When cannabis flowers are fresh, the cannabinoids are inactive cannabinoid acids. This is known as CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) or THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid). These cannabinoid acids do not have the same therapeutic effects as cannabinoids activated by decarboxylation or combustion while smoking.
Decarboxylation is the process of heating CBD flowers to a specific temperature to activate the cannabinoids by converting the cannabinoid acids into activated cannabinoids. Basically, this means that heat transforms CBDA into CBD and THCA into THC.
It's important because it converts inactive cannabinoid acids into active cannabinoids, allowing CBD flower tea or canna butter to produce therapeutic effects. Without decarboxylation, CBD flower infusions contain mainly inactive cannabinoid acids with few active cannabinoids, so the effects will not be as interesting.
It's a crucial step in unlocking the therapeutic potential of cannabis. By following these simple steps, you can easily decarboxylate your cannabis flower or concentrate at home and use it in a variety of applications.
How to proceed?
With an oven:
- Spread the crushed flowers on parchment paper
- Heat for 45 minutes between 105° and 120° C
With a microwave oven:
- Place the crushed flowers in a bowl with a lid
- Heat for 8-10 minutes at low temperature
With a pressure-cooker or in a bain-marie:
- Place crushed flowers in a heat-seal vacuum bag
- Heat to 95° C for one hour
If you are vaporizing your cannabis flowers:
Congratulations, you've decarboxylated your cannabis flowers, now they still contain some cannabinoids and you can use what's left of them to make tea or cannabutter.