March 13, 2023

Jen Hight

Cannabis

What is THCp?

THC, the main psychoactive element of cannabis, is an analog of THCp, a naturally occurring phytocannabinoid present in cannabis. One of the more than 120 cannabinoids that have been found to date in the cannabis plant—and there may be many more—is THCp, which was just recently discovered by an Italian research team.

Given their recent rise in popularity, you might also be familiar with Delta 8 and Delta 10, which differ significantly from Delta 9 but have comparable psychoactive effects.

However, THCp is really making waves in the cannabis industry. Data uncovered by the researchers point to a potential role for THCp in a cannabis strain’s psychoactivity beyond that of THC by itself. The limited information we currently know about this recently discovered cannabinoid is examined in this article.

Table of contents:

• Key Takeaways
• What Is THCp?
• How Strong Is THCp?
• Is THCp Legal?
• How Does THCp Compare to Other Forms of THC?
• Will You Fail a Drug Test From Using THCp?
• How Much Does THCP Cost?
• How Long Does it Take For THCP to Kick In?
• What Makes THCP So Psychoactive?
• Is THCP Addictive?
• Is THCP a Synthetic Cannabinoid?
• How is THCP Extracted?

Key Takeaways

• THCp Discovery and Structure: THCp, a cannabinoid stronger than THC due to two additional carbon atoms in its chemical structure, was discovered by an Italian research team in 2019, sparking significant interest due to its potent psychoactive effects.
• THCp’s Legal Status: While THCp is technically legal under the 2018 Farm Bill in the U.S. if derived from hemp, its legality varies by state and is subject to stringent regulations due to its classification as a THC analog.
• Psychoactive Effects and Potency: THCp is noted for its high potency, with effects that are 5 to 10 times stronger than THC, making it the strongest naturally occurring cannabinoid identified to date.
• Extraction and Market Availability: Despite being naturally present in cannabis, THCp is rare and typically produced from CBD due to its trace amounts, resulting in high production costs and limited market availability.

What Is THCp?

THCP, or 9-Tetrahydrocannabiphorol, is a recently identified natural counterpart to THC. The presence of two additional carbon atoms in THCp’s chemical structure is the only distinction between it and “normal” THC. The alkyl side chain of THCP has seven carbons, in contrast to THC’s five carbons. This minute distinction alone makes THCp far stronger than regular THC.

Even though this cannabinoid was only discovered in 2019 and is relatively new, it is believed to have existed for a long time. Even though some marijuana strains have the same or lower THC contents than others, some researchers, including Dr. Giuseppe Cannazza, think THCp may be the reason some marijuana strains are so much more psychoactive than others. The Italian research team, aided by the UNIHEMP project, unintentionally discovered THCp. The scientists were investigating the FM2 strain’s chemical composition when they made the discovery.

With the aid of high-performance mass spectrometry and other precise testing equipment, the researchers made some strange discoveries. Their research, which placed equal emphasis on THC and CBD, was published in December 2019. 

Therefore, there hasn’t been much interest in future research into CBDP, which seems to interact with the endocannabinoid system almost invisibly. THCP, however, is said to have a binding affinity that is more than 30 times higher than THC’s. Although the real strength of this cannabinoid is still widely contested, most users of THCP estimate its potency to be 5–10 times greater than that of THC.

How Strong Is THCp?

What we do know is that THCp is stronger than THC. The psychoactivity of THCp is its main selling factor. There aren’t many people who have tried THCP, but those who have said it has effects that are between five and ten times as potent as delta-9 THC (which is still a substantial increase in potency).

Despite being debatable, some assert that THCp has 33 times more potency than THC. Although THCp has 33 times the binding affinity for CB1 receptors as compared to Delta 9 THC, the effects are not 33 times stronger as a result. Let’s face it, a high equivalent of 33 times the effects would be very intense.

We will learn more about THCP’s potency in relation to other THC analogs as time goes on and more individuals try it.

Is THCp Legal?

Let’s say you have concerns about the legality of THCP. Congratulations on being cautious. However, just because THCP isn’t listed as a restricted substance doesn’t mean it’s allowed.

Analogs of illegal substances are categorized under the same legal heading in the majority of countries’ laws, including those in the US and the UK. THCP and other THC analogs will therefore probably be prohibited at the federal level in the United States. THCp is legal if it is within the bounds of the 2018 Farm Bill (Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018), meaning that it has to be 100% hemp-derived. 

Even though THCp is legal in the United States, if it derives from hemp, some states still have a ban on it. The best thing to do is constantly check the laws in the state that you reside in to see if THCp is illegal or legal. Staying current is advised because laws can change at any time.

Most EU countries, including France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, and Germany, have comparable laws. Although there is a push for the legalization of THC in various EU nations, it lags far behind North America.

The exception is Canada, which doesn’t have comparable drug laws. One significant problem, though, is that THCp sources are hard to come across nationwide. But in the upcoming years, that might alter.

How Does THCp Compare to Other Forms of THC?

Around five years ago, Delta 9 THC was the only THC molecule that was mentioned. That’s because the main component of cannabis is delta 9. The other THC analogs, such as Delta 8 THC, Delta 10 THC, and THCp, were unknown until recently.

