What Is THC-O: The Psychedelic Cannabinoid

By now, there are a couple of cannabinoids that we have come to know and love. THC and CBD being two of them. As time passes, more science is advancing in the field of cannabis. Since some people are actually frightened of its potential, studying cannabis has been a challenge. 

Luckily, breakthroughs are being made every day. I recently read up on THCV and other cannabinoids, mainly because there are so many, and they all have different aspects that make them each special.

Today, we will be talking about a little newcomer, THC-O-Acetate. 

At their most basic, cannabinoids are chemical compounds that act on the cannabinoid receptors in your brain. The thing about THC-O is that it is not a naturally occurring cannabinoid (like THC and CBD). It takes some pretty hefty chemistry to create THC-O in a lab. 

Unfortunately, this means that the plant is being stripped of many qualities we love in our weed. Qualities such as terpenes and flavonoids, the scent and flavor makers of your favorite strains, though this does leave behind a more potent product. The taste itself is more, we’ll say, psychedelic.

THC-O requires that much time to create, so few brands have hit the market with THC-O products that you can trust. So if you want to try this new cannabinoid, we recommend you hit up Binoid. They have a complete selection of tinctures, vape cartridges, and rechargeable vapes like this Blue Zkittlez one.

THC-O-Acetate or THC Acetate is a synthesized cannabinoid, meaning that you cannot extract the compound from the cannabis plant in order to obtain concentrated levels of pure Delta 8 or Delta 9. Roughly 3 times as potent as Delta 9 THC and 5 times more potent than Delta 8. Knowing it is a synthetic substance should already give you an idea of what this cannabinoid is capable of.

Though it takes a bit longer to kick in, that kick is definitely more powerful than you’d expect. Likely driven by the rapidly developing Delta 8 THC, this little cannabinoid is finally coming out of the woodwork. As all weed-related stories go, everything being “discovered” recently, has actually been around for a few decades; the more natural ones have been around for thousands of years.  

The concept of having more than one type of THC cannabinoid is well-established at this point. Users are beginning to look beyond what’s currently available at the lineup of potentially new, distinct forms of THC on the horizon.

THC-O produces a very similar high to other forms of weed, but with a much more psychedelic flavor. Moderate doses are nearly psychedelic in the visuals and headspace that it creates, while higher doses can become incapacitating.

The United States government had a need for a substance that could incapacitate enemy soldiers without harming regular U.S. citizens. Upon discovering the potential of cannabis as a battlefield drug, researchers at Edgewood/Aberdeen Experiments developed a test pattern for determining the effectiveness of THC on humans. 

So yes, at some point the government was planning on using cannabis, a naturally occurring plant, as a military weapon. To add icing to the bitter cake, they also compared it to LSD, PCP, heroin, and a bunch of other manmade chemical substances.

In the late 70s, a man in Florida came across this cannabinoid by accident. The extract had been taken by Soxhlet extraction which was originally designed for solid material with limited solubility in a solvent. The extract had been acetylated  (creates different reactions in the body) with acetic anhydride, and in the final step, the excess acetic anhydride was removed by distillation. 

The cannabinoid is not currently listed as a scheduled drug, as there is very limited research. However, in 1986, the government concluded all components of THC to be illegal, so technically, it falls into that category as well. 

Like all cannabinoids, by definition, THC-O interacts with your body’s Endocannabinoid System. Unlike the naturally occurring Delta 10, this synthetic cannabinoid is much more potent than you’d expect. THC-O actually has to be metabolized by your liver before you can feel anything. Yet, when the cannabinoid becomes metabolized, the leftover compound is actually Delta 9 THC. 

So why is THC-O so special and more potent? It all really boils down to bioavailability. 

The acetylated version of THC is significantly more bioavailable than the non-acetylated version. Once the cannabis has been fully absorbed, the unique compounds are burned off leaving the THC to do its work only at a much stronger dose. Because THC-O is a prodrug by “nature” there’s a bit of a delay in feeling the full effects.

When smoking regular Delta 8 or Delta 9 the effects are pretty speedy, maybe within one or two hits. THC-O, however, takes a little less time than an edible to hit. This is because it has to be broken down by your liver, and no this does not cause any kind of damage to your body. If anything, it is actually repairing your body, cell by cell, it is more helpful than harmful.

A common mistake people make when consuming any form of THC is always thinking they need more. If you do not feel the effects after about an hour, give it more time.

First-timers and even seasoned smokers always make this mistake. And yes, I have also made this mistake before, the result is pretty much just a mental brownout. Not quite there but still awake while consciously in another dimension.

By now we should all be aware of the effects of THC. Have you ever had shrooms or LSD? Shrooms are the better answer here, we love the natural shit. THC-O has many of the same effects as magic mushrooms with a hint of LSD. Not that I would know, mom…

That being said, as much logic as this is lacking, THC-O is fully federally legal and legal in 38 states. Ironic, considering how much more effective it is on the body than natural THC. While Delta 9 THC is federally illegal and illegal in most states, both THC-O and Delta 9 THC produce euphoric psychoactive effects on users. 

If you have been reading up to this point, you would know that THC-O is not only more potent than THC but it is also a synthetic cannabinoid. That would be the main difference between the two. Comparatively, THC-O sounds to have less medicinal properties than THC, but this has not been proven. A lot of research still has to be done to fully grasp the potential of THC-O.

While THC-O is legal, for whatever reason, it is also a bit more difficult to come across. While growing THC-O is not actually a real thing, the best forms you will probably find it in are probably oil cartridges like Binoid’s.

Binoid is a great place to start if you are thinking about entering the THC-O game. Popular THC-O vapes consist of Maui Wowie, Blue Zkittlez, White Runtz, Do Si Dos, and many others. Though there are suggested doses on the package, we recommend taking note of these suggested doses.

• Threshold dose: 3 mg oral or 0.5 mg smoked/vaped
• Standard Psychoactive Dose: 3–10 mg oral or 1–3 mg smoked/vaped
• Psychedelic Dose: 10 mg or more oral or 5 mg or more smoked

If you want a bit more variety, worry not, Binoid has a few options for THC-O products. For instance, they have one of the first THC-O disposable vapes on the market. This new vape has the THC-O strength you’re looking for and is paired with amazing terpene strains to give a potent and powerful mental and physical buzz.   

They also have a THC-O tincture that comes with 1000mg of premium 92% THCO distillate paired with MCT oil for an easy and enjoyable body and mind experience. This is the first real THC-O Acetate tincture available.

Users may feel happy and motivated. THC-O acetate is best used for relaxing without negative side effects. The tincture is potent and is meant to be used for under the tongue dosing. Be careful with dosing.

This is to be taken with a grain of salt as it is very important when trying new drugs to understand the effects slowly to avoid getting sick. The most you will feel for the first time is probably some nausea or dizziness as with most THC “overdoses”. If you ever experience this, you can quickly sober up with a few tricks.