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Why Is The Thc Percentage Important At All?


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i have a simple question for you.

 

why is the thc percentage important?

i posit that it is only important when buying/selling marijuana.

 

a person growing marijuana for themselves need not worry about such things and must consider the yield.

 

why? the percentage is based on weight. so 20% thc per 1 gram would mean 200mg of thc per gram. lets say you grow 8 ounces of bud on one plant , that nets you 1.6 ounces of thc (45 grams) per the whole plant. assuming all buds are equal.

 

if you grow a plant that only has 10% thc ,then the entire plant would only net you .8 oz / 22 grams of thc if it yielded 8 ounces. but there are many strains that produce larger yields with lower thc.

 

obviously you are growing the plant to get the cannabinoids.

 

what i'm trying to get at is this:

thc is the same chemical no matter if your plant makes 10% or 20%.

 

smoking two 10% marijuana joints will be the same as smoking one 20% joint. right?

 

for people making a thc oil preparation from the dried flowers it makes even less sense to worry about thc percentages. it makes more sense to consider the yields.

 

 

or maybe i've proven the opposite of my posit?

 

maybe growing higher thc strains means less cost involved in getting the thc. after all if you grow 1 20% thc plant thats double the thc that you will get out of a 10% thc plant (assuming the same yield).

 

 

 

 

i guess what i'm trying to say is that if you find a strain that does beaucoup yield but less thc, that is better than a plant that gives you beaucoup thc and little yield, right?

 

something to think about.

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Yeah, experienced tokers are going to self-titrate anyway. 

 

Perhaps it was because I had a younger brain or a distorted memory of decades past, but I do remember with fondness the 5% (using a number touted by the media for common THC concentrations of the past) merryjawanna of my youth.

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Testing is a tool.  The THC percentage is just one way to judge marijuana.  Like using bodyweight to judge your fitness level.  Is just one way to look at it.  

False way to judge it. Fitness is much easier to quantify than how cannabis works. It's this 'oversimplification' that destroys your ability to have an open mind to how it will work for you. I believe it's actually more accurate to just look at a sample than mechanically test it. 

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Basically, it is a false premise.They are not the same nor can they be truly measured in equivalence due to entourage due to synergy.

 

Entourage Effect

 

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been the primary focus of cannabis research since 1964, when Raphael Mechoulam isolated and synthesized it. More recently, the synergistic contributions of cannabidiol to cannabis pharmacology and analgesia have been scientifically demonstrated. Other phytocannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabivarin, cannabigerol and cannabichromene, exert additional effects of therapeutic interest. Innovative conventional plant breeding has yielded cannabis chemotypes expressing high titres of each component for future study. This review will explore another echelon of phytotherapeutic agents, the cannabis terpenoids: limonene, myrcene, α-pinene, linalool, β-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, nerolidol and phytol. Terpenoids share a precursor with phytocannabinoids, and are all flavour and fragrance components common to human diets that have been designated Generally Recognized as Safe by the US Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory agencies. Terpenoids are quite potent, and affect animal and even human behaviour when inhaled from ambient air at serum levels in the single digits ng·mL−1. They display unique therapeutic effects that may contribute meaningfully to the entourage effects of cannabis-based medicinal extracts.

 

Particular focus will be placed on phytocannabinoid-terpenoid interactions that could produce synergy with respect to treatment of pain, inflammation, depression, anxiety, addiction, epilepsy, cancer, fungal and bacterial infections (including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Scientific evidence is presented for non-cannabinoid plant components as putative antidotes to intoxicating effects of THC that could increase its therapeutic index. Methods for investigating entourage effects in future experiments will be proposed. Phytocannabinoid-terpenoid synergy, if proven, increases the likelihood that an extensive pipeline of new therapeutic products is possible from this venerable plant.

 

The roots of cannabis synergy

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165946/

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Entourage: 

 

I still can't get any effects from sniffing pine needles, lemon rinds, or skunks. When cannabis smells like that I get an effect that I recognize. 

 

Makes me want to cringe when science tries to explain how I'm wrong about that ....

 

Someday they just might win the war on that reality then what am I to do?

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The difference in sniffing pine needles and the effects of terpenes ingested is the difference between aromatherapy and quantified science.  Terpenes have certain effects on the body and enhance or detract from the hi.  It's proven that certain terpenes, even without mj are excitory or make you sleepy(like trytaphan in turkey) or actually multiply the effects of the THC or decrease them and they can show how.  The difference in whether people like the effects can be related to allergies, intorvert/extrovert, mental health issues, etc.

