THC-P is a special cannabinoid with a unique vibe and an equally unique set of health benefits.
But THC-P is also mysterious and misunderstood. It’s one of the newest THC-related cannabinoids available today — and considering how many new cannabinoids have been coming out, that’s saying something!
Is your interest piqued yet? If so, keep reading to learn more about THC-P, what it does, and how it could benefit your life.
Also known by the much longer names of (-)-Trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabiphorol and Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabiphorol, THC-P is a natural cannabinoid found in cannabis and hemp. Some experts believe THC-P is a whopping 33 times stronger than ‘regular’ delta-9 THC. If you try it, expect powerfully euphoric effects!
As you might imagine, the idea that something could be 33 times stronger than regular THC has given THC-P a whole lot of extra attention. Some of the cannabis industry’s more psychonautic members get excited just thinking about the possibility!
But THC-P remains mysterious in spite of its newfound popularity. How does it work? How did it get discovered? We’ll answer these questions and many others next.
THC-P was discovered super recently. In a study released in December 2019, lead authors Cinzia Citti and Pasquale Linciano announced their discovery of a “novel phytocannabinoid isolated from Cannabis sativa L. with an in vivo cannabimimetic activity higher than Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol [..].” [1]
These Italian researchers used high-performance liquid chromatography to zoom in close to a cannabis extract. During this analysis THC-P was found — even though the researchers weren’t actually looking for it. You heard that right: THC-P was found by accident!
These researchers quickly got to work analyzing THC-P’s chemical structure. They found that THC-P differed from other THC isomers as a result of its alkyl side chains.
What are alkyl side chains, you might ask? Good question. They’re strings of carbon atoms that attach themselves to a wide variety of molecules, including most cannabinoids. These alkyl chains look almost like little tails attached to the bodies of the molecules.
The size and shape of a cannabinoid’s alkyl side chains go a long way towards determining how it will interact with your body’s endocannabinoid system. A cannabinoid needs to have an alkyl chain at least three carbon atoms long to bind to your brain’s type-1 endocannabinoid receptors. (THC has alkyl side chains that are five carbons long, which explains its psychotropic effects.)
Here’s the kicker: THC-P’s side chains are seven carbons long — longer than any other natural cannabinoid. This allows it to bind faster and stronger to type-1 endocannabinoid receptors within your brain. And that allows THC-P to have ultra-powerful effects. [2]
THC-P’s immense strength led the researchers that discovered it to ask a very important question: what are the cannabinoid’s benefits? Keep reading to find out.
One more thing you should know before we move along: THC-P isn’t the only isomer in its newfound category. The same research team that discovered it also discovered something called CBD-P!
Also known as CBD-C7 or CBD-heptyl, CBD-P is even more mysterious than its THC-based relative. Some researchers suspect it might be stronger than ‘regular’ CBD, though its side-chain length may not actually affect binding activity much.
To be totally honest with you…we don’t really know yet. Much more research needs to be done before we can say conclusively; after all, THC-P is less than 3 years old! (At least as far as research is concerned.)
All that being said, here are some initial possibilities. THC-P may possess pain-relieving and temperature-regulating benefits.
It’s also possible that THC-P possesses most of ‘regular’ THC’s benefits. That would mean pain relief is more powerful, that sleep aid is more noticeable, that relaxation is more immersive, et cetera. And things might get even better if you were to pair THC-P with other cannabinoids and terpenes — though it’s too early to say for sure what strains are highest in THC-P.
Another interesting factoid: if you’ve ever partaken of cannabis, you’ve probably already consumed THC-P. You just didn’t realize it! Trace amounts of THC-P are likely found within many different cannabis strains, just waiting to be discovered.
It’s also possible that taking THC-P-only products can increase your tolerance for most other cannabinoids. Some people say that taking THC-P just once or twice can greatly upregulate the amount of ‘regular’ THC they can take. Whether that’s good or bad…well, that probably depends on the person taking it and their goals.
THC-P’s side effects also remain on the unknown side, but we can extrapolate a few things from what we know about ‘regular’ THC. THC-P can likely cause:
It’s fairly safe to assume that THC-P’s side effects are stronger than THC’s. If you try this unique cannabinoid, practice caution!
THC-P is yet another cannabinoid whose legality seems to jump through an accidental loophole.
In other words, 2018’s Federal Farm Bill legalized every cannabinoid besides delta-9 THC. It inadvertently made delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC, and other cannabinoids legal. Any other hemp-derived cannabinoid that gets discovered post-Farm Bill is technically federally legal…including THC-P.
Is THC-P available on the retail market? Yes indeed — it’s just starting to become that way!
Some brands are creating products that combine THC-P and delta-8 THC. These products are actually far stronger than delta-9. Some users love them, but others say they’re far too powerful to easily benefit from.
It’s still too soon to know the full extent of THC-P’s inner workings. For that reason, we don’t yet carry it at Direct Delta 8 Shop. That may change in the near future, however, as new research and real-world testimonials come out.
If you want to try THC-P sooner rather than later, be sure to buy from a trusted brand and be very careful with taking your first few doses. And until then…try to be patient. We suspect that it might only be a matter of time until THC-P has risen into the same ranks as delta-8, delta-10, and other tried-and-true cannabinoids.
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