Let’s talk TAC
Total Active Cannabinoids
The combined percentage of all active cannabinoids found in a cannabis strain or product. Active refers to cannabinoids that have been decarboxylated due to heat or the dry/cure process.
Why Does TAC Matter?
TAC matters, because THC alone does not produce the overall effect. Cannabinoids work together, along with terpenes, to produce the effect or high that a person feels when consuming cannabis.
Active Vs Non-ActiveCannabinoids
Active Cannabinoids refer to cannabinoids that have been decarboxylated, and are no longer in their acidic form. THCa and CBDa are the chemical precursor, acidic form of THC and CBD. THCa is the raw, unchanged form of THC, that does not have psychoactive properties until it has been decarboxylated, by applying heat (smoking, vaping, decarbing, etc.).
Active & Non-Active Cannabinoids
Non-active cannabinoids have potential medicinal benefits just like active ones. However, when cannabis is smoked, vaped or turned into edibles, many non-active cannabinoids will no longer be present. Many will be converted into their active form, or into another cannabinoid, making them more readily available to be used by the body’s endocannabinoid system.
Conversion
When non-active cannabinoids are converted to their active state, they lose potency. For example, you pick up your favorite Blueberry Headband flower that tests at 24% THCa. Studies suggest that under optimal (lab replicated) conditions, THCa converts to THC at a rate of about 70%, meaning only 70% of the THCa is converted to THC. Leaving you with a potential of 16.8% THC to be consumed, when that 24% flower is smoked. This same study replicated what actually happens when smoking cannabis, and found that on average only 30% of THCa is converted to THC due to fluctuations in temps., incomplete decarboxylation and other variables. So realistically only about 7.2%-10% THC is consumed from a 24% THCa testing flower.
What Does This Mean for You?
Searching for products based on the TAC content could be a game changer for you. Understanding cannabinoids (and terpenes), can help you find the results you have been searching for.