As prohibition slowly comes to an end, our understanding of cannabinoids and how they affect the endocannabinoid system are becoming clearer. There are two cannabinoids which scientists have taken particular notice to - cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA). Both of these are precursors to cannabidiol (CBD) and delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in the cannabis sativa plant (as well as other cannabis strains) as acidic forms. Little is known of what these cannabinoids can do in and of themselves. Yet, more research is beginning to appear as to how CBDa and THCa may have therapeutic potential similar to the effects of cannabis found in other cannabinoids (such as cannabigerolic acid [CBGa] or cannabinol [CBN]). CBDa and THCa help develop a variety of major cannabinoids. Throughout this article, we’re offering a definitive guide into CBDa and THCa. At the end, we invite you to ask further questions.   What is CBDa? Cannabidiolic acid (CBDa) is the cannabinoid precursor to cannabidiol (CBD) found in the raw cannabis plant. Through a process known as decarboxylation, when cannabis is heated or dries up, the compound turns from CBDa to CBD.¹ CBDa is non-psychoactive and is believed to have the following therapeutic benefits: Analgesic Anti-inflammatory Antibacterial Antioxidant Prevents cancer cells from spreading Reduces feelings of nausea and vomiting CBDa works similarly to CBD in the sense that it doesn’t directly affect the CB1 receptor and CB2 receptor in our endocannabinoid system (ECS). Rather, it inhibits COX-2 enzymes and produces 5-HT receptors which all play important roles in our ECS.² Since it isn’t as popular as CBD, it’s rare you’ll find a product on the market containing isolated CBDa. However, you can give it a try by juicing raw cannabis plant and consuming. It should be noted, through juicing, you’ll obtain a full spectrum of cannabinoids besides CBDa.   What is THCa? Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCa) is the cannabinoid precursor to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in raw cannabis plants. Similarly to CBDa and CBD, THCa changes into THC through decarboxylation. When a cannabis bud is dried, the THCa develops into THC. However, since most marijuana (including medical cannabis) is smoked, THC is further released through the heating process associated with lighting a joint or bong hit.³ Also similarly to CBDa, the only real way to consume THCa is by juicing a raw cannabis plant. Many people are turning towards this form of consumption as it offers a whole new spectrum of therapeutic benefits not found in cannabis flowers. When it comes to THCa, there are no psychoactive effects and the benefits are believed to include: Anti-emetic Anti-inflammatory Anti-proliferative Antioxidant Antispasmodic Appetite stimulant Neuroprotectant Pain reliever Research concerning THCa is very new and scientists still don’t have a complete understanding as to how it affects our ECS. THCa is believed to influence our 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors, producing serotonin in our body. It’s also believed to inhibit COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes as well as boost concentrations of endocannabinoid 2-AG.?   What is CBDa and THCa Crystalline? If you’ve done research, you’ve probably come across the terms CBDa and THCa crystalline. These are ways to identify the way both cannabinoid molecules look on a microscopic level. Both CBDa and THCa look similar in this sense as they appear very much like snowflakes, compressed rock salt, or the tips of trichomes. Furthermore, when CBDa and THCa are isolated to create products such as tinctures or topicals, they come out looking very crystallized. This crystalized form of the molecules is the purest you can find, with a potency of around 99.9%. This means, there’s none of the following in CBDa and THCa isolated products: Fats Flavonoids Lipids Terpenes Unfortunately, the process of getting CBDa and THCa into this crystallized form is both very complicated and kept highly secret. In other words, there are only so many people doing this and, in effect, it’s not viable for the average consumer to come across these isolated cannabinoids. Still, we do know a little about the process.   How is CBDa and THCa Isolated? Since CBDa and THCa cannot be heated (or else they’ll turn into CBD and THC), the cannabis extract method works differently from decarboxylated methods, those currently well-known to the cannabis industry. It starts with a set of washes and separations that both isolate the cannabinoid and removes potential toxins (such as terpenes and flavonoids). The first of these washes are usually done through solvents as these are effective in purifying CBDa and THCa.? From there, the cannabinoids will be put through something known as “preparative chromatography”. This is used to separate molecules by passing them through different methods at various speeds. The last part of isolating THCa and CBDa removes the last bit of potential toxic particulars through solvents.   