THCV is quickly gaining popularity for its unique experience and distinct benefits. But, as a member of the THC family, a lot of people wonder: Does THCV get you high?
Here, we’re talking in-depth about the psychoactivity of THCV and whether or not it will get you high if you consume it. Let’s first define what THCV is and how it works in the body.
Table of Contents:
- What is THCV?
- Does THCV show up on a drug test?
- Is THCV Legal?
- THCV and the Human Body
- Studies About THCV
- Does THCV Get You High?
- Is THCV Psychoactive?
- How Does THCV Compare to Other Cannabinoids?
- Forms of THCV Products
- The Best Place to Get THCV Online
What is THCV?
A cannabinoid found in cannabis plants, THCV stands for tetrahydrocannabivarin. THCV is considered a minor and rare cannabinoid because it’s present in small amounts within the plant, and it’s not always easy to come across THCV-rich strains. This makes the compound even more sought after, as its rare properties are novel and worth trying out.
The THCV cannabinoid was first discovered back in the 1970s, and it was quickly found that the cannabinoid has a very similar chemical structure to delta 9 THC. This led researchers to believe that THCV may present a similar experience to delta-9 as well. (However, we’ll get more into that later.)
Interestingly enough, though, the THCV cannabinoid has a higher boiling point than THC, so you’ll have to vape it or dab it at hotter temperatures than you would with your regular dabs.
Today, THCV is more popular than ever, and you can find the cannabinoid in various forms depending on what most appeals to you.
Does THCV show up on a drug test?
As a variant of THC, and a cannabinoid that has such a similar chemical composition, many people wonder about the compound’s effect on a drug test. Can THCV be detected on a drug test?
THCV may not show up on your drug test, but unfortunately, the cannabinoid will cause you to fail a drug test.
Let’s explain.
When you consume a THC variant like THCV or THC, the compound breaks down into the same metabolite in the body: THC-COOH. This metabolite is what lingers in the body post-consumption. Thus, THC-COOH is what drug tests are looking for regarding cannabis consumption.
This means that if you consume THCV products, a drug test will detect the THC-COOH metabolite in your body that the THCV turned into. Subsequently, then, the drug test will say that you’re positive for cannabis, despite not actually consuming delta-9.
You should avoid any THC products or THC variants if you have a drug test coming up. It is possible to fail the test and suffer the consequences if you do so.
Is THCV Legal?
We’ve talked about what THCV is and how it acts on a drug test, but is the cannabinoid legal?
Yes, THCV is federally legal in the United States. Hemp and hemp-derived products containing less than 0.3% THC are legal under the 2018 Farm Bill. Thus, THCV products are totally legal under federal law if they follow these guidelines. This is why you can find THCV products online and have them shipped to your house.
Unfortunately, some states have begun imposing laws regulating hemp-derived THC products. This means that THCV may not be legal in your state, depending on the regulations. Check your local laws to see if hemp-derived THC is allowed in your area. If they aren’t, you won’t be able to buy THCV online and have the products sent to your residence.
THCV and the Human Body
The way that THCV works in the body is quite unique. The endocannabinoid system of the body regulates various functions through its interaction with the compound. Like THC, THCV interacts with both CB1 and CB2 receptors. By binding to these receptors, the cannabinoid can work with the ECS to produce numerous effects depending on what your individual body needs.
Along with the CB1 and CB2 receptors, THCV may also interact with receptors that aren’t in the ECs. For example, the cannabinoid appears to work with the 5-HT1A receptor, a receptor that helps with the regulation of serotonin.
More studies are needed to know the exact ways that THCV interacts with the ECS and the rest of the human body. However, current research suggests that THCV acts very similarly to THC, giving us a good base on THCV’s relationship to the human body.
Studies About THCV
Because of past regulations, it has been difficult to look into THCV through clinical trials and large-scale studies. However, there have been a handful of comprehensive, helpful studies done regarding THCV that give us great insight into the potential applications of the cannabinoid.
One of the most well-cited studies regarding THCV is one published in 2020, focusing on THCV and obesity and metabolic disorders. The study found that the cannabinoid reduced food intake and increased energy in rats. However, these same conclusions can’t be drawn for humans until a human-based study is involved.
There was another recent study published in 2021 that looked at the relationship between THCV and epilepsy, as well as other seizure disorders. Once again, the study looked at the way the cannabinoid worked in rats, not humans. However, both this study and one published in 2011 found that THCV appears to have potential neuroprotective benefits—at least in rats.
More studies about THCV will come out as time goes on, especially as cannabis regulations continue to evolve. As they do, the community will learn more about the THCV cannabinoid and its best potential applications.
Does THCV Get You High?
When people find out about THCV, they often wonder about its psychoactive properties and whether or not the cannabinoid can get you high. So, does THCV get you high? It can.
In low to mild doses, THCV isn’t going to get you high. And THCV isn’t present in super high amounts within most products; thus, the overall goal of a lot of products isn’t to get you high. Instead, it’s to provide supportive results. However, if you take THCV in high doses, the cannabinoid does have the potential to make you intoxicated.
