THCV

What is THCV?

THCV, or tetrahydrocannabivarin, is similar in molecular structure to its sibling cannabinoid, THC. THCV, if isolated, can produce very different effects than Delta-9 THC. However, due to the limitations placed on cannabis-related activities due to its federal illegality, research on THCV is lacking. This is true for most of cannabis as a whole.

Effects of THCV

What we do know about THCV is largely anecdotal, relying on the personal accounts of consumers. The common thought is that, like its relative CBD, THCV may play a role in mitigating the potential negative effects and feelings of Delta-9 THC. However, these studies are far too few to draw any kind of conclusion about how THCV makes you feel.

Potential Benefits of THCV

There is some preliminary evidence that THCV has some potential benefits. For instance, THCV may reduce appetite, the opposite of what THC does. We understand this because THCV may block the CB1 receptor in the brain, according to animal studies.

One of these studies shows that when administered isolated THCV, some mice opted to reduce their food intake, which resulted in weight loss. Another more promising study from 2013 found that THCV may reduce glucose intolerance in most people with obesity.

However, another study from 2015 shows inconclusive evidence that THCV may provide appetite-reducing effects. One group of participants was administered 10mg of isolated THCV, while others were given a placebo. There was no apparent impact on the appetite or the bodyweight of the patients that were administered THCV compared with the group that received the placebo.

Does THCV Get You High?

As is the case with just about everything cannabis-related, no side effects have been reported when consuming THCV. As is the case now, there are also no known psychoactive effects of THCV, so it’s safe to ingest, but apparently does not get you high. The most common change in normal behavior is that people may feel a little more tired than normal after consuming THCV.

Because THCV is a minor cannabinoid and an isolated compound, acquiring the cannabinoid is difficult. A limited number of cannabis plants actually produce amounts of THCV that are abundant enough to study with any relevance.

THCV’s boiling point is 428 degrees Fahrenheit, so its effects are perhaps most easily felt from vaporizing, not smoking. One of the most popular cultivars on the market today that contains THCV in abundance is Dayslayer.

What We Learned: THCV

As is the case with all minor cannabinoids, products containing enough THCV for proper testing are lacking, which is the main cause of it being understudied. Here’s what we learned about THCV:

• THCV, or tetrahydrocannabivarin, is similar in molecular structure to its sibling cannabinoid, THC.
• THCV, if isolated, can produce very different effects than Delta-9 THC.
• THCV is non-psychoactive, so it does not get you high.
• This cannabinoid may play a role in mitigating the potential negative effects and feelings of Delta-9 THC.
• Studies on lab mic show that THCV has the opposite effect of its relative THC in that it may suppress appetite instead of stimulating it.

As we continue to remove the layers of cannabis prohibition, we will see increased yield and supply chain accessibility to quality cannabis. This may inspire cannabis producers to increase products and cultivars that contain THCV, which may then be studied for science.

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