There always seems to be a new trend on the horizon. When it comes to marijuana, one of the latest seems to be that of eating weed – raw.
But does eating weed get you high? Why would you eat it rather than smoke it? Why not use one of the other myriad ways you can imbibe cannabis and gain access to its many benefits? Is raw really the way to go?
If you’ve had questions like these on your mind, this article is for you:
If you eat weed, will you get high?
The short answer to this question is “no”.
There are in fact numerous reasons why eating weed raw can actually be of benefit to you. But if you are looking to gain access to the psychoactive effect which THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, one of the 113 different cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant) can create, eating weed raw simply isn’t going to work.
Here’s why:
Why do you not get high if you eat weed raw?
The cannabinoid THC is largely responsible for the psychoactive effect you experience when smoking cannabis.
But – contrary to popular belief – fresh, raw cannabis does not actually contain THC. There might be trace amounts. But not in anything like the quantity required to lead to a psychoactive effect no matter how much you eat.
Instead, raw cannabis contains THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid). In order to turn this THCA into THC – a process sometimes referred to as “activating it” – decarboxylation is required.
Decarboxylation is essentially the application of heat. This is usually applied by:
- Smoking
- Vaping
- Cooking or baking
Curing can also activate some of the THCA present in raw cannabis. But, while some people do eat cured cannabis and hope for a psychoactive effect, they are battling against their own digestive system in order to do so.
Because the activated THC has to reach your bloodstream in order to have any effect on you. Having to pass all the way through the digestive system to get there is a difficult ask. Much of the THC, if not all, will be lost along the way.
The benefits of eating weed raw
Although you cannot get high from eating weed raw, the cannabis plant actually has many other beneficial qualities – even without going through the decarboxylation process.
For example, you might not know that the cannabis plant is:
1) Rich in vitamins and minerals
Raw cannabis contains high levels of Vitamins C and K as well as iron, folate and calcium. It’s a natural source of these vitamins and minerals, making it a superior choice to some supplements we could mention!
2) Full of antioxidants
Antioxidants slow or prevent cells from suffering damage from free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules which the human body sometimes produces as a reaction to environmental situations.
There will likely be some antioxidants present in cannabis no matter how you consume it. But before it is cooked, burned or baked, the antioxidants levels will be higher.
3) Contains terpenes and other beneficial compounds
Most people only think of the benefits of activated CBD and THC when they’re thinking about the marijuana plant. But there are many other beneficial compounds in there.
Before the decarboxylation process gets to work, the levels of these other compounds is much higher. In fact, that’s the reason why cannabis products like live resin – which skips the decarboxylation process – are always counted as being at the highest end of the quality spectrum.
This is because they still contain other beneficial cannabinoids, not to mention terpenes. Terpenes are organic compounds which give many plants and even insect species their aroma and flavor as well as lending cannabis much of its stress-relieving and relaxation properties.
This means that eating raw cannabis can be beneficial for people who are struggling to sleep. Though, of course, these days there are better options.
4) Could secretly be a superfood
The cannabis plant actually shares an important organic compound with several different vegetables which are counted as “superfoods.” Ever wondered why red cabbage or eggplants have that purple color?
That’s down to the anthrocyanin. Anthrocyanin is full of nutrients as well as being good for your heart health, your immune system and health in general.
It’s also the reason why some buds of cannabis have that attractive purplish coloration.
Options other than eating raw cannabis
But, when all is said and done, many of the benefits of eating raw marijuana can accessed elsewhere.
You might be on the lookout for alternatives to smoking or vaping weed because you’re worried about smoking being bad for you. But that’s no reason to go all the way back to eating the raw plant.
What effects are you looking for?
1) No to smoking, yes to psychoactivity, yes to cannabis benefits
If you want to avoid the smoke inhalation part of activating the THC found in cannabis and still want to receive the psychoactive effect, why not consider any of the many fine THC edibles available on the market?
Always be sure to check the quality and provenance of the cannabis it has been made from. But edibles provide a pleasant way to access the psychoactive effects of cannabis without the need to vape or smoke it.
You might even consider baking your own.
2) No to smoking, no to psychoactivity, yes to cannabis benefits
If your hope when investigating whether eating weed raw makes you high was that it wouldn’t, it might be worth considering whether CBD products might be more your speed.
CBD (cannabidiol, the other best-known cannabinoid in the cannabis plant) is well known for its pain relief and stress relief effects, as well as being good for the promotion of healthy sleeping and several other advantages.
You can consume CBD in all kinds of ways. In tasty edible CDB gummies, in pills, tablets and capsules, in other infused food and drinks, in oils for baking and cooking, tinctures placed under your tongue and other ways besides.
If you don’t want to smoke cannabis and you don’t want the psychoactive effects but the benefits above still sound good to you, CBD might just be what you’re looking for.
