There are approximately 110 different cannabinoids that are known to us, although more of them are being isolated as we speak. There are, as well, many cannabinoids and cannabinoid byproducts that we've known about for many years but haven't performed much research on or paid much attention to. One of these somewhat overlooked cannabinoid byproducts is what we are here to talk about today, THC-M.
There are plenty of cannabinoids contained in the hemp and cannabis plants which are known for having a wide variety of benefits for us humans, both mentally and physically. Many of these cannabinoids also produce notable psychoactive effects that make you feel high.
So, what about THC-M? Will THC-M make you feel high? Does THC-M have any health benefits? Is THC-M closely related to regular THC? Is it even a real cannabinoid at all?
These questions and many more are exactly what we are here to answer today. This guide on THC-M will provide you with all of the information that you need about this particular cannabis byproduct, which is officially known as 11-Nor-Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol-9-Carboxylic Acid.
Key Takeaways
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What does THC-M Mean? THC-M stands for 11-Nor-Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol-9-Carboxylic Acid, otherwise known as Carboxy-THC.
It is assumed that THC-M is more potent than regular THC, although this cannot be confirmed at this time.
Although not much is known about THC-M due to a lack of official research, at this time, it is considered legal in the USA, according to the official definition as set out by the 2018 Farm Bill.
Interested in learning about other cannabinoids? Check out these awesome guides on all sorts of cannabinoids!
What is the THC-M Cannabinoid?
Although THC-M isn't a recent discovery, more attention is being paid to it now than ever before. THC-M was first discovered in 1997 and is actually referred to as a cannabis byproduct, not an actual cannabinoid.
THC-M is thought to be a byproduct that is present in cannabis smoke. The only real way in which THC-M has been used scientifically to date is to identify if females smoked cannabis while pregnant.
Specifically, THC-M is a known biomarker that can be used to determine potential exposure to cannabis smoke in utero for fetuses up to five months before birth. The only reason we know that this cannabis byproduct exists at all is because it was originally used as a way to determine whether fetuses in the womb were exposed to cannabis smoke.
However, as far as we are concerned, in terms of the effects and benefits of this cannabinoid byproduct, there isn't all that much known about it. The reason for this is because THC-M has never been isolated in cannabis. Scientists have so far not been able to isolate it, therefore making it very difficult to perform any research on it.
How Does THC-M Make You Feel?
Due to a lack of research on THC-M, how exactly it makes you feel is at this time not known. The issue is that we really don't know whether or not it is psychoactive, although it certainly has the potential.
What we do know is that although THC-M does not appear to have any double bonds or long carbon chains that would help us identify its overall potency, the chemical composition is similar to that of THC-O, a cannabinoid that has had some more research performed on it.
What we know about THC-O is that it is roughly three times more potent than regular Delta-9 THC.
It may be completely different from THC-M, but due to the similar chemical structure, it is thought that the potency or effects of THC-O and THC-M may be similar. Therefore, there is a chance that THC-M could make you feel intoxicated, and it may be about three times as potent as normal Delta-9 THC.
Does THC-M Get You High?
As noted above, it is fair to assume that THC-M may have the potential to get you high and to be an intoxicating substance, because it has not yet been isolated, it’s not something that can be confirmed at this time.
That said, there are some different THC-M products out there, such as cartridges and even edibles, although these generally do not contain just THC-M. These usually include a wide variety of cannabinoids, with many of them being known to have intoxicating effects.
Therefore, if THC-M is present in these products along with other cannabinoids, cannabinoid byproducts, terpenes, and more, it makes it impossible to tell what THC-M does when consumed.
The Effects of THC-M
Due to an overall lack of THC-M research and the inability to isolate THC-M at this time, what exactly THC-M's effects are cannot be determined. This is true both in terms of its psychoactivity and possible health benefits.
However, seeing as THC-M is similar in chemical structure to THC-O, one might assume that it also produces an extremely strong high which is nearly three times as potent as Delta-9 THC.