How to Consume CBDa and THCa As already mentioned, is CBDa or THCa is heated, the effects attached to those chemicals will no longer be active. Warning: If you heat up THCa, you’ll produce THC which causes the entourage effect of psychoactivity. With that, one of the most popular forms of consumption is oral ingestions. You can take CBDa or THCa in a pill form or prepare it with food. However, if you do prepare it with food, keep in mind that you can’t heat the cannabinoid. A popular choice is mixing it with pesto as this is a cool condiment that goes great with a variety of dishes. There are other ways to consume CBDa and THCa, such as placing it on the skin. However, you should be very careful when experimenting with other consumption methods as both cannabinoids are highly sensitive to heat. Even just leaving your crystallized CBDa and THCa in the sunlight too long can turn it into CBD and THC. But more than anything, you’re lucky if you even have the opportunity to get crystalline cannabinoids. Both CBDa and THCa in their pure form are extremely rare and most cannabis connoisseurs will never get the opportunity to try them. Partly because there are so few cannabis products containing the phytocannabinoids. If you’re really eager to try either CBDa or THCa, your best bet is finding someone with either a raw hemp or marijuana plant and juicing it. It should be noted, there are currently no known side effects for CBDa and THCa.   Your Questions Still have questionings concerning CBDa and THCa? We invite you to ask them in the comments section below. If you have any further knowledge or personal experience with these cannabinoids, we’d also love to hear from you.   Reference Sources ¹ PubChem: Cannabidiolic acid - C22H30O4 ² Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal: The Endocannabinoid System, Cannabinoids, and Pain ³ Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research: Decarboxylation Study of Acidic Cannabinoids ? Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research: Affinity and Efficacy Studies of Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid A at Cannabinoid Receptors Types One and Two ? CAT Scientific: THCA and CBDA - An Investigation Into The Realm of Non-Psychotropic Cannabinoids

Within the cannabidiol (CBD) market, there are a ton of different consumption methods. The most popular are CBD tinctures (or CBD oil), edibles, and CBD capsules. However, one technique is slowly gaining more traction. CBD beverages, or water-soluble CBD. Some experts even believe that the market for water-soluble cannabidiol will reach an astounding $260 million by 2020.¹ With such a big prediction, it’s surprising so many people still don’t know what water-soluble CBD is. Throughout this article, we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about the soon-to-be multimillion-dollar business. And how this business may have an impact on the cannabis industry as a whole.   What is Water Soluble CBD? To understand what is water soluble CBD, we must first understand how CBD works on the body. As most know, no matter what consumption method you use, the cannabinoid ends up in your blood system, indirectly effects your endocannabinoid system, and from there you feel the therapeutic effects.² But did you know CBD (along with other cannabinoids such as THC) is hydrophobic - meaning it doesn’t like water. This is a bit ironic considering our bodies are made up of around 60% water. In effect, when we take CBD oil (as an example), most of what goes into our body is simply thrown away. In fact, some experts believe the average person only obtains about 4% of the CBD they took.³ In other words, upwards of 96% of the cannabidiol you’re taking goes down the drain. It’s due to these unfortunate circumstances experts have looked into alternative forms of CBD. And one of those is water-soluble CBD. To put it simply, water-soluble CBD has more of an ability to mix and mingle with water rather than counteracting it. In turn, through water-soluble CBD, you’re getting much more cannabidiol with every dose you take.   How to Make Water Soluble CBD? In order to get water soluble CBD, CBD extract must go through a process known as nanotechnology. Similarly to how cannabidiol is just making its way into the medical world, so is this new form of technology. To take a complicated process and make it easy to understand, nanotechnology breaks down the molecule of CBD using soundwaves. Through this, professionals obtain a form of cannabidiol smaller than that of anything else on the market. When CBD is this size, it no longer maintains the structure necessary to break down with water. Since water molecules are of a similar size, the CBD will naturally blend together with them.   