What about THCp, then? First off, the majority of THC analogs affect people in the same way, causing a buzz that similar through most cannabinoids. However, potency, headspace, and qualitative effects account for the variations. The strongest cannabinoid discovered in nature is the substance THCp. Similar synthetic THC derivatives, like THC-O, have potencies to this one. Our research indicates that the potency of THCp is approximately 1.5 times higher than that of THC-O, 5 to 10 times higher than Delta 9 THC, 10 to 20 times higher than Delta 8 THC, and more than 40 times higher than THCv.

So, yeah, it is quite powerful.

The intensity of each dose is referred to as “potency.” There are two ways to assess THC potency, though: either by comparing the qualitative effects of various THC strains when administered at the same dose or by figuring out the substance’s propensity for interacting with particular receptors.

Will You Fail a Drug Test From Using THCp?

Every cannabis and hemp enthusiast’s biggest nightmare is a drug test. If cannabis is detected in an employee’s system, certain employers may fire them. Experts are unsure of whether THCp lingers in your system longer due to the paucity of studies on THCp.

It is prudent to contrast THCp with all other THC analogs for the time being. Let’s examine how long THC remains in your body:

Up to 30 days after your last usage, THC may still be present in your urine. The majority of it, however, depends on how much you use. A urine test may detect light cannabis use five to seven days after your last dose, regular use fifteen days after your last dose, and chronic use up to thirty days.

To avoid failing a drug test, it is wise to stop using THCp 30 days beforehand. The most typical test for cannabis use is urine; however, there are also tests for saliva, blood, and hair. A hair test is the scariest since it could reveal cannabis use 90 days after your last use; that’s a nightmare.

Cannabis can be eliminated from your body using a number of techniques. These consist of detoxification beverages, kits, creatine supplements, and goods containing activated charcoal. By drinking enough water, you can aid in the removal of THCP from your body. However, if you use too much water, you could produce a strange outcome. But at that point, creatine pills can be used to mask overhydration. Although none of these techniques are guaranteed to be effective, many people have already experienced success with them.

How Much Does THCP Cost?

The cost of THC is typically determined by two aspects: how simple it is to grow and how high the market demand is. Because the general population has little interest in or knowledge about THCp, it is difficult to produce it in large quantities. Since the difficulty of extracting large quantities is a major hurdle, the cost of THCp is highly expensive.

Between THCp and Delta 9 THC are other THC subtypes  Delta 8 THC, Delta 10 THC, and THC-O. THCp now costs about 50 cents per milligram on average. On the other hand, the average price per milligram for THC-O is between 15 and 30 cents, while that for Delta 8 THC and Delta 10 THC is between 7 and 15 cents.

Due to its great global demand and abundance in cannabis plants, Delta 9 THC is the most cost-effective form available. As a result, Delta 9 THC costs between 6 and 12 cents per milligram, which is four times less expensive than THCp because of Delta 9’s availability. 

How Long Does it Take For THCP to Kick In? 

You may start feeling the potential effects of THCp in as little as 15 minutes if you use or vape it. The peak effects will also hit you within an hour, but they will fade off after two hours.

If you use THCp through gummies or cookies, it may take an hour before you start to feel the potential effects. The effects can last for up to six hours. Just a tiny amount of THCp should be taken, not more if the effects are not felt within the first two hours.

What Makes THCP So Psychoactive?

THCp and THC have almost identical chemical structures when they are compared to each other on a molecular level. The sole distinction is that THCp has a 7-carbon chain instead of a 5-carbon alkyl chain.

Researchers have already established that this chain must contain at least three carbons for THC to have any psychotropic effects at all. The impact is stronger the more carbons there are (there are limitations to this).

For instance, THCC, which just includes one carbon, is completely non-psychoactive. Three carbons make up THCV, which is about 25% more potent than THC. Delta 8, 9, and 10 THC are followed by THCp at the top, which has 7 carbons.

THC-O-acetate is another well-liked, more potent kind of THC. Instead of possessing a higher binding affinity to CB1 receptors, this synthetic cannabinoid’s enhanced potency is due to better bioavailability.

This indicates that compared to traditional THC, more is absorbed from the gut and crosses the blood-brain barrier.

Is THCP Addictive?

Although there isn’t enough proof to say if THCp is addictive or not, some scientists think it might be because of how strongly it binds to CB1 endocannabinoid receptors.

Similar to THCp, other synthetically produced substances have lengthy carbon tails and strong binding affinities. It has been established that several of these substances have certain addictive properties.

Is THCP a Synthetic Cannabinoid?

Depending on how you define “synthetic,” the answer may vary.

Low levels of THCp are found naturally in marijuana plants. The fact that THCp can be extracted directly from cannabis plants means that, in the eyes of many, it is not a synthetic cannabinoid.

However, to produce just one bottle of THCp isolate, producers would need to process enormous amounts of marijuana. Instead, the majority of THCp that is now on the market was either freshly created or altered from other cannabinoids. Some claim that because THCp is made in a lab from other molecules, it is a synthetic product.

How is THCP Extracted?

Since THCp only occurs in trace amounts in hemp, further research on it requires converting it from other cannabinoids.

Prior to 2019, there were no studies describing the extraction technique to produce practical levels of THCp. Later, to accommodate the production process typical for other THC isomers, such as Delta 8 or Delta 10, this procedure was developed and modified.

THCp is produced by manufacturers starting with CBD, so it is possible to get it from hemp in this way, giving THCp a legal loophole. Through this type of extraction, THCp falls within the regulations of the 2018 Farm Bill Act. 

With the extraction of THCp, many different products can be created. At ATLRx, we now have products like Delta 8 THCp distillate and Delta 9 THCp distillate.