Does THC Percentage Matter?

Imagine yourself walking by dispensary shelves at a cannabis shop, with all the different strains and varieties available; how do you decide on the cannabis flower to buy? It is common for medical patients and shoppers to select cannabis flower based on the THC content. This can be compared to choosing liquor at a liquor store based solely on the alcohol percentage.

While THC(tetrahydrocannabinol) is responsible for the psychoactive effects you experience when you consume weed, other factors come into play to determine how high you feel. Unfortunately, many users in the cannabis community assume that a high THC flower will result in a heavy hit and stronger psychoactive effects.

So, does THC percentage matter when shopping for cannabis flower? This article will provide you with the insight necessary when searching for potent weed. In addition, you will get to understand how different cannabis strains and cannabinoids affect your body and determine your overall high.

What Does THC Percentage Represent?

The cannabis plant contains natural compounds called cannabinoids that give the psychological effects of consuming cannabis. Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol(THC) are the most common compounds found in cannabis products. When consumed, these two compounds interact with the endocannabinoid system in your body to give varying effects. In addition, THC is responsible for the psychoactive cannabis effects.

When you ask a group of cannabis consumers which cannabis strains give them the strongest effects, you’d be surprised to find varying answers, with a mix of low and high THC percentages. This is because high THC weed does not equate to a strong high effect. Furthermore, this is unlike choosing liquor based on the alcohol percentage.

Another reason why choosing high THC strains is not always the only consideration when shopping for potent weed is that you may end up missing out on benefits independent of a particular strain. This is because cannabis contains aromatic compounds called terpenes that affect a strain’s scent, flavor, and benefits.

Before we go into how terpenes and cannabinoids interact to affect your body, you may be wondering what the THC percentage on the weed package label means. Below are a few indications of that:

Percentage of the Total Weight – If you are curious to know the amount of THC relating to the total weight of cannabis concentrates or dried weed, using the THC content will give you a precise value. For example, a plant with 15.2% THC indicates 152 milligrams of THC per gram of dried flower. The same case applies to herbs and concentrates.
Amount of Product Needed – High THC cannabis delivers more THC with less product. This means you only need less high THC flower to reach your desired high compared to a low THC flower. Therefore, most cannabis users looking to get the most bang for their bucks would rather pay more for high THC cannabis than for low or medium THC flower that will suck.
Good for Extracts and Edibles – You need to go with a high THC level flower to make extracts or edibles. This is because cooking with weed requires more buds to get more THC. For this reason, using a high THC flower will save you more buds.
Marketing Strategy – Premium, strong or high-grade cannabis strains are often defined by the high THC flower percentage. For this reason, you will find that they are more pricey since dispensaries with use the THC level as a price benchmark. Unfortunately, this marketing gimmick uses the inaccurate assumption that budtenders and consumers believe to be true to charge extra for flower and concentrates.
Good for Beginners or Inexperienced Users – If you are an inexperienced cannabis user, the THC level is important to consider when buying weed. A low THC flower will have less potency hence preventing you from “greening out” from consuming too much THC at a go. In addition, you will not overspend by buying expensive flower with high percentages.

What Determines Cannabis Potency?

For a long time, plants with a higher THC percentage have been thought to be the most potent. However, recent research shows that this isn’t at all true. So, what should you focus on when buying flower online or at your local dispensary?

1. THC and Other Cannabinoids

As mentioned earlier, cannabis plants contain THC(tetrahydrocannabinol)and other compounds known as cannabinoids. A plant may have different cannabinoids, each playing a significant role in how you feel after consuming weed.

Cannabinoids like THC and CBD work by affecting your body’s endocannabinoid system(ECS). The ECS is a body regulatory system with natural cannabinoids that regulate nervous system processes like mood, pain level of pain and even your appetite.

When you consume cannabis, you introduce new cannabinoids from the flower that interact with your ECS to give different effects. For example, THC interacts with your ECS to produce psychoactive effects or the high that you feel. On the other hand, other compounds may give effects of their own or affect the interaction between THC and your ECS.

