Today, it seems like we have a million choices for every purchase we make. Typing even the most obscure query into Amazon leads to an endless list of items. Therefore, making informed purchases as a consumer is more challenging than ever. The situation with cannabis presents a similar evolution. Back in the day, you’d buy a dingy dimebag with the promise that “this stuff will get you really high, man.” Now, with the proliferation of legal cannabis and the boutique-ization of those same products, every single item is seemingly unique. While this is a boon for those with expansive cannabis knowledge, it creates choice overload for the majority of us. The solution to this issue is a quality cannabis education, and we can help provide the remedy. Follow us as we take a deep dive into a specific product by asking the question, what is CBDa?
A Quick Explanation of Cannabinoids
To understand CBDa, one first needs to develop a base of information about cannabis. Known by the scientific name Cannabis Sativa, the cannabis plant bears a sticky, green flower that gives people a psychoactive “high” when burned. Many people know this flower as marijuana, which is by far the most popular form of cannabis. Although most marijuana looks the same on the surface, there are actually different strains.
Experts commonly divide marijuana into three strains: Indica, Sativa, and Hybrid (a combination of the previous two). Indicas manifest a relaxing body-high, Sativa provides an energetic mind-high, and a Hybrid creates a high that bridges the gap between them. Even novice stoners are typically aware of strains, but few specifically know what separates Inidcas, Sativas, and Hybrids.
Strains consist of different levels of THC and CBD. Predominantly, THC is the compound in cannabis that causes a high, while CBD is non-psychoactive. What separates Indicas and Sativas is the proportion of THC to CBD. Indicas have high levels of CBD compared to THC, whereas Sativas possess opposite proportions. Altering the balance of THC and CBD just a bit can dramatically change the outcome of the high, making them crucial to any strain of cannabis. However, there are more elements at work than just THC and CBD.
Overall, THC and CBD are classified as cannabinoids, which are organic compounds in cannabis. Furthermore, they are the most abundant cannabinoids but not the only ones. There are over 100 known cannabinoids, and scientists speculate many more remain undiscovered. Since each cannabinoid is a unique compound, each possesses unique effects. Some result in mind-bending highs, whereas others are benign. CBDa is one of these unique compounds, so where does it fall on the cannabinoid spectrum?
A Scientific Exploration of CBDa
Although CBDa is a unique cannabinoid, it is closely related to CBD. Essentially, CBDa is the “unactivated” version of CBD. CBDa possesses a very similar chemical makeup to CBD, with the only difference being an extra carbon ring. Utilizing a process called “decarboxylation,” the carbon ring can be removed, transforming CBDa into CBD. Although “decarboxylation” sounds complicated, it just means adding heat. So if one smokes marijuana with lots of CBDa, it transforms into CBD when the flower burns and turns into smoke.
The process of decarboxylation makes it easy to produce large quantities of CBD. Therefore, CBD is a significantly more widespread and abundant product. However, this does not mean that CBD is superior to CBDa.
CBD and CBDa possess many similar qualities. Foremost, they are both non-psychoactive. They will facilitate relaxation and relief from stress and anxiety but do not cause a high like marijuana. However, they also possess distinct differences.
Unlike strains of cannabis, where cannabinoid content is readily apparent once one gets high, CBDa works on a different level. CBDa affects the body through the endocannabinoid system, an essential bodily system that regulates the body via cannabinoid levels. The endocannabinoid system controls everything from sleep cycles, anxiety and mood, to pain. CBDa directly affects the endocannabinoid system in myriad ways but, like many cannabinoids, is under-researched.
Since CBD is far more prevalent than CBDa, it draws greater focus from the scientific community. Therefore, CBDa research is lacking, but the small amount of research shows that it could have incredible qualities. For those fascinated by CBDa, here are a few situations where it could prove revelatory.
CBDa Uses and Products
One of CBDa’s most endearing elements is its organic qualities. Although all cannabinoid products are organic, since cannabis is an all-natural plant, CBDa is special. CBDa and its unactivated counterpart, THCa, are at their most bountiful in raw cannabis flower. A dedicated group of cannabis users will grind or blend cannabis flower and consume it raw. Ingestion does not result in a high because one does not burn the flower and decarboxylate the psychoactive cannabinoid compounds. Although there is not nearly enough research into this method, those dedicated users swear by its efficacy. They claim it decreases stress, improves one’s emotional state, controls pain and inflammation, and can help with nausea. These properties are enticing on their own, but there is some scientific evidence that it could have nearly miraculous qualities.
You might have heard the remarkable news that CBDa can help prevent contracting Covid-19. A study published in the Journal of Natural Products shows that CBDa blocks the spike proteins from Covid-19. As a result, it could prevent people from contracting the disease. Sensationalist headlines like “cannabis kills COVID-19” were overblown, but the study points to the medical properties of CBDa. Perhaps one day, when the endocannabinoid system and CBDa are better researched, CBDa will be an essential element in many medications. Rather than taking a chemical pill and dealing with its nasty side effects, one can enjoy all-natural CBDa and other cannabinoids. Only time will tell if this is what the future holds.
If you are ready to delve into the world of CBDa, you are in the right place. Here at Farma Barn, we offer a CBDa tincture. An easy-to-drink liquid with a dropper included for exact, repeatable doses, you can be at ease while you explore the effects of CBDa.