinoids can feel body-wide.
Why exercise sometimes feels like a “natural high”
People have talked about the runner’s high for decades, but more recent research points strongly toward the ECS playing a meaningful role.
A 2015 study in mice found that running increased endocannabinoids and that cannabinoid receptors were needed for certain anxiety-reducing and pain-reducing effects of exercise. A 2022 systematic review looked at human clinical trial data and discusses how endocannabinoid levels can rise after exercise, although conditions and results vary across studies.
This is useful because it reframes the ECS as something you can influence through lifestyle, not just through cannabis.
The ECS is built from fats, and diet matters more than people think
Endocannabinoids are lipid-derived signaling molecules, which is a scientific way of saying they are closely tied to fat metabolism. Researchers have also described an “expanded” set of endocannabinoid-like molecules, including omega-3-derived endocannabinoid-related compounds.
We are not saying “eat one food and fix your ECS.” We are saying the ECS is not separate from your overall physiology. Sleep, stress, exercise, and nutrition all shape the baseline conditions your ECS is operating in.
How cannabis interacts with the ECS
Now we get to the part most people actually care about: how THC and CBD fit into this.
THC: why it feels like the “main event”
THC is the most recognized intoxicating cannabinoid. Pharmacology literature describes THC as a partial agonist at CB1 and CB2 receptors, meaning it can activate these receptors, but not in the same way or with the same maximal effect as a full agonist.
That receptor activity is a big reason THC can change perception, coordination, mood, and appetite. It is also why dose matters so much. If you push CB1 activation too hard, many people experience anxiety, racing thoughts, or discomfort instead of relaxation.
CBD: why it is harder to explain in one sentence
CBD does not behave like THC. A major reason CBD is confusing is that it appears to interact with multiple targets, and its effects can depend on context.
Pharmacology reviews discuss CBD’s complex relationship with cannabinoid receptor signaling, including ways it can modulate or interfere with CB1 and CB2 agonist effects in some experimental contexts. More recent scientific discussion also notes CBD can interact with receptors beyond CB1 and CB2, such as 5-HT1A and TRPV1, though the clinical significance depends on dose, formulation, and the condition being studied.
For a consumer, the practical takeaway is simple: CBD often feels less intoxicating, it can shift how THC feels, and it is rarely as “immediate” as THC in terms of noticeable psychoactive change.
A quick word on “ECS imbalance” and internet claims
You will sometimes see the phrase “endocannabinoid deficiency” used online to explain everything from migraines to mood issues. It is a popular concept, and there is scientific interest in how ECS dysregulation may relate to disease, but many online claims are stronger than the evidence.
A safe, accurate statement is this: the ECS is involved in many physiological processes, and scientific reviews continue to explore how ECS signaling relates to different conditions and body systems.
If you want to use cannabis responsibly, it is better to stay grounded in what we know and treat your own experience as data, rather than chasing miracle narratives.
How understanding the ECS helps you shop smarter at Commencement Bay Cannabis
Here is the real value of learning the ECS: it changes how you choose products.
Instead of thinking only in terms of strain names or “indica vs sativa,” you start thinking in terms of outcomes and systems.
If your goal is sleep, you might focus on products that support downshifting and timing that matches your sleep window, remembering that sleep and endocannabinoids have a rhythm across the day.
If your goal is stress relief, you might choose a lower THC dose and pay attention to how your stress state affects your response, because the ECS is deeply tied to stress regulation.
If your goal is body comfort, you might look at cannabinoid ratios and formats, remembering that CB2 receptors are largely associated with immune cells, and CB1 receptors are heavily involved in neural signaling and perception.
Most importantly, you stop chasing intensity and start chasing fit.
The safest way to experiment, especially if you are new
We cannot give personal medical advice, but we can share the approach we use when we help customers who want to learn without having a rough experience.
Start with a low dose, especially with THC.
Give the product time to peak before you add more, especially with edibles.
Try new products in a calm setting, on a low-responsibility day.
Pay attention to sleep, stress, food, and hydration, because your baseline state changes how cannabinoids feel.
If you have a medical condition, take prescription medications, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk with a qualified clinician before using cannabis. It is also worth remembering that cannabinoid biology is real pharmacology, not just a lifestyle product category.
Bring your questions, because the ECS is easier in conversation
The endocannabinoid system is one of those topics that can sound complex until it clicks, then you realize it is actually a practical framework. Your body has receptors. Your body makes its own cannabinoids. Your body breaks them down. Cannabis plugs into that system in ways that can be supportive when used thoughtfully.
If you want help turning this knowledge into a product choice, come talk to us at Commencement Bay Cannabis. Tell us what you want to feel, what you want to avoid, and what your tolerance looks like right now. We will help you choose a format, a cannabinoid profile, and a starting point that respects your nervous system and supports the experience you are aiming for.
