Understanding the Different Types of THC
THC is probably the most famous cannabinoid in cannabis. It’s the compound responsible for making you high. But there are different types of THC to be found. Today, we’re going to be breaking down the different types of THC, and hopefully we can educate you on a version that you haven’t heard of before.
Let’s go down to the basics, THC in its raw form.
THCa or Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid and is found in the raw form of the plant. Not only is not psychoactive, it still holds many of the medical properties of THC.
THCa can help with:
- Inflammation
- Neuro Protection
- Nausea
- Appetite Loss
- Anti-cancer properties
In fact, many of the benefits from regular old Delta-9-THC can be found in THCa mainly because Delta-9-THC comes from THCa. In essence, it’s simply THC that has not been activated yet.
In order to consume THCa, you simply need to juice raw buds and leaf. The plant is filled with it. It won’t get you high and you can consume great quantities at a time. Juicing is probably the best way to get good doses of THCa.
Delta-9-THC
This is probably the most famous of the “THC” family (if we could call it that). This is the psychoactive component when you smoke weed. It happens when heat is added to THCa, which converts it to the buds. It can also happen when the plant dries and the compounds break down.
Most people who smoke weed have experienced this form of THC because smoking weed is the most popular way of consuming weed.
As with THCa, there are plenty of medical benefits to consuming this form of THC, including reducing anxiety, stress and increasing dopamine activity in the brain to provide a euphoric sensation.
11-Hydroxy-THC
The next version of THC on the list is 11-Hydroxy-THC. This happens when you eat cannabis. The THCa travels down to the gut, where the liver starts breaking down the compound. In this process, it converts it to a more potent version of THC called 11-hydroxy-THC.
Some people estimate that this is 10 times more potent than delta-9 and the effects last a lot longer. This is also responsible for the increase in ER visits since legalization. Because this form of THC takes longer to feel the effects, people often tend to over consume it.
They eat a brownie, wait for 30 minutes and feel like “this isn’t hitting me”. Then, to see if they can make it “hit them”, they eat another brownie only to begin to feel the effects of the first brownie, 15 – 30 minutes later.
Suddenly, by the second hour, they are sitting on a double dose of 11-Hydroxy-THC, which can create some intense moments.
Obviously the benefits of consuming THC in this form is due to the prolonged effects. For people suffering from chronic pain, this could help you obtain more relief for longer. Also, for some reason, you take a heroic shit the next day, sort of like you’re expelling all the bad Juju you had in your gut all this time. This isn’t scientifically proven, but it happens every time I eat weed.
Here’s a lesser known version of THC that still provides you with a high, but it’s slightly different than delta-9. For instance, it will produce a lower “head high”, while still maintaining the body high. It won’t give you the munchies that will make you eat a horse, but still give you the ability to eat (if you’re struggling with appetite issues).
The problem with delta-8 is that it comes in very low percentages inside the plant. Researchers are looking for new ways to increase the production. Perhaps, the bacterial factories in yeast, work from Jay Keasling, could help with this issue.
By hacking the yeast, they can literally grow any cannabinoid they want to. Consumers might prefer delta-8 over delta-9 because of its “slightly less intoxicating” effects while still producing the same level of “high”.
In fact, some companies are banking on this as they could probably create “dose specific effects”, which has been the golden goose for many cannabis brands.
As with the other forms of THC, there are plenty of medical benefits to be obtained from consuming delta-8, with a slight difference in sensation.
You’ll still feel jolly; you’ll still be stoned. The only difference is that you’ll have less of the “confusion” that some consumers report when they smoke delta-9.
Nonetheless, as we continue to discover more about the wonders of the cannabis plant, we will probably find other versions of THC. In the meanwhile, we hope that this article at least shed some light on the different chemical compositions of cannabinoids found within marijuana.
If you’re interested in trying delta-8, you can try AquaTek D8 Distillate, a product that contains 58% delta-8 created by Oleum.
While I personally haven’t tried this, I will be putting it on my cannabis-bucket list.
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