The Importance of Decarboxylation

Decarboxylation is one of those terms you may only hear about when preparing edibles, but it is relevant every time you heat cannabis through smoking or vaping. In order for us to get the most benefit from our favourite plant, certain chemical process must take place. This article gets into all the details and teaches you why decarboxylation is so important when we consume cannabis.

What Is Decarboxylation?

Decarboxylation is the process of chemical compounds (carboxylic acids) breaking down into new compounds through the removal of one carbon atom. In the case of cannabis, we're focusing on the two main phytocannabinoids which interact with our bodies; THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).

In their natural state, the compounds are known as THCA and CBDA, the 'A' being the carboxylic acid. This atom breaks down into Co2 and water when heat is applied to the cannabis, which activates the properties of THC and CBD.

Without the carboxyl molecule, THC and CBD can efficiently bind with receptors that form part of the nerve network known as the endocannabinoid system.

The Importance Of Decarboxylating Cannabis

Every time you light up a joint or hit the vape, decarboxylation happens in one swift move as the weed is heated to a certain temperature and then either burns or vaporizes. At around 115°C the carbon atom is lost and the cannabinoids are activated. That means most cannabis consumers decarb their weed without even knowing it. Many users know that eating raw cannabis doesn't have the same potency, but understanding why allows us to get the most out of our buds.

When we decarboxylate cannabis past certain point, THC also begins to degrade and converts to CBN, a less desired cannabinoid which produces a heavy, sedative effect rather than a euphoric, stimulating high.

This is one of the reasons why cannabis edibles are mostly prepared using heat, because eating raw cannabis on it's own would likely have little to no effect. It is a common mistake to overlook decarboxylation when first starting out, but it makes a significant difference to the results.

When Not To Decarboxylate Cannabis

The only time you do not want cannabis to decarboxylate before consuming it is if you are not using heat or are consuming it in raw form as part of a diet, and therefore do not intend to get high. There are other potential benefits to consuming cannabinoids like THCA and CBDA in their raw form; a field which is still being studied.

CBDA also needs to be decarboxylated in order to help the body break it down more easily. The body can metabolise THCA and CBDA but it has to work harder to so and we may ending up wasting plenty of the benefits that come with decarboxylating the weed first.

Raw cannabis can possess many qualities that can be of interest to medicinal users and it has shown great potential as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antifungal supplement.

How To Decarboxylate Cannabis

Decarboxylating your cannabis is easy do to. The tricky part is keeping it accurate as the temperature in most ovens isn't stable and can fluctuate. If you're not careful, there is the possibility of overheating your weed and eventually destroying a large portion of the THC. In this sense, vaporizers are much more efficient than methods of consumption that involve smoking.

Preparing edibles takes a bit more effort than for example, lighting up a joint. As we mentioned earlier, cannabinoids decarboxylate at roughly 115°C. That means we can prepare our cannabis before stripping it of its trichomes, resulting in a more potent product. It can then also be consumed directly without the use of heat and the cannabinoids will already be activated. 

Decarboxylating your cannabis for edibles can be done as follows:

• Heat the oven to 115°C-117°C or 240°F with fan. Use an oven thermometer to gauge the temperature.
• Break up the buds lightly using a grinder. You can also use sugar leaves if they are covered with trichomes.
• Take a clean baking sheet and cover it with 2 or 3 layers of aluminium foil.
• Spread the ground cannabis buds over the tray. Do not overfill the tray and spread the weed so there is one even layer.
• Place the tray with the cannabis on the middle shelf in the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes until crispy and golden/ toasted brown.
• Collect the decarboxylated cannabis for further preparation in edibles.

It is not completely necessary to have an oven thermometer, however many ovens are not entirely accurate so it is recommended you get one to avoid burning your weed. It takes time for the decarboxylation process to occur and much of it depends on whether you are decarbing flowers or hash.

CBD may also require lower temperatures to decarboxylate. Use less heat for slightly longer if you're worried, however it is not recommended to dacrb for longer than 60 minutes or higher levels CBN may get activated, therefore reducing the THC content.

Tips for Decarboxylated Cannabis

Let's end with some useful tips on decarboxylating cannabis to summarize this article. Remember, you only need to understand this if you are preparing edibles or making extractions, although you may also want to consider the reasons why vaporizing is such an efficient way to consume cannabinoids. 

(insert grow diary)

Cannabinoids and terpenes boil at different temperatures. This means that when decarboxylating at high temperatures there is a possibility of some essential compounds getting lost through evaporation, vaporization or even combustion. To get a rough idea of the temperatures at which this occurs, take a look at the following chart:

• Consider using a vaporizer -  they make efficient use of the oils in cannabis and waste very little.
• Vaporized cannabis is well decarboxylated and although it may not contain much THC, there is very often still CBN in there which we can take advantage of.
• Decarbing at slightly lower temperatures can help to preserve the terpenes in the cannabis, as they begin to evaporate after around the 140°C level.
• Some concentrates and extracts are a great way to end up with a pure, activated (decarbed) cannabinoid product. 

Decarboxylating by Ferenc from GrowDiaries.

Conclusion

As we've seen, decarboxylation is a fundamental part of the consumption of cannabis. This molecular process gives us an insight into how cannabis interacts without our bodies, as well as the chemical changes happening in the plant when we apply heat.

Standard decarboxylation practices may not be completely accurate but indeed work for the most part to begin the activation of the cannabinoids we are usually trying to consume. Consider trying decarboxylation for your next edibles if you haven't already.

If you found this article useful or have any comments regarding decarboxylation, please feel free to leave your thoughts down below!

External References

Why Is THCA Decarboxylation Faster than CBDA? an in Silico Perspective. - He, Weiying & Foth, Paul & Roggen, Markus & Sammis, Glenn & Kennepohl, Pierre. (2020).

A preliminary investigation of lung availability of cannabinoids by smoking marijuana or dabbing BHO and decarboxylation rate of THC- and CBD-acids. - Hädener, Marianne & Vieten, Sina & Weinmann, Wolfgang & Mahler, Hellmut. (2019).

Exploration of THCA & CBDA Synthases. - Pauli, Christopher & Clancy, Kayla & Kane, Nolan & Vergara, Daniela. (2015).

Evolution of the Cannabinoid and Terpene Content during the Growth of Cannabis sativa Plants from Different Chemotypes. - Aizpurua-Olaizola, Oier & Soydaner, Umut & Öztürk, Ekin & Schibano, Daniele & Simsir, Yilmaz & Navarro, Patricia & Etxebarria, Nestor & Usobiaga, Aresatz. (2016).

An Investigation Of Decarboxylation Of Acidic Cannabinoids: THCA-A, CBDA And CBGA. - Wang, Mei & Wang, Yan-Hong & Avula, Bharathi & Radwan, Mohamed & Wanas, Amira & Antwerp, J & Parcher, J & ElSohly, MA & Khan, Iftikhar.

(2016).

This article was updated January 2021.