What is THCP?
THCP is an organic cannabinoid (or phytocannabinoid) very similar to delta 9 THC, which is the most abundant cannabinoid in most strains of marijuana. Although first identified in a particular marijuana strain, THCP can also be manufactured in a lab by chemically manipulating CBD extracted from legal hemp plants.
In fact, to produce enough THCP to have any real commercial value, it must be made in a lab, because there’s just not enough of it in actual cannabis flower to cost-effectively extract.
THCP’s molecular structure is significantly different from delta 9’s. It has a longer alkyl side chain (the “tail” of atoms that extends out from the bottom of the largest part of the molecule). The oversized side chain—seven carbon atoms versus five in delta 9—allows THCP to bind more readily with human CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, which means its effects are likely to be more potent in the brain and body.
Just about everything we know about THCP comes from the 2019 study by a group of Italian academics that introduced it to the world. There has still been no research on human subjects, so we know little about possible THCP safety issues or side effects, except what we can guess based on the effects of other forms of THC.
Does THCP get you high?
The Italian researchers who discovered organic THCP found in experiments on cultured human cells that THCP binds 33 times more effectively with the CB1 receptor than delta 9 THC—probably because of its extended seven-atom side chain. The CB1 receptor is the most important cannabinoid receptor for creating psychoactive effects, but THCP also binds more readily with the CB2 receptor.
That doesn’t mean that THCP will get you 33 times higher than traditional delta 9. There is probably a limit to any cannabinoid’s ability to stimulate the endocannabinoid receptors, and each person reacts differently to every cannabinoid anyway. But while some of THCP’s 33x greater binding affinity may be wasted on already-overloaded cannabinoid receptors, it still seems likely that THCP will be more potent than delta 9 THC for many people. It might get you very high.
The scientists that identified THCP say that the presence of small amounts of THCP in some marijuana strains could explain why those strains seem more intoxicating to users than other strains containing similar or even higher levels of delta 9 THC. In the future, cannabis breeders will probably create new strains with higher concentrations of THCP to emphasize its effects.
What are the effects of THCP?
Because THCP binds so well with cannabinoid receptors, it’s likely to produce effects similar to those of delta 9 THC but perhaps even more pronounced. The scientists who discovered THCP conducted standard cannabis mouse experiments to gauge the new cannabinoid’s physical effects. Mice displayed reduced levels of activity at lower doses, which became catalepsy—a trance-like state—at higher doses. THCP appeared to work as an effective pain killer at higher doses too.
The ability of THCP to bind so effectively with cannabinoid receptors in the body could make it highly valuable—not just as a recreational high, but also to relieve pain, ease nausea, and help users sleep. Although THCP hasn’t been thoroughly studied yet, it seems likely that this cannabinoid’s unmatched binding affinity with human receptors will make it especially valuable for treating those and other conditions.
In fact, tiny (and previously unnoticed) amounts of THCP in existing marijuana strains may already be responsible for some of cannabis’ known healing powers. The scientists who found THCP in 2019 wrote that “the discovery of an extremely potent THC-like phytocannabinoid may shed light on several pharmacological effects not ascribable solely to [delta 9 THC]” in marijuana.
Of course, the powerful binding affinity of THCP could also magnify the typical unwelcome THC side effects—like dry mouth and eyes, or anxiety and paranoia. It could even pose new risks for users. But until we see the results of research on human subjects, we’re mostly guessing.