 

Some cases need to know THC levels if you are trying to cure brain cancer and you need to know it's decarbed so that it can pass the blood brains barrier en masse.  Some people want less THC for the day and need to go with a lower THC value.  My patients use my lowest THC(generally) for the daytime.  It probably has the most terpenes as it's just as resinous so there is lots of other compounds.  But they came to that conclusion without testing.  2 of my patients want a certain amount of CBD and a certain amount of THC in medibles, not for effect but for staving off cancer. 

 

Does one NEED to know?  Depends on what you are treating.  Personally I didnt find the perfect medical effect till I got to appr. 50/50 THC/CBD in my medibles and can smoke 50/50 or higher CBD ratios if I'm anxious or have to be social for a while.  I may have been able to figure it out myself but it's much easier matching what I need by knowing what I'm getting into.

 

Other than generally grading MJ, everyone is going to like different things and even if it's mexican, certain people grade from experience.  They did a survay of people who's mom made dry turkey every thanksgiving.  It turned out that people who's mom's made dry turkey actually preferred drier turkey.  So experience has a variable on preference also.  Some people just like to roll and smoke a lot, they'd probably be more worried about price.  The only thing that THC levels really matter for are diseases that you just want to throw as much THC as possible at to activate those receptors.  There are too many medicines in there to say one is any "more valued" than another although THC seems to be what most things "work off of".  It's probably just the easiest general way to grade.  Since mine is organic and top shelf, personally, I think it's a cop out for grading.

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The difference in sniffing pine needles and the effects of terpenes ingested is the difference between aromatherapy and quantified science.  Terpenes have certain effects on the body and enhance or detract from the hi.  It's proven that certain terpenes, even without mj are excitory or make you sleepy(like trytaphan in turkey) or actually multiply the effects of the THC or decrease them and they can show how.  The difference in whether people like the effects can be related to allergies, intorvert/extrovert, mental health issues, etc.

 

Some cases need to know THC levels if you are trying to cure brain cancer and you need to know it's decarbed so that it can pass the blood brains barrier en masse.  Some people want less THC for the day and need to go with a lower THC value.  My patients use my lowest THC(generally) for the daytime.  It probably has the most terpenes as it's just as resinous so there is lots of other compounds.  But they came to that conclusion without testing.  2 of my patients want a certain amount of CBD and a certain amount of THC in medibles, not for effect but for staving off cancer. 

 

Does one NEED to know?  Depends on what you are treating.  Personally I didnt find the perfect medical effect till I got to appr. 50/50 THC/CBD in my medibles and can smoke 50/50 or higher CBD ratios if I'm anxious or have to be social for a while.  I may have been able to figure it out myself but it's much easier matching what I need by knowing what I'm getting into.

 

Other than generally grading MJ, everyone is going to like different things and even if it's mexican, certain people grade from experience.  They did a survay of people who's mom made dry turkey every thanksgiving.  It turned out that people who's mom's made dry turkey actually preferred drier turkey.  So experience has a variable on preference also.  Some people just like to roll and smoke a lot, they'd probably be more worried about price.  The only thing that THC levels really matter for are diseases that you just want to throw as much THC as possible at to activate those receptors.  There are too many medicines in there to say one is any "more valued" than another although THC seems to be what most things "work off of".  It's probably just the easiest general way to grade.  Since mine is organic and top shelf, personally, I think it's a cop out for grading.

Another myth ......

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http://chemistry.about.com/od/holidaysseasons/a/tiredturkey.htm

 

Not a myth, just not enough in turkey to make a difference, although I see how it seems like I was saying there is enough in turkey to make you sleepy.  It is used to make seratonin and melatonin and has a calming effect in high enough doses.  By itself it may not give you the effect but with the synergistic (combinations of drugs multiplying the effect of each or one or the other)effect THC can boost certain terpenes effects, like limonene's excitory response.  A lot of people get paranoid on hi amounts of limonene in their ganja.  Unless they like that excited feeling.  Different people are different in their wants out of a hi.  Some like to relax and be alone, these are the people I've seen most affected.  Some like to go out to a club and wouldn't mind that boost of energy.

So it's not a myth, from what I was trying to point out, just that people attributed the effects of tryptophan to the effect of eating an excessively large meal, that's the myth.  Tryptophan has a documented effect just like the terpenes do. Anyone who has smoked before can tell you all pot isn't the same and it's because of the different combinations and amounts of terpenes and other cannabinoids.

Edited by Norby
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I'm curious as to how many actually notice a difference between 15% THC and 25% THC. Assuming no one told them ahead of time.

Yes, I'm following your thoughts based on your own personal experience. I have the same questions. I'm quite certain that most people don't  understand completely how THC works in their bodies. There's a lot of assuming going on out there. Like human DNA, we are just scratching the surface of what we can learn about THC and the other components of cannabis. While those of us who have been learning for decades question and learn more, others seem to know it all and have no problem outlining the complete mechanism of cannabis. Some of their hypotheses just do not fit our experiences. 

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I'm curious as to how many actually notice a difference between 15% THC and 25% THC. Assuming no one told them ahead of time.

It depends.  Strait THC, sure most would notice, but the difference between 15% THC and 30% THC is one more hit for every one you'd take.  I think terpenes do the most to quantify the hi.  Out of my 2 female space dawgs, the first one was 21% and I thought for sure the second one I tested would be higher.  It was more resinous and packed more of a punch(nite time effect).  I was surprised to see it only come back at 14% THC.  It must've had more terpenes which gave the sleepy effect and made it feel like it had more THC.  Pretty much every plant has THC, the terpenes present has more of an effect on the hi than the THC does, in that it makes it different.  Different people equate potency differently.  As I said, THC level shouldn't be more than a small criteria towards rating buds.

Why would, after smoking the same strain for a month, does another strain seem to get you higher?  It's the different terpenes, the THC is the same.

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maybe we could get past the test bashing here?  Only a few people seem threatened by their existence, maybe a future testing group themselves I don't know.

While some care what they ingest, and others don't need to look beyond flavor and effects, it should not be a personal point of poster attack as its been used in the past.

Today, long term posters here still tout the use of banned pesticides in their medical marijuana gardens. Large corporate types too.   With that admittance, caveat emptor. Some people dont see it as a problem, while others do. Which group would attack the other for their concerns, and WHY?

 Besides, the haters used to love dispensary models and testing, even participated in them, until they decided to hate on them. Some of us were arguing the points against them then,  years ago, same heads, flip flopped debaters now. They're getting better , armed with  all the old arguments used against them a few yrs ago. Ha!!  Bravo!

 

 

"He always gets the best effects from yellow colored pills, I wonder what's in them"

"Who cares, they're so pretty and make him feel so good"  :blink:

 

Happy Holidays! :fpc:

Travel safely :roadrage:

Edited by grassmatch
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It depends.  Strait THC, sure most would notice, but the difference between 15% THC and 30% THC is one more hit for every one you'd take.  I think terpenes do the most to quantify the hi.  Out of my 2 female space dawgs, the first one was 21% and I thought for sure the second one I tested would be higher.  It was more resinous and packed more of a punch(nite time effect).  I was surprised to see it only come back at 14% THC.  It must've had more terpenes which gave the sleepy effect and made it feel like it had more THC.  Pretty much every plant has THC, the terpenes present has more of an effect on the hi than the THC does, in that it makes it different.  Different people equate potency differently.  As I said, THC level shouldn't be more than a small criteria towards rating buds.

Why would, after smoking the same strain for a month, does another strain seem to get you higher?  It's the different terpenes, the THC is the same.

Good theory.... Could be true. So could other theories. Like there's more to THC than what we can test for. A test can't tell the difference in THC from one plant to another. It can only quantify it. For those that pay attention, that test falls far short of explaining what we experience. Testing is far ahead of 'The Science'. Which is probably the only fault of the very best testing (with the right intentions and the right equipment).

Edited by Restorium2
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Entourage.

 

 

 

 There are currently 111 possible cannabinoids known in cannabis.

 There are up to 200 different terpenes and terpenoids in Cannabis.

 There are also  cannaflavins .

 

All of them effect the other in how it reacts and works in conjunction.

 

To sit here and talk about "THC" as meaning most everything in the scheme is kinda silly. Smoking twice as much does not give the same effect because you have hundreds of other interactions occurring as well.

 

 

 

Also,  labs dedicated to testing cannabis can give you a percentage of only major cannabinoids and a few minor cannabinoids, but none so far have the capability to give you a full cannabinoid fingerprint.

 

 Each cannabinoid, terpene, terpenoid, and cannaflavin can provide varying levels of medical benefit, and research has shown that each cannabinoid works the best when they are combined. And in what amounts are still unknown. We have merely scratched the surface. 

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I am not a fan of testing mandates, but I am a fan of testing to learn more about the plant and what is in it and how those elements works synergistically to create an effect for the individuals using it.

 

ISO certified Act Labs is the best in Michigan for this.

 

The THC percentage appears to not be as much of a factor in overall effect- including how psychoactive that people describe it was for them.

 

Sometimes something with 9-10% will floor people- sometimes a flower tested at 20+ % is not as strong in that regard.

 

I was surprised to hear that value for the flower is still based on the THC content - in some places.

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