Thc and Total THC, what does the THC level tell us about the effect

Where I'm from legal cannabis packages are marked as THC and Total THC (THCA×0.877+THC).

Let's say a strain is marked at THC 4mg/g and Total THC 197.66mg/g ( 19.7%), we can assume the THCA levels are at 222.59mg/g (22.2%).

What I'm trying to understand is whether its better to have a higher or lower amount of THC

From my understanding 4mg/g of thc has already went threw the process of decarboxylation. Is this THC now lost? If its not lost will it affect you differently, maybe faster then the rest of the thc thats coming through a new decarboxylation process.

Let's pretend I'm comparing two great strains, similar terpene profile both let's say indica, both have been labeled as having a Total THC level of 20% or 200mg/g. The only difference one have a THC level of 3mg/g the other has 36mg/g, which is better? What effects could this have?

Seems like there isn't much information to be found on this subject

User tolerance is such an important consideration when trying to suss these things out.
Have you been regularly using a 20% the strain? Then a 30% strain will probably be a joy. Been smoking stems and seeds? A 30% strain will knock your dick in the dirt.
Not very scientific, I know, but it is what it is.

I find THC level totally irrelevant. We've got a generation or more of people who grew up thinking THC level and production are the two most important metrics in determining a "good strain" when some of the best strains I've ever had were relatively low THC landraces with fluffy buds. You aren't going to find the best weed in a dispensary with a lab report attached. You're going to find it at an old school grower's house who has the knowledge and drive to keep an old sativa strain happy and healthy through 20 weeks of flower.

I don't disagree, none the less I'd still like to understand the potential of effects of having the same amount of total thc with more or less "active" thc.

Your absolutely right, but when I'm educating people about that exact concept I'd also like to be able to explain why both numbers are even there and what a higher or lower THC value will provide considering the other levels of total thc cbd and terpenes are the same.

Rurumo said:

I find THC level totally irrelevant. We've got a generation or more of people who grew up thinking THC level and production are the two most important metrics in determining a "good strain" when some of the best strains I've ever had were relatively low THC landraces with fluffy buds. You aren't going to find the best weed in a dispensary with a lab report attached. You're going to find it at an old school grower's house who has the knowledge and drive to keep an old sativa strain happy and healthy through 20 weeks of flower.

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I agree: my reading of history tells me that THC became famous because *it* is what produces the “primary observable signs” of “cannabis intoxication” - droopy eyelids, red eyes, distracted ness, etc, so it got conflated into ‘the’ active principle which we know to be false (so *many* active principles). By the 90s “everybody knew” THC was what got you high, except that it just kind of happened we all decided that (sloppy journalism, political spin)

Back in the day, smoking the Michoacán, the Thai, the colombian, the Jamaican, no-one wondered about shit like that - it was all about where it took you, which doors opened. By all reports, THC seems to have *very* little to do with that.

Or have I missed the rhapsodic posts of Marinol users?

Miguel1246 said:

Where I'm from legal cannabis packages are marked as THC and Total THC (THCA×0.877+THC).

Let's say a strain is marked at THC 4mg/g and Total THC 197.66mg/g ( 19.7%), we can assume the THCA levels are at 222.59mg/g (22.2%).

What I'm trying to understand is whether its better to have a higher or lower amount of THC

From my understanding 4mg/g of thc has already went threw the process of decarboxylation. Is this THC now lost? If its not lost will it affect you differently, maybe faster then the rest of the thc thats coming through a new decarboxylation process.

Let's pretend I'm comparing two great strains, similar terpene profile both let's say indica, both have been labeled as having a Total THC level of 20% or 200mg/g. The only difference one have a THC level of 3mg/g the other has 36mg/g, which is better? What effects could this have?

Seems like there isn't much information to be found on this subject

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The issue with THC is that it works in combination with the terpenes so the number does not paint a clear picture. You can get a much better effect with a 15% THC bud that has a good terpene profile over a 20% THC strain that has a crap terpene profile. At least that is what I have found.

Doug Dawson said:

The issue with THC is that it works in combination with the terpenes so the number does not paint a clear picture. You can get a much better effect with a 15% THC bud that has a good terpene profile over a 20% THC strain that has a crap terpene profile. At least that is what I have found.

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What is considered a good terpene profile?
I'm just learning about this and have found terpinolene dominant strains
help me the most....so far.

Yes. This is exactly why California (well where I work at least) has eighths for 40 that are 22% but with an excellent terp profile and it had a more lazy high. Almost to who some would say it was 'prolly in the 30s' if there was no data attached to it

Then we have eighths for 10-25 dollars that's scream in thc around 30% But taste like shit and dry (well that's not the strains fault). Prime example. Don't get lost in the labs.

In general, as far as I know, THC has a greater effect on calming and relaxing the nervous system. I could be wrong, of course. Personally, I think that's why THC is used in various edible products like https://www.tillmanstranquils.com/product/600mg-delta-8-gummies / and I sometimes order myself something like this in order to calm my nerves and move away from depressive thoughts. Therefore, the fact that the CBD content is higher is even better if your goal is to get high. And the food sales industry is built on the content of THC. From this you will not become high, but you will be calm.