Does Water Soluble CBD Have Different Benefits? As we’ve discussed, one of the biggest benefits of water-soluble CBD is the fact that your body will process more of the molecule than if you were to take it through traditional forms. Though we can’t make any claims as of this time, this could lead to a different outlook in medicine. We don’t exactly know how well CBD works on the body (and how well it fights against diseases already researched) when the body absorbs more of it. Furthermore, it will change the CBD industry as a whole. Not only will there be more highly potent products, but it will allow consumers to have more of an ability to properly measure out doses. To top it off, you may find more CBD-infused beverages on the market. NOTE: Unfortunately, under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it’s currently federally illegal to mix CBD with food and beverages. Though there’s always hope the laws will change, it currently only allows hemp-extract (not isolated CBD) to be mixed in food and beverages.   Best Water Soluble CBD Oil There are currently a number of companies on the market already producing and selling water-soluble CBD products. One of the most popular is Kazmira for it doesn’t use oil-based emulsifiers. Unlike its competitors, the company strictly uses water-based CBD. They currently offer three unique products: Broad Spectrum CBD Isolate THC-Free Full Spectrum CBD Oil Water Soluble CBD As of this time, if you want to try pure water-soluble CBD (or a soluble product), Kazmira is your best bet. As mentioned, there are other companies currently on the market offering water-soluble CBD. But since these other companies use oil-based emulsifiers, their products aren’t quite as pure as that of Kazmira.   Is Water Soluble CBD a Revolutionary Step for the Cannabis Industry? “I’m one of the believers that the biggest opportunity in cannabis is to displace alcohol, but to provide cannabis consumption in a way that our society is used to, which is sitting down with a bottle or a glass and drinking and socializing,” Ronon Levy, chief strategy officer at Trait Biosciences told Cannabis Business Times. Levy makes an interesting point when it comes to how we as a society view cannabis. When it comes to marijuana, most people look at recreational use as lighting up a joint or bong. When it comes to cannabidiol, the practice is so new, many people are still unsure as to what to think. Though it’s not the biggest issue currently facing cannabis, there is a stigma brought upon it by prohibition which remains ingrained in our society. Just like any stigma, it’s going to take time and effort to erase it. And, as Levy brings up, one of the best ways to do so is to make products that are easily associable. Products such as beverages infused with CBD, THC, or other cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant.   Reference Sources 1 Business Insider: The market for marijuana-infused beverages could explode to $600 million in the next four years 2 MDPI: Quality Traits of “Cannabidiol Oils”: Cannabinoids Content, Terpene Fingerprint and Oxidation Stability of European Commercially Available Preparations 3 HHS Public Access: Human Cannabinoid Pharmacokinetics 4 Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery: Nanotechnology: The Future of Medicine 5 FDA: FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products 6 Cannabis Business Times: Building a Team in California’s Growing Cannabis Market

Many people within the cannabis industry have claimed that CBD distillate is the future of cannabis as a whole. Yet, so many consumers remain unaware of what it is and how it works. This is understandable considering CBD distillate was just introduced only a few years ago. To put it simply, it’s an extraction process that works differently from current extraction techniques used within the market. And there’s a reason it’s catching so much attention. Throughout this article, we’re going to review everything you need to know about CBD distillate. At the end, we invite you to ask further questions.   What is CBD Distillate? Distillation is an extraction process that requires two distinct steps: 1. Cleaning a type of liquid through a procedure of heating and cooling. 2. Pinpointing the most important traits of something (in our case, the CBD of the hemp plant) and extracting it. One of the main reasons professionals have been looking into distillation in comparison to other extraction process is it provides the consumer with a purer and cleaner concentrate of CBD.¹ In effect, the CBD distilled is also more potent and can be better used for the potential medical benefits research is currently looking into. Furthermore, through the cannabis distillation, professionals will have the ability to extract the purest forms of various cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabigerol (CBG). This is important for continuing medical research as each cannabinoid can help treat specific diseases or illnesses. For example, THC is better at curing nausea or vomiting in comparison to CBG.² Therefore, with the right extraction process, doctors may be able to one day prescribe people with nausea a supplement solely containing THC, to offer them maximum relief and fewer side effects.   