All about THC
The cannabinoid THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is one of those active substances from hemp that can be safely described as controversial. While one side criticizes its strong psychoactive and euphoric effects, the other, for a change, praises its therapeutic use, which is already becoming popular in the conservative East of Europe. However, the interest is not only in organic THC Delta 9, but also in more stable and effective alternatives from the laboratory, such as Delta 8, Delta 10, HHC or the better-known THC-O, which are created by the transformation of well-available cannabinoids, including CBD (Cannabidiol) .
What else do we know about the psychoactive and euphoric Tetrahydrocannabinol? What is the difference between an organic substance directly from a plant and the mentioned substances that were created through human intervention? Are their effects also different?
What is THC?
THC is one of more than 110 known cannabinoids that together make up the chemical structure of the hemp plant. There are both varieties with a small amount and varieties with a large amount of THC, which are usually called marijuana. However, it is not the only source of the popular psychoactive active substance, as it can also be produced in the laboratory. For example, in the United States of America today it is very popular to convert well-available cannabinoids such as CBD into poorly available ones, or unavailable cannabinoids such as Delta 8 or Delta 10.
“The substance was first discovered and isolated by Bulgarian-born chemist Raphael Mechoulam in Israel in 1964. When smoked, tetrahydrocannabinol was found to be absorbed into the bloodstream and travel to the brain, where it binds to naturally occurring endocannabinoid receptors.” WIKIPEDIA.ORG
What are the effects of THC?
THC can, simply put, be considered an addictive substance with euphoric, sedative and psychoactive effects that works with the reward system in the human brain. Cannabinoid changes the consciousness of the user, initiates deep thinking and at the same time opens the door to the subconscious, where traumas from the past can be hidden. Although it is a paradox, there are cases where a long-term user has developed an even greater depression in this way than the one that plagued him before he started using. However, with long-term consumption, THC also plays a role in the creation of the so-called euphoria and good mood, due to which addiction to the substance develops over time.
How is THC produced?
The substance THC Delta 9 is created in hemp during the growth of the plant, namely through the transformation of the cannabinoid CBG (Kanabigerol), from which, among other things, its media-famous sibling CBD is created. However, only their chemical structures are similar. CBG or CBD, unlike THC, is not psychoactive or addictive because it realizes a different way of interacting with the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors in the human body. What is important here is that marijuana is not the only source of Tetrahydrocannabinol.
In the 21st century, it is no longer an issue to produce affordable alternatives to the organic cannabinoid THC through legally available cannabinoids such as CBD. Among the most popular are the aforementioned Delta 8, Delta 10, THC-O, including the increasingly popular HHC. Especially if we talk about the United States of America, where there is currently a huge boom with both THC and HHC vape for hemp distillates with derivatives of legally available cannabinoids.
THC substance in Slovakia
Is THC legal in Slovakia? Does Slovakia allow the sale of cannabis products with psychoactive effects? No, hemp with a high THC content is prohibited in our country, because the mentioned active substance is on the list of narcotic and psychotropic substances. For trading or for possessing a large amount of marijuana, the person in question faces relatively large penalties, which are even stricter after the recent legislative amendment. On the other hand, if it is just an ordinary user, not a dealer or a peddler, who has a joint or one gram of dry matter with him, he will probably only be equipped with a smaller block fine.
What types of THC are there?
Is the substance THC divided into species or specific types? Yes, there is Delta 9, which occurs naturally in hemp, as well as the semi-synthetic Delta 8, Delta 10 or the many times mentioned THC-O, which, for example, stands out for its extraordinary psychedelic effects. So is there still any fundamental difference between them? Why are these psychoactive cannabis derivatives so popular in the US?
“Delta-8 and Delta-10 are milder and generally less intoxicating than traditional Delta-9 THC. Delta-8 is known for more sedative effects, while Delta-10 has a reputation for a more active state with an energetic SATIVA-style effect. THC-O is significantly stronger than not only Delta-8 and Delta-10, but also than regular THC.” LEAFLY.COM
Delta 8 THC
The semi-synthetic cannabinoid THC Delta 8 became popular in the US shortly after federal legislation called the Farm Bill of 2018 went into effect. As it allowed for the production and subsequent sale of hemp products with a THC Delta 9 content below 0.3 percent , the consumer market has been flooded with legal-looking products that contain psychoactive and euphoric derivatives of readily available cannabinoids. One of them is the substance Delta 8, which, although it has very similar sedative effects to organic THC, is not on the list of strictly regulated substances.
Delta 10 THC
Although the THC Delta 10 cannabinoid resembles its sibling Delta 8, there is still one major difference between the two. So what is it about? The substance Delta 10 offers an effect of use that does not resemble the effects of INDICA, but SATIVA of the dominant varieties of hemp. In other words, it is not sedating like Delta 8, but invigorating. Users of vape products, in which they are most commonly found, like to combine them to balance the effects.
THC-O
The THC-O substance lacks the word acetate in its full name. The so-called THC-O acetate is also created by the chemical transformation of the cannabinoid CBD, but with the difference that the so-called acetic anhydride is also added to the modified hemp extract with the resulting THC substance. The combination results in a very strong semi-synthetic psychoactive compound which, according to available information from users, is even stronger than organic Delta 8 THC from hemp. In some cases even up to three times.
“The researchers tested the compound on dogs. By the end of the experiment, the dogs had lost significant control over their motor functions.” LEAFLY.COM
Therapeutic use of THC
THC is used in many advanced countries, including the neighboring Czech Republic, as part of therapy for various serious health complications, such as cancer (malignant tumor), chronic pain or very severe insomnia. However, there are significantly more options.
Faculty Hospital of St. Anny in Brno even grows its own INDOOR crop, which is located in an unspecified location on the campus. Hemp dry matter with CBD or THC is then offered to patients on prescription as an input material for high-quality herbal vaporizers with medical certification, which are also part of the equipment of modern medical equipment. Vape is simply one of the best ways to consume cannabinoids because it is effective and relatively safe.
Pain
In some countries, THC is also prescribed by doctors if the patient suffers from so-called chronic pain. In addition, the working effects are also confirmed by recently published scientific research, which basically says that psychoactive cannabinoids can be helpful for a similar type of pain in the same way that opioids, for example, are helpful. But especially if it is combined with CBD (Cannabidiol) in a higher concentration. Only the long-term safety of the user of the substance remains questionable.
“New research says THC can relieve chronic pain as effectively as opioids and other commonly used treatments. But long-term safety is still questionable, say the authors of the study.” WEBMD.COM
Sleep
Even a small amount of THC has an effective sedative effect, which makes it clear that it is a cannabinoid with a positive effect on sleep quality. However, this only applies if the psychoactive active substance is used for a short time. As stated in one of the relevant researches, long-term use can cause more harm than good when it comes to sleep. Long-term users often have great difficulty falling asleep or maintaining uninterrupted sleep without THC.
Appetite
In one of the studies in the American National Library of Medicine, it is stated, among other things, that the use of the cannabinoid THC is closely associated with a significant increase in the plasma levels of ghrelin and leptin, which are, in other words, appetite hormones. During the implementation, both functioning joints and joints with the so-called placebo effect were used, where cannabis was without a psychoactive substance. The active strength of the real joints ranged from only 1 percent to 8 percent concentration of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol.