Westword
Audio By Carbonatix
Independent Journalism in Denver Needs You
We need to raise $25,000 by August 9 to support the reporting our community depends on. Reader support keeps us independent and is playing a larger role in funding local journalism and shaping what comes next. If you believe independent local journalism matters, make a contribution today.
Dear Stoner: I hear there are different forms of THC. Does that mean the other forms aren’t from marijuana?
Roy
Dear Roy: Marijuana research is just starting to scratch the surface of the hundred-plus cannabinoids found inside the plant’s trichomes. Those cannabinoids include varying forms of THC and CBD, lesser-known cannabinoids such as sleep-inducing cannabinol (CBN) and anti-bacterial cannabigerol (CBG), and some that we don’t yet know anything about. Although pharmaceutical companies have developed forms of synthetic THC, everything you see for sale at a dispensary is plant-derived.
THC is such a beloved cannabinoid that some people wear it on their chests.
Courtesy of Piccadillypendants
Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the most well-known and common cannabinoid in most psychoactive marijuana plants. The majority of THC in marijuana plants is an acidic form of THC called THCA that’s only psychoactive when activated by heat, which converts THCA into regular, trippy THC. Commercial extractors are starting to experiment with Delta-8-THC, another form of the cannabinoid good for treating nausea and eating disorders, while 11-Hydroxy-THC is a potent, metabolized form of THC that your body creates after consuming marijuana orally – which is why edibles can seem strong even if you’re a regular toker.
Send questions to marijuana@westword.com.