What Are Current CBD Extraction Methods? There are currently two forms of extraction common within the cannabis industry:³ 1. Solvent - By using chemical liquids, such as butane or alcohol, and applying them to the cannabis plant, you can extract various cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. For the most part, solvents are used in the marijuana industry to create THC concentrates such as wax. 2. Pressure or Rising Extraction - By taking the cannabis plant’s matter, you can use pressure or rinsing extraction methods as a way to pinpoint specific cannabinoids and terpenes. For the most part, this extraction technique is used primarily in the hemp industry to create various CBD products on the market. Unfortunately, both methods aren’t considered pure extraction methods for cannabis products. More often than not, they leave residual solvents or plant matter in the products purchased by the consumer. And though these aren’t very hazardous, they don’t offer the consumer the purest cannabinoid science can extract.   How Does CBD Distillate Work? Before we explain CBD distillate, it’s important to note that cannabidiol (CBD) is nothing more than a molecule found in the cannabis plant. Some consumers are misled to believe that a product of CBD oil (tinctures) are a liquid form of CBD. But no liquid form of CBD exists. Rather, CBD oil is an oil base with the CBD molecule placed in it. The extraction process targets the molecule from the cannabis plant material. And in order to gain the purest CBD, extraction procedures must not only target and separate cannabidiol from other cannabinoids but also refine them. This is what CBD distillate does. The process of distillation for cannabinoids is as follows:? 1. CBD is extracted using traditional solvent or solventless methods. 2. Contaminants of the cannabis concentrate are then extracted (such as fats or lipids). 3. The CBD is then extracted again with ethanol and placed in a freezing environment for 1 to 2 full days. This process is known as winterization and will rid the CBD of any remaining contaminants. 4. In the process of winterization, the ethanol will then be removed from the extract through a filtration method. 5. The extract then goes through a heating process known as decarboxylation. This is a vital stage as it activates the many therapeutic benefits CBD is known for. 6. The CBD will then enter a distillation or fractional distillation chamber numerous times for the sake of purifying the extract. 7. Once all is complete, the lab will have produced its final product: the purest molecule form of CBD which is a sappy product similar to honey. It should be noted, not every distillation lab works the same and some have processes of their own which may not exactly match the one we mentioned above. Without proper regulations surrounding the cannabis industry, there is no current standard.   Frequently Asked Questions Concerning CBD Distillate Is there a difference between CBD isolate and CBD distillate? Yes! CBD isolate is 100% cannabidiol while CBD distillate contains around 80% cannabidiol and 20% of terpenes, other cannabinoids, and more. What products are CBD distillates put in? Almost every product currently available on the market can contain CBD distillate. Most of the time, a company will have a lab that specializes in a specific extraction process, whether it be solvent, solventless, or distillate. The final CBD molecule can then be placed into the following: Dabbing (mostly used for THC distillate) Edibles Oils Topicals  Vape juice Are there any cons to CBD distillate? Unfortunately, there is one main concern surrounding CBD distillates. Through the extraction process, you may lose some terpenes or other cannabinoids that often work well with cannabidiol. If you want a CBD product that makes use of all the benefits in the hemp plant, you'll want to keep an eye out for full spectrum products. What are the pros of CBD Distillate? The biggest pro is through the distillation process, you’re receiving the purest form of CBD available on the market. With that, you’re also receiving the most potent CBD. To top it off, CBD distillate is one of the cleanest extraction methods. As mentioned, other extraction methods aren’t really hazardous to the consumer. However, those who use cannabidiol on a regular basis may want to seek out a company that uses a cleaner, more refined extraction method.   Your Questions Still have questions concerning CBD distillate? We invite you to ask them in the comments section below. If you also have further or new information surrounding CBD distillate, we’d also love to hear from you.   Reference Sources 1. PubChem: Cannabidiol 2. British Journal of Pharmacology: Regulation of nausea and vomiting by cannabinoids 3. psi: Cannabis/Hemp Extraction Equipment 4. Cannabis Industry Journal: Distillation Of Your Cannabis Extract: Ignorance Is Not Bliss 5. FDA: FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products