Everything To Know About Decarboxylation

Despite a common misconception, eating raw weed will never make you high. If you want to buzz, then raw bud will simply never do. In its raw form, cannabis is not psychoactive. No matter how much you eat of it, you will never feel stoned. But this is no call to avoid it raw. It offers many health benefits in its natural state. It is just that you will never buzz. You need decarboxylation for that. 

Understanding Decarboxylation and Its Many Secrets

Cannabis bud, the flowers themselves, are rich in trichomes. This sticky resin houses most of the cannabinoids produced by the plant. In their raw form, the U.S. National Library of Medicine explains, all cannabinoids have an extra carboxyl group or ring, called COOH, on their chain. They are inactive cannabinoids. Still in their raw form. Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, or THCA, for example, is the precursor to tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. 

In a regulated market, a legal one, every recreational dispensary in Washington D.C. must ensure labels on every product. It should list the cannabinoids present, as well as how much of them. In raw bud, THCA is the most abundant. This is true of some concentrates too. Fortunately, THC is very beneficial. It is both anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective. It is non-psychoactive, though. It will not make you high. For that, you need to decarboxylate first.

Decarboxylation activates inactive cannabinoids. It converts inactive THCA into active THC. This happens in two ways, either with heat or by time, and it applies to most cannabinoids. When you dry and cure bud, it will slowly decarboxylate over time. Eventually, it might contain THC in its raw form, but never enough to stone you. What you need is heat. Plenty of it. Smoking and vaping decarboxylates when you light it. You feel it straight away. 

Every time you apply heat or otherwise expose bud to temperature, you are decarboxylating. Making active inactive cannabinoids. In plain speak, this process makes cannabinoids instantly absorbable by the body. More bioavailable. In this case, by the lungs. Edibles, however, work another way. Since you eat them, send them through the digestive tract and not light them up, they must first decarboxylate in a different manner. 

One can use lower temperatures to activate cannabinoids too. In say, half an hour to an hour, one can decarboxylate buds in the oven. For making edibles. This decarboxylates well, all while still maintaining integrity of both cannabinoids and the ingredients used. You then infuse this now-active bud into butter or another fat-soluble source. This you use in whatever recipe you are making, be it a snack or proper five-course meal. 

The Importance of Temperature

Temperature is crucial in the decarboxylation process. At around 200 degrees Fahrenheit, THCA begins conversion into THC after around 45 minutes. Full decarboxylation might need a little more time. Perhaps an hour. However, because of terpene sensitivity, some prefer longer times at even lower temperatures. Terpenes are responsible for smell and taste. They have health benefits all their own too. Their preservation is of utmost importance. 

Terpenes, particularly mono- and sesqui-terpenes, are notably volatile. They quickly evaporate in high heat, turning flavorful, aromatic weed foul. Whenever temperature goes beyond 300 degrees Fahrenheit, it puts all compounds at risk. Cannabinoids and terpenes too. For this reason, ideal temperatures hover around the 200 degrees mark. Decarboxylation degrades bud in other ways. THC converts into less psychoactive, more sedating cannabinol, or CBN, the more you light up. 

Home Decarboxylation – The Safe Way

To decarboxylate successfully at home, you only need keep your wits about you. You need some raw bud. An oven, preheated at 220 degrees Fahrenheit, 235 degrees at most, depending on your model oven. You need a baking tray, some parchment paper, and a grinder. Spread ground weed thinly over the parchment paper, inside the baking tray, and bake for 45 minutes or, if you want, a little longer. Just remember, if going for longer, to lower temperature further, as needs must. 

Another safe method for home decarboxylation is to use a slow cooker. This works well over several hours and is preferable when making cannabutter for edibles. Fatty solvents, like cooking oils and lecithin, are perfect for infusing cannabis. Once made, slow cooked throughout the day, you can use it to make cakes, brownies, chocolates, desserts, even savory meals, five-course to boot. Since you first decarboxylate, it will work well, regardless of how you choose to use them. 

Best Weed Dispensaries in Washington D.C. 

Raw cannabis is very easy to find. Any recreational dispensary in Washington D.C. will have plenty on offer. You can choose according to strain, effects, even cannabinoids present, and have it delivered within the hour. To your door. Decarboxylation only really requires effort when you are making edibles or using weed in ways that do not use a lighter. If you are smoking it, the simple act of lighting up does a perfect job of it for you.