What is pure THC and how does it compare to THC flowers?

Grow some high quality cannabis seeds and you can expect to produce buds with around 20% THC, maybe more in good conditions with the best weed seeds. How do these effects compare to 100% pure THC? To answer that question the cannabis concentrate industry has been working hard producing various types of ‘pure THC’ extracts.

As well as THC, naturally grown buds produce the full spectrum of terpenes and cannabinoids. This allows the bud connoisseur to enjoy the entourage effect from the other natural compounds present. Your high will be modulated, or ‘steered’ by the natural terpenes present in your buds producing intensely pleasurable effects.

Ever since the chemical formula of THC was first discovered in the 1960’s it has been possible to synthesise 100% pure THC in a laboratory, free from other cannabinoids or terpenes. Some pharmaceutical medicines are made from synthetic THC, but the effects supposedly don't quite match those from naturally grown buds. So which is better, THC rich flowers or pure THC?

What is pure THC and how is it made?

THC is more correctly known as Tetrahydrocannabinol. It is one of around 100 cannabinoids present in cannabis. Any chemical compound that occurs in nature can also be created artificially in a lab. Pure lab-created THC often goes under the name Marinol or Dronabinol. Once synthesised, lab-made THC can be put into tablet/liquid form in the required quantities for consumption.

THC can also be extracted from the cannabis plant in the form of cannabis concentrates such as cannabis oil, shatter, rosin and various other extracts. It doesn't matter whether you grow autoflower seeds or photoperiod feminised cannabis seeds, the cannabis concentrates and extracts are much the same.

Extraction can be done with organic solvents, CO2 or other means such as pressure/heat. Some of these natural plant extracts may contain around 80% THC - though any plant extract usually also contains an array of terpenes and other cannabinoids. Many cannabis concentrate connoisseurs feel that a good extract should contain a range of terpenes and cannabinoids in order to give a satisfyingly rounded effect.

Most popular pure THC products

Pure THC is a white crystalline solid and can be produced (under strict license rules) in a modern, well equipped, laboratory. Whilst natural cannabis is only just finding legality around the world, pure THC in its various medical forms has been legal since 1985.

Ironically, the legality of pure synthetic THC is possible because it is considered safer than naturally grown cannabis. Medicines made from pure, synthetic THC include Marinol and Dronabinol. They are federally approved to stimulate appetite in HIV/AIDS induced anorexia.

They are also used to help those suffering chemotherapy and the associated nausea/vomiting. Note that the GW Pharma cannabis oil-based product known as Sativex is made from naturally extracted plant THC, not synthetic THC.

Pure THC Oil

Pure THC oil is usually made as a whole-plant extract of the cannabis plant using solvents or CO2. These solvents are always removed during the cannabis oil manufacturing process. The resulting oil tends to have a brown/golden colour and can be used for medical uses or serious recreational enjoyment! The oil can be added to food to create cannabis edibles or it can be vaped/smoked. Despite often being called pure THC oil, the actual THC levels are often around/upwards of 70% in good quality cannabis oil.

Pure THC Crystals

Pure THC crystals can be found in certain high purity syrup-like cannabis extracts, where the THC crystals (also known as THC diamonds) can form once the concentrate has been produced.

You can also make 100% pure THC crystals (also known as THC isolate) from cannabis concentrates but you will need a pro-laboratory alongside various chemicals and solvents.
Pure lab-synthesised THC crystals are used to create the pharmaceutical medications Marinol & Dronabinol.

Pure THC Syringe

A pure THC syringe usually refers to a ‘distillate’. A cannabis distillate is produced by boiling cannabis concentrates and distilling the resulting vapour at precise temperatures to separate them with maximum resulting purity. This allows very high purities to be reached, often 95-99% pure THC. So a 1000mg THC syringe with 95% purity would contain 950mg of THC.

However, some cannabis concentrate connoisseurs feel that distillates take purity perhaps a little too far. By removing the terpenes and other minor cannabinoids some feel that the overall enjoyment factor is somewhat diminished.

Pure THC Wax

There are many different methods to extract cannabis concentrates from the plant. Use of different ‘soak’ times for your solvent will produce extracts that are clear/colourless with a fast extraction, or darker & oily with a slow extraction. Change the extraction conditions slightly and you can produce quite different type of concentrates.

Some will easily ‘shatter’ when you try to break a piece off. Others, including wax-like extracts, can have a buttery/waxy consistency. Many people love dabbing with THC wax or use it to turbocharge a special joint. As with many other high quality cannabis concentrates, a good THC wax can be around 80-90% THC.

Pure THC Gummies

THC gummies are very popular, allowing a specified dose of THC to be enjoyed with each gummy you consume. They are also easy to make yourself, with numerous online recipes that can be made using cannabis concentrates such as cannabis oil (AKA hash oil).

In locations where cannabis is legal, cannabis edibles (such as pure THC gummies) have become very popular despite persistent reports of widespread mislabelling when it comes to the actual THC content. THC gummies can vary in strength, containing anything from a few mg of THC up to several hundred mg.

Pure THC Terpenes

Believe it or not there are companies that can supply you the terpenes which are found/extracted from cannabis, often by distillation. Although they are not particularly mainstream, some people enjoy the aroma and may even consider using these terpenes to infuse extra flavour in their buds.

Many cannabis lovers cherish strains which have been grown with rich terpene profiles, feeling that the terpenes play an essential role in the process of getting high.

Pure THC Powder

Pure THC powder has few practical purposes and takes quite some effort to create. It is rarely seen for sale. THCA is the natural non-psychoactive form, whereas the decarboxylated version of THC is the one which gets you high.

When you vape your buds, the heat naturally converts the THCA into the psychoactive form known as THC. During this process of decarboxylation, CO2 is produced.

Pure THC powder is the final stage when producing synthetic THC. When creating pharmaceuticals from 100% pure THC, as little as 2.5mg, 5mg & 10mg of THC is used in individual tablets. Pure THC powder could also be created from cannabis buds, but it would require quite some effort/preparation and is rarely attempted.

Pure THC disposables

A relatively new type of cannabis concentrate, rather curiously known as ‘pure THC disposables’ are becoming increasingly popular. They are made by combining cannabis oil with terpenes extracted from fresh, frozen cannabis. These terpenes, taken from fresh non-dried plants are often described as ‘live resin terpenes’. The combination of potent cannabis oil and extra terpene goodness delivers a supremely satisfying potency alongside the unbeatable taste of live cannabis. Well worth trying if you get the opportunity!

Pure THC products vs THC-rich flowers effects

The undeniable rise in popularity of pure THC products, such as the cannabis concentrates listed above, shows no sign of ending anytime soon. Concentrates offer a convenient alternative to a joint and for some cannabis lovers extracts just can’t be beaten.

But many people, not just the old-school types, prefer vaping/smoking traditional cannabis buds. When well cured with a rich terpene profile it’s hard to surpass the euphoria, enjoyment and satisfaction that come from THC-rich flowers. Many claim that THC-rich flowers offer a more rounded, enjoyable, and smoother experience thanks to the entourage effects and terpenes.

Synthetic cannabis pharmaceuticals, such as Marinol and Dronabinol do give a powerful psychoactive effect and are approved for medical use. But some claim that the effects feel ‘colder’ than natural buds without the warmth of well cured buds or a well-crafted cannabis concentrate.