How Do THC, CBN & CBD Relate to Marijuana Potency?

by Nebula Haze

Table of Contents

THC, CBN and CBD: What Every Grower Needs to Know

THC / CBN / CBD Rundown (the Science)

The Practical Stuff: How Growers Control Cannabinoid Levels

THC, CBN and CBD: What Every Grower Needs to Know

Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of research on cannabinoids (the stuff in marijuana buds that makes these particular flowers so special).

I am dedicated to getting you the best and latest information, in a simple, easy-to-understand format, so you can grow marijuana that fits your needs.

Today I will share you what I’ve learned about the 3 main cannabinoids that we know the most about in marijuana, THC, CBN and CBD.

Chances are, you’ve heard of THC (delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol), one of the main components of marijuana that causes its unique mind-altering effects on humans.

Not too long ago, we thought that THC was the main cannabinoid that affected the “potency” and effects produced by marijuana.

However, in addition to THC, there are many other cannabinoids found in marijuana, including CBD, CBN, CBC, CBG, THCV, and many others.

Did you know?

Prescription drug Sativex has been created which contains 50% each of THC and CBD derived directly from a marijuana plant.

Sativex appears to be very well tolerated and doesn’t have many of the side effects associated with Marinol, which is made of 100% THC.

We’ve learned that, while THC is likely responsible for many the pain relieving (and more trippy) effects of marijuana, we also need to study the effects the other cannabinoids have on our health and how we feel after using marijuana. Now some people love high-THC levels and don’t need or want any of the other cannabinoids. For other people, the positive effects of THC are only felt when enough other cannabinoids are present, too. THC, CBD and CBN are the most studied cannabinoids found in high levels in marijuana. By understanding the simple relationship between these three cannabinoids, you can tune your grow into your unique needs. What does it mean when marijuana buds are “18.2%” THC, “0.1%” CBN and “0.5%” CBD? It means that of all the cannabinoids present in the sample, 18.2% of them are THC, 0.1% of them are CBN and 0.5% of them are CBD. What does this mean to you? It means having a lot of trichome production does not necessarily mean higher potency. The resins inside the trichome may or may not contain high levels of active ingredients. Another thing to keep in mind is that these numbers do not in any way indicate “weight by volume.” In other words, sometimes two samples of weed can have the same numbers, and can have similar effects, but one sample could be way stronger because it has higher levels of cannabinoids overall. So tell me, which is better, THC, CBN or CBD? As a grower, you will get the best results when you choose a specific strain and prepare your plants in order to specifically cause the effects you’re looking for. The best results seems to come from using marijuana that has a mix of cannabinoids that are suited to your needs. For example, high-THC strains have many positive benefits, yet too much THC by itself, without other cannabinoids like CBD and CBN, can cause disorientation, lapses in memory and anxiety. For those who find these effects unpleasant, choosing strains with higher levels of CBD, or using harvest and curing methods that promote the creation of CBN often prevent many of these negative side effects. In other words, the levels you want of THC, CBD, and CBN are truly a matter of personal preference. THC / CBN / CBD Rundown (the Science) THC (delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol) THC is the main psychoactive component in marijuana buds, and mimics the action of anandamide, which is a naturally occurring cannabinoid in the brain. Quick Summary of THC

THC seems to provide certain positive health benefits, especially when combined with other cannabinoids

THC has the strongest psychoactive effects

THC can cause feelings of creativity, curiosity, or excited well-being

High THC levels may cause people to feel anxious, disorientated, drugged or “messed up” THC appears to… Relieve Certain Types of Pain

Be Neuroprotective (helps stop brain from degenerating over time)

Cause Relaxation

Cause Euphoria

Contribute to Altered Space-Time Perception How to get high levels of THC in your buds: THC levels in buds are determined mostly by strain (genetics). Most popular strains these days are high in THC unless otherwise stated. Choose a high-THC strain to get the highest levels of THC. Learn about a few trusted strain breeders.

THC is found primarily in trichomes on marijuana buds and (for some strains) on leaves, stems, and other parts of plant

Increasing overall resin production in a high-THC strain will usually increase your overall THC levels

Harvesting when trichomes are milky white or cloudy with just a few amber trichomes starting to appear will result in highest levels of THC

This page covers how to grow dense buds, but nearly all the techniques will help ensure your buds grow to their full THC potential, too. Having a high THC content by itself does not necessarily mean that the marijuana is great. It’s important to look at the whole experience caused by the plant, which includes considering the effects of CBD and CBN. In fact, the following negative effects of THC are often prevented when higher levels of CBD or CBN are present: Lapses in Memory

Disorientation

Anxiety CBN (Cannabinol) Quick Summary of CBN CBN is also psychoactive, though much less so than THC

The presence of CBN with THC may reduce the feelings of anxiety that some people feel with high levels of THC

CBN contributes to more of a body “couchlock” effect

CBN promotes uninterrupted sleep

Too much CBN can make people feel groggy or sleepy How to get high levels of CBN in your buds: Wait longer to harvest for higher levels of CBN

In fact, CBN levels in buds are influenced almost completely by the maturity of buds at harvest

For highest CBN levels, harvest when trichomes have started turning amber/yellow CBD (Cannabidiol) Quick Summary of CBD CBD is not psychoactive and doesn’t make you feel impaired

CBD seems to have many positive health implications

The presence of CBD can alter some of the subjective effects of THC. Higher levels of CBD reduces the psychoactive effects of THC, which can be a great way for some patients to get the medical benefits of THC without having to feel “high”. Learn more about CBD on ProjectCBD.org We’ve always known about CBD, but originally we didn’t think it had much of an effect on people. Further studies have proven we were very wrong, CBD has a big effect on the subjective experience of using marijuana, as well as for your health. CBD appears to: Reduce pain

Prevent seizures and spasms

Relieve some types of inflammation

Reduce anxiety

Protect Your Brain (has neuroprotective effects) CBD has also been shown to: Have a calming effect

Act as an antipsychotic for people suffering from schizophrenia

Offer relief for some patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, and Epilepsy

Possibly help stop the growth of cancer by inhibiting cancer cell growth

Prevent the memory impairment and disorientation associated with THC How to get high levels of CBD in your buds Like THC, CBD content in buds is primarily determined by strain (genetics)

CBD is often confused with CBN, which can be affected by harvest methods

There is not much you can do to increase levels of CBD besides choosing a high-CBD strain

CBD is often naturally found in higher amounts in low-THC varieties of cannabis such as hemp and is also often found in higher levels in auto-flowering strains which are derived from a type of wild hemp

In recent years, some high-THC strains have been particularly bred to also include higher levels of CBD A list of a few high-CBD strains Many of the most popular strains today have little to no CBD and a strain is usually considered “high-CBD” if it has more than 2% CBD. However, many of the specially bred medical strains have higher levels of CBD, up to 15% CBD or more. As far as growing your own supply of medicine, generally you’ll get the most consistent high-CBD results with clones, though high-CBD strains from seed have come a long way over the last few years as the strains are stabilized. Harlequin (clone-only)

Cannatonic ↗

CBD Shark Shock ↗

Charlotte’s Web (clone-only)

MED GOM 1.0 ↗ (by Grass-O-Matic & CBD Crew) <– Currently one of the highest CBD Auto-flowering strains

Pennywise ↗

Sour Tsunami (clone-only)

Learn more about CBD on ProjectCBD.org