ARE ENDOCANNABINOIDS NEUROTRANSMITTERS?

Endocannabinoids (cannabinoids produced naturally in the body of mammals) are not neurotransmitters. Endocannabinoids are neuromodulators – they are released on demand to alter the activity of neurotransmitters. A good example is glutamate. Glutamate is a primary, stimulatory neurotransmitter. When glutamate is present in excessive amounts, pain and cell death can occur. The release of endocannabinoids functions as a stopping mechanism for the release of glutamate. THC and CBD can act in the same way as our own endocannabinoids. Source: Introduction to the Endocannabinoid System