Recreational
CANNABIS
114 RECREATIONAL CANNABIS
Recreational
CANNABIS
-- 395oF – Minimum temperature for combustion (0% humidity material)
-- 390oF – Purported ideal functional vaporization temp for THC and CBD
-- 320oF – Minimum vaporization temp for CBD
-- 315oF – Minimum vaporization temp for THC
-- 220oF – THC-A and CBD-A just begin to decarboxylate and become THC and CBD
-- 200oF – All terpenes at or above boiling point
-- 120oF – Light terpenes begin to boil off
Vaporizing and inhaling THC also has the added effect of bypassing the metabolic processes of the liver, which convert THC into 11-hydroxy-delta-9-THC. This new compound is profoundly psychoactive, sedative, and medicinal, but it imparts a far different experience than
vaporizing THC otherwise would. While terpenes, secondary, and tertiary cannabinoids can have a dramatic impact on the “high” obtained from smoking cannabis, generally speaking smoking imparts a more clear-headed and functional high than consuming an edible would.
There's a problem with smoking weed, though; maybe you've already flagged it because I used the word “vaporize” a couple of times now. Burning and vaporizing are obviously not exactly the same thing, and can't be expected to utilize the raw cannabis material with the same efficiency. So, if vaporization is the goal, what happens when you burn it instead?
Tested on Human Subjects
Let's use a joint, by way of example. I had a test subject smoke two joints while I pointed an infrared thermometer at the cherry (burning tip) and at the length of joint behind the cherry as he drew smoke through it to try to determine how far back into the joint vaporization temperature was being achieved. I was pretty surprised with the results. The cherry burns between 500-700 degrees F, which pretty much destroys the material on contact, however as the
Center of cherry – 700oF ----
edge of cherry – 500oF ----
1/4in behind cherry – 450oF ----
1/2in behind cherry- 350oF ----
1 in behind cherry – 180oF ----
At filter – 110oF ----