Is Low-THC Cannabis the Big New Way to Enjoy the Herb?
Estimated 5-minute read
Why do you enjoy weed so much? If you ask this question to any stoner that you might know, we can already imagine what the answer will be: the high given by cannabis is like no other, pleasurable, fuzzy, and all around guaranteeing a good time every time you light up a joint, take a bite out of an edible, or grab your favorite bong. Weed, after all, is becoming more popular than tobacco these days, not only for the great time it gives you, but also for their medical properties that make it such a delightful herb to have at hand.
However, what if we told you that low-THC cannabis is rapidly becoming popular among modern smokers, and the demand for the kinds of strains that boast a lower content of this cannabinoid is seemingly going up? Although for a long time most growers have been trying to up the amount of THC content in their crops, the other crucial component of cannabis, CBD, is currently enjoying a surge of interest, with more Google searches devoted to learning about the later rather than the former during all of 2022 (at least until September).
As you can see, CBD (the blue line) has a lot more interest than THC (the red) line, and this points to a trend that might impact the way we currently enjoy weed. Is low-THC cannabis the future of this plant, or just a new trend that might go away soon? What can CBD offer that THC simply can’t? And what would that mean for the average stoner of today? To know that, let’s check out the reasons why a strain of cannabis that gives a lower high might be more attractive, and where that would lead us tomorrow when it comes to the consumption of the best herb in the world.
1) The legal question
Any discussion of cannabis, as simple as it might be, will always include a legal side that we need to keep in mind. Cannabis, after all, is still a controversial plant in most places, and the march of the legalization (or at least decriminalization) of cannabis is still somewhat slow due to holdout beliefs about it. So, it’s no wonder that CBD has been gaining popularity among users for one simple reason: in the US at least, these kinds of strains are legal.
Under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, some crops of cannabis, specifically hemp and hemp-related products, are legal to farm if they keep their THC content lower than 0.3% for any cannabis plant (before it, only the sativa variety was allowed), which opened the door for these strains of weed to be sold and bought without issue.
And as the law only requires you to look into THC content, the CBD cannabinoid has free reign, which you might know, it’s the one that elevates serotonin levels in the brain, helping you relax and unwind.
2) CBD helps with a lot of issues
In that same sense, the fact that CBD is not banned under law is because this compound is extremely useful to treat a variety of mental health-related issues, like stress and anxiety, thanks to its serotonin-like properties. In fact, CBD is the reason why medical marijuana is a thing; lots of illnesses and conditions benefit from the calming effects this compound gives, which have little to do with the effects of THC.
And considering how anxiety is gaining epidemic-levels of growth in the last decade, it is not very surprising that many people are more interested in the CBD content rather than the other side-effects of weed. So be it in gummies, oils, or drops, consuming cannabis products that promise to help you calm down or control the symptoms of anxiety (in other words, what CBD is good at), the demand for low-THC is looking to grow a lot more in the near future.
3) Low THC cannabis is easier to grow
Depending on your local legislation, cultivating cannabis might be legal, and growing your own garden could be one of the best decisions you could take, at least financial-wise, with plenty of options and guides out there to help you get started with the best equipment for an entry-level crop. If that’s a path you want to take, great! Because also this tidbit of information is for you: cannabis with a low content of THC is easier to grow.
The truth is that cannabis plants with a high yield of THC compounds is not something that you will find in nature easily; most plants with a potent effect are strains that are carefully selected, crossbred and maintained, which might be a lot of work for a hobbyist looking to start a garden for fun. However, if you are interested more in the CBD of the plant, you should know that these variants (from which hemp is usually derived) can grow pretty much anywhere, which explains why some of these low-THC cannabis plants are so easy to find.
4) It meshes better with daily use
And finally, probably the biggest reason why low-THC cannabis is growing in popularity: it simply goes better with everyday use than heavier, more potent strains. After all, one of the best things about weed is how helpful it is to combat anxiety, relax and chill out after a stressful day at the office, but most people like to do that while also remaining alert. In other words, a strain more focused on CBD content has more in common with a couple of light beers, which you can enjoy a lot without becoming drunk during the afternoon, while a dose with a high content of THC is more akin to a strong craft beer that you might want to open during special occasions; not everyone wants the full high all of the time, and a less potent mix might help you relax without knocking you down for the day, which is one of the reasons why variants like the panteonera are still sought after even with more specialized strains out there.
Final words
Even though nothing will ever replace the feeling of a nice high that only strains with a potent THC content can give, low-THC plants have their fans and with good reason. Not only are they easier to get and commercialize, but people new to this hobby are finding tons of different uses, occasions and purposes for more CBD-focused crops that will probably make a good portion of the future of this industry. So grab your favorite pipe, prepare yourself some mild cannabis with your favorite grinder, and enjoy the benefits of a good puff of weed while you cook or watch TV, that low-THC variants are here to stay.
Author: Shaggy
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