A brief tour of the minor active ingredients in cannabis
By John Garvey
Not so very long ago, I had a more in-depth and nuanced understanding of marijuana than many, if not most, Colorado budtenders. I prided myself on that, as any elder millennial would. But it gradually dawned on me that my cannabis credentials were fading.
For shame.
CBG, CBN, and other minor cannabinoids have become prevalent on dispensary shelves in the last few years. “Minor cannabinoids” are the 120-plus cannabinoids that occur in marijuana in lower concentrations than delta-9 THC and CBD. I had a general understanding of them before they were cool, but I’ve failed to keep up-to-date on their individual properties. This is why I was recently stricken with the idea that I had no idea what I was talking about as a cannabis writer. So, let’s refresh.
Four minor cannabinoids have become conspicuous in marijuana strains and edibles in Colorado dispensaries:
1. Cannabinol (CBN)
2. Cannabigerol (CBG)
3. Cannabichromene (CBC)
4. Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)
I’m going to call these cannabinoids the Fantastic Four. (This is not a publicity stunt to get Marvel to sue me, but it would sure make me feel special.)
‘FURTHER STUDIES ARE NEEDED’
As I write, a small gummy is melting on my tongue. The gummy, which I cut in half, has 15 mg of cannabinoids: 5 mg of THC, 5 mg of THCV, and 5 mg of CBG. CBG was once described to me as “daytime CBD” due to its purported effects on focus and energy. THCV is supposed to suppress appetite, so in a formula like this, it can counteract the munchies that almost invariably (for me, at least) accompany THC.
We’ll see.
In the meantime, will the gummy help with my writing? I think it already is.
Here are a few properties of each of the Fantastic Four that are, if not definitively proven through scientific trials, at least generally agreed on by experts:
CBG, CBN, and CBC are considered non-psychoactive, although CBN is in a gray area. All three are anti-inflammatory, and all three modify THC’s effects, generally enhancing them. The exception is anxiety, which these cannabinoids tend to diminish.
CBN is prominent in old weed because that’s one thing THC breaks down into. If you’ve ever gotten high at a party and fallen asleep on a couch with 21 other people in the room, CBN might be the culprit.
CBN has sedating effects—especially in combination with THC. It is marketed as a sleep aid, but as I wrote in my sleep article, that bears some qualifications.
All of the Fantastic Four modify the psychoactive effects of THC, generally mellowing them. They all seem to reduce the anxiety and rapid heartbeat that high doses of THC can cause.
THCV is interesting because it’s the only one of the Fabulous Four believed to offset the munchies. So far, this is proving to be true.
That’s great news!
Each of these four cannabinoids has anti-inflammatory and
other medicinal effects. They are generally neuroprotective, antiemetic (meaning they keep you from barfing), and have cancer-fighting properties.
Each of these minor cannabinoids has stronger effects when used in conjunction with THC than either acting alone. This is called the Entourage Effect, which basically means the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. For instance, THC and CBC both have neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties, but 5 mg of THC plus 5 mg of CBC will work more effectively than 10 mg of either. This is great news for people with chronic inflammatory diseases like Crohn’s disease or Colitis.
With, I suspect, the exception of CBN (its tendency to knock you on your ass already noted), these cannabinoids give you a more clear-headed high. It bears repeating that all of them reduce the likelihood of anxiety attacks.
This discussion wouldn’t be complete without mentioning delta-8 TCH. Delta-8 THC has been called “THC’s nicer younger sibling.” It is synthetic, and its state-by-state legal status is weird. It’s illegal here in Colorado, but legal or unregulated in a lot of more conservative states. I’m intrigued, but not intrigued enough to take a road trip out of state.
Verdict: The Fantastic Four, while indeed fantastic, are worthy of a much better nickname than the cheesy one I’ve given them. They’re like a supportive group of friends that keeps THC, their beloved but sometimes erratic friend, from going off the rails.
I am at least as strongly affected, yet less impaired, from the edible I took when I began this article than I normally would be. That in itself proves nothing. However, if you enjoy edibles but you’re prone to anxiety, or if you use medical marijuana and want to be less impaired, products with higher concentrations of these minor cannabinoids are 100 percent worth a shot.
John Garvey is a storyteller, freelance writer, illustrator, and nerd. You can see more of his creative ventures at clippings.me/johngarvey and CreativeFollies.com.
This story appeared in our January-February print issue of Thirst Colorado magazine. Flip through the full digital magazine here, or find a copy at one of these fine establishments around Colorado.