CBD, for example, affects the interaction of THC and your endocannabinoid system depending on the concentration ratio. The ratio of high THC levels to CBD levels results in strong high psychoactive effects. Conversely, a balanced ratio of THC and CBD gives mild or balanced psychoactive effects. Overall, CBD is known to soften or lessen the THC effects.

It is also essential to note that other cannabinoids like CBG, CBN and CBC can affect the performance of a particular strain. In turn, this shows that apart from the THC, the cannabinoid profile also determines how you feel after smoking or using a concentrate.

2. Terpenes

Another cannabis compound that can affect how you feel is terpenes. Terpenes are an organic compound, hence exist in many plants in the plant kingdom, including cannabis. Being aromatic compounds, terpenes are responsible for the sweet and lovely aromas in cannabis.

Cannabis tests, although still in early research, show that there can be up to 200 terpenes present in flower. Each with its distinct profile and aroma, terpenes affect how your body reacts by enhancing or mitigating how THC interacts with your body. In addition, some terpenes have their effects, which affect the strain’s effects.

For example, Limonene is a terpene profile with a citrusy aroma and stress relief and mood-boosting effects. So, if a certain strain is high in Limonene, it may counteract the effects of high THC flower and rein in your high.

Another example is Myrcene which has an earthy or herbal aroma paired with sedating and relaxing effects. Using cannabis high in Myrcene strains relaxes your mind and body, thus slowing down your motor and cognitive processes.

Apart from the THC numbers and cannabinoids, different terpene profiles will affect how you feel. Therefore, if you are after a particular effect, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the different terpenes rather than going only for the highest THC percentage.

3. The Entourage Effect

It is not uncommon to be smoking the same strain with your buddies, yet each of you will have a different experience in terms of high. This is because each person has a different endocannabinoid system. So, for example, say when taking the same medication, one person may have a good reaction to the medicine. In contrast, another person will have an unpleasant experience with the same medicine.

This is because of the entourage effect that refers to the synergistic relationship between compounds found in cannabis and your brain or ECS. Since the cannabinoids and terpenes from the strain cannabis strain interact with a unique ECS, they will produce different effects.

4. Consumption Method

The consumption method also determines how much THC content you consume. For example, vaping delivers more THC into your body compared to smoking. In addition to its efficiency, vaping is safer for your lungs since it doesn’t involve burning plant matter, preventing inhalation of tar and gunk.

Vaping also introduces more cannabinoids to your ECS, therefore, impacting your high. Similarly, more terpenes are available when you vape than when you smoke. However, note that vaping above 4010F(205oC) creates a carcinogen known as benzene.

5. What Speaks to You?

Since different marijuana strains will have varying effects on different people, it may take several trials and errors to find the strain that works well for you. For this reason, it is important to take note of the effects you get from certain strains, what you like or dislike about those effects, along their cannabinoid and terpene profiles.

Alternatively, you can focus on the high you wish to feel after using cannabis and prioritize this feeling rather than THC levels. In addition, you can speak to your budtender about what you want to help you narrow down your options.

6. Who Grew the Plant?

Another important factor is familiarizing yourself with who grew the plant in terms of the farms and their specific brands. Knowing this guarantees that a reputable flower will not produce a bad flower; hence you know that the quality is guaranteed.

Conclusion

THC percentages do not always mean that the cannabis is potent, or you will experience a stronger buzz. Since cannabis is a complex plant, compounds such as cannabinoids and terpenes affect how cannabis affects your body. In addition, your unique endocannabinoid system plays a significant role in your overall feel after using marijuana.

Although the numbers are often used to push high THC flower, other benefits come with knowing the THC content present in a bud. However, rather than just focusing on the numbers, considering your consumption method, what feeling you want to achieve and even who grew the plant will help you get an unbeatable lasting cannabis experience.