I think the original poster was under the assumption that since heat decarboxylates THCA, something similar happens to THC and is lost.

It's all about the terpenes coupled with cannabinoids.

I really think this is why I don't get super ripped off things like "Ice Cream Cake" which by all accounts is a high testing, VERY frosty cultivar but in my experience not super flavorful nor is it very complex in terms of aroma. But I definitely get super baked off something way lower testing like Durban Poison which usually tests in the high teens or 20s.

I think the whole conversation about terpenes really points up an idea I didn’t even graze earlier, and that is that there is no one dominant chemical compound responsible for the effects we want. The strains we remember from back in the day, what we remember is the overall effect, not the specific delta-9 profile, or we’d be sharing tech on how to synthesize and tweak it.

There are two plants that have been more studied than any other: cannabis and ginseng. These two plants are known for their wide range of beneficial effects over time: their impact on quality of/function in daily life, and the vast range of specific chemicals found nowhere else, and humans have used them functionally forever. I personally look at THC% as a marketing tool…they might as well say it’s gluten-free, because neither says anything meaningful about what we are looking for.

As for terpenes, they’re in everything, and yes, they have effects, but selecting for flavor or aroma or THC% means DE-selecting anything not linked to those flavors, aromas, etc. Small wonder folk aren’t getting blazed off ‘good stuff’…the best stuff never had flavors or aromas worth talking about, and of course, those terpenes only have their effects in concert with the rest of this nutritious breakfast…

tgellen said:

What is considered a good terpene profile?
I'm just learning about this and have found terpinolene dominant strains
help me the most....so far.

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Terpenes that are in the 3-4% range are a great find!... most of the Dispo stuff i've seen is < 1%. We've produced as much as 6.6% with Orange Kush Cake.

Not really related to Op's post but I gave up using THC content as my go to scouting guide a while ago. I've been completely knocked out by white thunder at 15%. At the same time I've smoked Rusty Glue at 24% and wasn't too phased by it tbh.

I see bud now as an experience, not just a number, and I'll never discount anything based on a one number again like I used to.

Fardsnarp said:

I think the original poster was under the assumption that since heat decarboxylates THCA, something similar happens to THC and is lost.

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yes it will oxidize into CBN after some time

DoubleAtotheRON said:

Terpenes that are in the 3-4% range are a great find!... most of the Dispo stuff i've seen is < 1%. We've produced as much as 6.6% with Orange Kush Cake.

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Terpenes are the next thc. Nothing but detrimental marketing. The numbers mean nothing, because the heaviest volatiles are the weakest and least desirable. Quality Cannabis gets its aroma from thiols and carboxylic acids that weigh practically nothing. While low grade cannabis can have heavy terpenes that are nothing but backgrounds static in the scheme of things.

It's sad, the leading experts in Cannabis hold a cup where the he highest terpenes win.. But they don't measure cannabis volatiles, they measure fruit peel volatiles.. Enter a Cheese, they don't test for isovaleric or butric acid, so you lose. Even though it's the loudest bud by far. Enter a Skunk that smells for miles; zero percent terpenes, last place in the terp contest...

The threshold of detection is figured in, as is the palatability of the volatiles, in every other industry/market aside from Cannabis. Terpenes are literal green rush hype. The Cannabis labs literally don't test for cannabis aromas ,or flavor molecules/precursors of any type. It's like scratch and sniff brainwashing, telling people cannabis smells like pinene, limonene myrcene etc when that stuff is background noise at best.

GrodanLightfoot said:

Terpenes are the next thc. Nothing but detrimental marketing. The numbers mean nothing, because the heaviest volatiles are the weakest and least desirable. Quality Cannabis gets its aroma from thiols and carboxylic acids that weigh practically nothing. While low grade cannabis can have heavy terpenes that are nothing but backgrounds static in the scheme of things.

It's sad, the leading experts in Cannabis hold a cup where the he highest terpenes win.. But they don't measure cannabis volatiles, they measure fruit peel volatiles.. Enter a Cheese, they don't test for isovaleric or butric acid, so you lose. Even though it's the loudest bud by far. Enter a Skunk that smells for miles; zero percent terpenes, last place in the terp contest...

The threshold of detection is figured in, as is the palatability of the volatiles, in every other industry/market aside from Cannabis. Terpenes are literal green rush hype. The Cannabis labs literally don't test for cannabis aromas ,or flavor molecules/precursors of any type. It's like scratch and sniff brainwashing, telling people cannabis smells like pinene, limonene myrcene etc when that stuff is background noise at best.

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I feel you point. Cause a lot of heavy kush aroma tell me they test high in limonene. When I’d assume it to be earth and pine. Makes it difficult to locate terps that I like.

But what’s your logical proof and evidence? Or are standing by a hypothetical response?

where’s the data and journal work to spoof this category, so many of trust on a medicinal level? Where almost decade out of prohibition in my state. 2 almost 3 if you count medical. Which imo. Very new on a experimental level. Notalot of hard evidence to prove anything but. Because I said so.

so what you got? I’m listening!

“ALL part of this nutritious breakfast”

What does thc/cbd tell us?
Imo absolutely nothing it's a bunch of theoretical bollocks to increase sales.