How does CBD work? To answer this, we’re going to take a look at cannabinoids and the Endocannabinoid System. Cannabinoids are the chemical compounds responsible for the “high” or effects of cannabis use. As a cannabis connoisseur, you’re most likely well aware of the fact that cannabinoids come from the cannabis plant. But did you know that the human body produces its own form of cannabinoids? They share the same chemical makeup as cannabinoids from the cannabis plant, which is what causes the two most well-known cannabinoids, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), to have the effect that they do on the human body. In case you’re a word junkie – the cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant are called phytocannabinoids, while the cannabinoids produced naturally within the human body are called endocannabinoids (“phyto” means “plant,” while “endo” means “originating within the body.”)