With THC-O, the high is so strong that some people report it being borderline psychedelic, with possible mild auditory or visual hallucinations, extreme feelings of euphoria and elation, feeling disconnected from your body, an extreme body buzz, and much more.
Some people also report that THC-O helps them sleep better, relieves some symptoms associated with stress, and also helps reduce pain. Although the chemical structure of THC-O and THC-M are similar, THC-M just hasn't been researched enough to confirm any of these speculations.
Pros & Cons of THC-M
At this time, there simply has not been enough research performed on this cannabinoid byproduct to accurately describe any kinds of potential advantages or disadvantages.
THCM's practical utility and benefits remain largely unknown. It's primarily used as a marker to detect cannabis use during pregnancy, indicating its limited application in the medical and recreational cannabis sectors. The lack of psychoactive properties and the difficulty in acquiring THCM make it a less appealing option compared to its more famous relative, THC.
THC-M vs THC
Something that makes THC-M different from regular THC, besides being a byproduct instead of an actual cannabinoid, has to do with their names.
In terms of Delta-10, Delta-9, and Delta-8 THC, these all have their name because they feature a double bond located somewhere in the carbon atom. For instance, with Delta-9 THC, that double bond is located at the 9th carbon atom, and so on and so forth.
THC-M on the other hand does not have such a unique double bond, but instead has an oxygen atom that is connected to the carbon atom. Other than that, however, there has not been enough research performed on THC-M to make any accurate comparisons between it and regular THC.
Can You Smoke THC-M
THC-M is thought to be a byproduct that occurs when cannabis is smoked. Therefore, technically speaking, when you smoke cannabis, THC-M is created as a byproduct, and it should get into your system that way. Because of this, THC-M flower per se does not really exist. However, there are a select few vape cartridges out there that contain this cannabinoid byproduct, though not in an isolated form.
Can You Eat THC-M
Although strictly speaking it would be possible to eat THC-M, because of the lack of the ability to isolate it, there are currently no edibles out there that contain just THC-M.
There are no dedicated THC-M edibles on the market that we know of. This is an extremely rare cannabinoid byproduct. Also, even if you could eat THC-M, due to the lack of research, we really couldn't tell you how it would affect you.
Is THC-M Legal?
According to the definition of what qualifies as being legal in terms of cannabinoids in the United States, as set out by the 2018 Farm Bill, THC-M should be legal.
According to the 2018 Farm Bill, any cannabinoid product, such as flower, a tincture, an edible, or anything in between, must be derived from the hemp plant in order to be legal. What qualifies as a hemp plant is any such plant that contains less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC.
If the plant in question, or the final product, contains more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight concentration, it is technically considered to be cannabis, and therefore federally illegal. However, because THC-M technically does not contain Delta-9 THC, it should be completely legal at a federal level.
Where to Buy THC-M Online
Due to the rarity of this cannabinoid, it is more or less impossible to find online. However, here at Botany Farms, we have plenty of other cannabinoids and products for you to check out, such as some of our best-selling Delta-9 edibles.
Our own Botany Farms Mixed Variety Delta-9 THC Gummies are very popular. If you’d like to try some Delta-8 THC flower, check out this awesome Delta-9 Blueberry Kush Pre-Roll, or if you’d rather vape, this Llama Kush Delta-8 THC + CBN Vape Cart might be right for you!
THC-M Frequently Asked Questions
We're going to do our best to answer some of your most frequently asked questions about THC-M.
How Strong is THC-M?
Although it is assumed that THC-M may have roughly the same potency as THC-O, this has not yet been confirmed.
How Long Does the THC-M High Last?
How long the high from THC-M high lasts, or if it produces a notable high at all, is not yet known.
How Much THC-M Should I Take?
There just isn't enough research to provide you with any kind of dosage information on THC-M at this time.
How Long Does THC-M Stay In Your System?
If this cannabinoid byproduct reacts the same way as other cannabinoids to drug testing, it would be safe to assume that hair follicle tests may be able to detect this cannabinoid byproduct in your system for up to three months after consumption.