Most people will not get high from THCV. But if you take a high enough dose, you’ll find that THCV’s highs are less intense than delta-9 THC.
The cannabinoid has the ability to get you high because of the way it interacts with the cannabinoid receptors in the body. THCV interacts with the receptors in the brain, creating a psychoactive experience when in high enough amounts.
Interestingly enough, in low doses, the cannabinoid may actually mitigate the psychoactive properties that compounds like THC bring. Studies have found that moderate THCV may make your THC high less significant, which is worth noting when taking a THC and THCV blend.
Overall, though, yes, THCV can get you high if you consume enough of it, but this doesn’t mean you should. High doses of THCV may cause adverse effects, so it’s important to consume it with caution.
Is THCV Psychoactive?
If THCV can get you high, does this mean it is psychoactive? Yes, it does—THCV is a psychoactive compound.
Again, in low doses, you will not realize THCV’s psychoactive properties. But it becomes more present the more you consume. The fact that THCV is psychoactive isn’t surprising considering how similar a chemical structure it has to THC, which is the most abundant psychoactive compound in cannabis. However, the overall potency of the cannabinoid is much weaker than delta-9 THC, so the experience isn’t going to be as powerful.
If you’re seeking a good psychoactive experience, THC tends to be the better choice. You can consume a much lower, more reasonable dose of THC to get high than you would with THCV, which is better for reducing the risk of an unwanted experience.
Overall, just because you don’t always get high from THCV doesn’t mean it’s not a psychoactive cannabinoid. The compound won’t cause psychoactive results in high amounts, but the cannabinoid itself does have psychoactive properties that are important to note before consuming.
How Does THCV Compare to Other Cannabinoids?
THCV is a very unique cannabinoid, especially when compared to other cannabinoids. Let’s start by comparing it to THC.
THCV and THC both have similar structures, but THCV has very strong supportive results that are distinct in low doses. THCV is also federally legal across the United States, but THC is federally illegal; this makes THCV a bit more accessible than THC overall. In states where cannabis is legal, you can only purchase THC products.
THCV and CBD, on the other hand, are both very therapeutic. However, they offer totally different benefits in terms of their separate experiences, and it’s important to note that CBD isn’t psychoactive whatsoever. No matter how high a CBD dose you take, you will not get high from the cannabinoid. The reason for this is that THC does not bind to the same cannabinoid receptors in the brain and body as THCV does. Both THCV and CBD are federally legal, though, so you can easily try both compounds to see which you enjoy more.
People may also compare delta-8 THC to THCV. In comparison to delta-9 THC, both of these cannabinoids provide more subtle highs. However, delta-8 is likely going to provide more powerful psychoactive results, while THCV is likely to provide more distinct support results. Delta 8 THC is also legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, but many states have banned the cannabinoid outright, making THCV slightly more accessible than delta-8.
Forms of THCV Products
Even though THCV is a rare cannabinoid, you can find various types of THCV products on the market today. The perfect THCV product is out there for everyone, no matter what they’re looking for.
If you’re wanting to enjoy your THCV products in one of the tastiest ways possible, it would be best to try THCV gummies. These are gummy candies that have been infused with THCV extract to give you an accurate, potent dose every time. With THCV gummies, you have to wait for the gummies to kick in, and the onset time can range anywhere from 45 minutes to about two hours, so be patient. However, once the experience does kick in, it will last for hours.
If you’re looking for a quicker onset time, you could try something like a THCV tincture or THCV flower. THCV tinctures, when taken sublingually, will start working about 15 minutes or so after consumption. THCV flower, on the other hand, starts to work immediately. Unfortunately, high-THCV strains aren’t always easy to find. It’s best to search for African sativas, as these tend to have much higher THCV levels than your average strain. You shouldn’t use THCV flower if you have any pre-existing lung conditions, though.
THCV distillate is a wonderful product option if you want to be a little versatile. With a THCV distillate, you can use it in various forms, including adding it to a recipe to infuse your meal or using it to fill a refillable vape pen. You can even add some THCV isolate to the top of your flower and enjoy it that way. When it comes to THCV products, the possibilities are endless.
The Best Place to Get THCV Online
As a rare cannabinoid, not every place will have high-quality THCV products for sale. Thankfully, ATLRx does—and it’s affordable, too.
At ATLRx, we have a great selection of both THCV gummies and THCV distillate blends. You can enjoy your THCV in a tasty, chewy way with our 10 mg. Fruit Punch gummies, or experience THCV in a more potent, concentrated way with our delta-8 + THCV isolate or THCV + CBDV distillate. All of these products are well-priced and highly rated, making them a great choice for both newbies and experienced consumers alike.
The next time you’re interested in seeing what the novel THCV cannabinoid has to offer, it’s time to turn to ATLRx and pick out your new favorite THCV product.
