There’s CBD, THC, CBN, Δ8-THC, CBG, and now we have what seems to be a new acronym, THCV (often referred to as the diet weed), getting some media hype.
Here many people may have the below questions:
- What is THCV?
- Is THCV legal？
- Should you give in to the hupe and try our those THCV cartridges and THCV gummies you see on ads?
- Where can I buy the genuine THCV products?
Before you know that well, you must understand that, just like other marijuana products, THCV cannabis products have unique THCV effects that make them stand out from others, and no, it is not just about suppressing appetite- as most of the hyoes around it indicate.
What is THCV?
THCV is homologue of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) having a propyl (3-carbon) side chain instead of a pentyl (5-carbon) group on the molecule, which makes it produce very different effects from THC.
Similar to THC, THCV has 7 possible double bond isomers and 30 stereoisomers. The alternative isomer Δ8-THCV is known as a synthetic compound with a code number of O-4395. but it is not known to have been isolated from cannabis plant material.
Consequently, the scientific community referred to it as a younger brother of the famous THC, with similar but slightly less potent effects.
In most cannabis strains, THCV occurs in smaller quantities alongside THC. The amount of tetrahydrocannabivarin in most cannabis strains is often too small to allow for extraction at commercial levels.
However, some THCV-rich cannabis strains contain amounts reaching up to 16% of the plant’s dry weight. Such tetrahydrocannabivarin cannabis strains (What a mouthful!) mostly originate from Africa and sparingly from India, Thailand, Nepal, and Afghanistan.
Is THCV legal？
It is not scheduled by Convention on Psychotropic Substances. In the United States, THCV is not specifically listed as a Schedule I drug, but “Marijuana Extract” is. THCV could be considered an analog of THC, in which case, sales or possession intended for human consumption could be prosecuted under the Federal Analog Act.
United States
THCV is not scheduled at the federal level so long as it is not derived from the cannabis plant in the United States.
The 2018 United States farm bill legalized the production and sale of THCV if it is derived from hemp compliant with the farm bill.
The THCV Effects
What are the effects of THCV? Does THCV get you high?
Tetrahydrocannabivarin comes with many pharmacological and therapeutic effects, just like other cannabinoids. Before trying a THCV cartridge, THCV tincture, THCV isolate, or THCV gummies, it is important to know what to expect. Let’s take a look at the known effects of this unique compound.
Reducing blood sugar
THCV is a new potential treatment against obesity-associated glucose intolerance with pharmacology different from that of CB1 inverse agonists/antagonists.[GW Pharmaceuticals is studying plant-derived tetrahydrocannabivarin (as GWP42004) for type 2 diabetes in addition to metformin.
Appetite control
THC increases appetite, which is sometimes referred to as “the munchies.” THC acts as a CB1 agonist. As a CB1 antagonist, THCV has been shown to reduce appetite in murine models.