This question has been asked thousands of times. Does eating raw marijuana get you high? People eat edibles and get high so what happens if I eat raw marijuana? Well if you talk to anyone that knows anything about edibles you would understand that eating edibles is not the same thing as eating raw weed. So what happens?
Does Raw Marijuana Get You High?
If you were looking forward to hearing that eating raw marijuana can actually get you high, I am sorry to disappoint but you cannot get high from eating just plain weed. To understand why you have to first understand a little bit of cannabis chemistry.
Cannabis is full of natural occurring chemical compounds called cannabinoids that have different effects on the human body thanks to our endocannabinoid system, which every human has. This system is the part of the brain that the cannabinoids go to once they enter the body.
Upon entry, the cannabinoids make their way to the endocannabinoid system which triggers different moods as well as appetite, sleep aid and pain relief.
The feeling of being high happens when your body consumes active THC which surprisingly is not in raw cannabis. Instead, raw cannabis contains a non-psychoactive cannabinoid called THCA.
When cannabis is burned or lit on fire the THCA drops the ACID molecule and converts into active Delta-9 THC which allows the user to feel the high effect. This process is called decarboxylation and it happens when you light the marijuana on fire when you’re smoking a pipe, joint, blunt or any other smoking apparatus.
The two main catalysts for decarboxylation to occur are heat and time. Curing and drying cannabis over time will cause some decarboxylation to occur. This is why cannabis flower sometimes tests for a presence of small amounts of Delta-9 THC along with THCA.
The cannabis oil or butter used to make edibles has to be decarboxylated in order to get the consumer high. This is the reason why eating raw marijuana won’t get you high because the cannabis has not been decarboxylated yet. The THCA will not get you high until it is converted into active Delta-9 THC no matter what.
So, What Happens When You Eat Raw Marijuana?
Now if you have decided that you want to eat raw marijuana even after reading this that’s ok. Even though raw marijuana doesn’t get you high it does in fact have several health benefits.
A growing number of people claim that eating raw marijuana helps people get the health benefits of the cannabinoids from cannabis without getting the high effect that some users may want to avoid.
Cannabinoids do many things for the body like help fight off disease, help inflammation and act as a super vitamin for the body. If you want to consume these cannabinoids without getting high this may be your best bet.
Juicing Marijuana?
So if you are thinking about eating raw cannabis for the health benefits, juicing is probably going to be your best option. Biting into a marijuana bud has an odd squishy and sticky texture so I’d recommend throwing it into a juicer. This allows you to get all the cannabinoids, vitamins and minerals contained in the plant without having to digest difficult plant matter.
In fact, many people who juice marijuana say it tastes much better when it is juiced especially when you mix cannabis with other fruits and vegetables. Mixing cannabis with other healthy, vitamin rich fruits and veggies gives you a deliciously healthy super drink.
In order to juice raw marijuana you will obviously need a juicer and raw cannabis. Luckily you can use the entire marijuana bud for juicing so there isn’t a part you have to remove before putting into your juicer.
All you have to do is roughly chop up the plant matter you wish to juice and throw it into your juicer. After that you can throw in whichever fruits and vegetables your heart desires.
Benefits of THCA From Eating Raw Marijuana
Eating raw marijuana will not cause a high because the marijuana is not decarboxylated which means the non-psychoactive cannabinoid THCA has not been turned into active THC.
So what happens when you digest THCA?
THCA is a very important part of the cannabis plant which has possible health benefits and therapeutic properties associated with it. Here is some information backing up the claim that THCA has health benefits:
- A 2011 study looked at a number of cannabinoids. This included THCA. Researchers found that THCA can function as an anti-inflammatory agent, thereby helping reduce a number of other health complications.
- A study published in 2012 found that both THC and THCA may have a number of neuroprotective qualities that can promote brain health and fend off certain types of brain cell dysfunction and death.
- A 2013 study suggested that a handful of cannabinoids, including THCA, could be helpful in slowing the growth and spread of certain types of cancer cells.
THCA has several other potential health benefits linked with consuming it. In fact, the main reason consuming raw cannabis is recommended is to consume the cannabinoid THCA and receive the many health benefits from it.
Marijuana is a strange and intriguing plant that still has many mysteries associated with it, and we still have so much to learn when it comes to cannabis. One thing is for sure, cannabinoids are good for the human body, so if you are looking for the health benefits from THCA get some cannabis and juicer and start making some supercharged health drinks.
Cannabis can be very expensive in some states, especially if you go to your local dispensary. Marijuana taxes in most states have really made pot cost prohibitive for some people. So if you’re going to juice and don’t want to break the bank, you may want to grow your own.