What is Decarboxylation?

What has a stronger effect: smoking or eating raw cannabis? 

The answer is a complex one that considers a ton of defined variables, but generally speaking, the answer to this mystery lies in a process called decarboxylation, one that is necessary for us to enjoy the psychoactive effects of cannabinoids we consume.

Understanding Decarboxylation 

While technically there are two catalysts for decarboxylation to occur (heat and time).  As the plant dries, THCA (for example) slowly converts to THC, but adding extreme heat to your dry flower via flame or vaporizer will instantaneously decarboxylate cannabinoids, making them immediately available for absorption through inhalation.

While decarboxylated cannabinoids in vapor form can be easily absorbed in our lungs, the process doesn’t work for edibles. Edibles require the cannabinoids to already be present in the food or beverage we are consuming in order for our bodies to absorb them via digestion. This is achieved through infusions, which are created by extracting and heating the cannabinoids at a lower temperature over a long period of time.

At What Temperature Does Decarboxylation Occur?

When making extracts for infusions, the THCA in cannabis will begin to decarboxylate at approximately 220 degrees Fahrenheit after around 30-45 minutes of exposure, but full decarboxylation may require longer. 

Many people choose to decarboxylate their cannabis at slightly lower temperatures for a much longer period of time in attempts to preserve terpenes and avoid the evaporation of several mono and sesquiterpenes. As a rule, the integrity of both cannabinoids and terpenes are compromised when exposed to temperatures of 300 degrees F or higher.