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Baking Bud (for Smoking)

Discussion in 'Marijuana Consumption Q&A' started by Equalvision95, Feb 23, 2013.

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  1. #1 Equalvision95, Feb 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 23, 2013
    So I was just browsing Erowid and this particular subject caught my eye. Baking your weed to make it stronger. No, not bathing your weed in smoke and trying to get it high, but literally putting your bud in an oven and turning on that heat. From what I've read, it supposedly can make your weed up to three times as potent. A funny gimmick right? Baking your weed so it gets you even more baked. Is it fact and an awesome coincidence or is it just another myth gullible stoners fall for? For now I'm going to try to be as unbiased as possible, that way I'm not going to place a(n) (anti-)placebo effect on myself when I finally try it.

    Here's how you do it: Pop your nugs onto a tray like chicken nuggets, turn the oven on to 230-250 degrees (just to make sure the chemical reactions take place.. you'll understand why later) and let bake. For how long I don't know. I would guess no more than 10 minutes if anywhere near that. I image it would just be as soon as the weed reaches the correct temperature.
    ---
    Yeah, I know what you're probably thinking. A load of BS right? As I mentioned before, I personally haven't had the chance to experiment yet so I can't say myself whether or not I think it works. The concept behind it seems like it may be practical however and here's why.

    "Marijuana produces THCA, an acid with the carboxylic group (COOH) attached. In its acid form, THC is not very active. It is only when the carboxyl group is removed that THC becomes psychoactive. When marijuana is smoked, the THC behind the hot spot is vaporized as the hot air from the burn is drawn through the joint or pipe bowl to the unburned material. The liquid THC and other cannabinoids have a boiling point of between 180-200 C (355-392 F). Before they turn gaseous, at around 106 C (220 F), the carboxyl group is released from the molecule as carbon dioxide and water vapor."

    Now here's my reasoning. I'm not sure if the THCA is turning into THC quick enough when using a flame. It might just burn and turn into ash before it's able to. I couldn't tell you. If it's just burning into ash or just plain not turning into THC when you inhale it, then that's where the baking it and turning it into THC is effective. Well here's another curveball. That boring, wallflower THCA is now our good ol' pal THC. Swell, but does it even matter? :eek: Is there enough THCA in the first place to really have a worthwhile effect? I looked it up and couldn't find a thing. You might get luckier than I, but I don't really wanna bother searching through countless forums to find nothing or just get some bunk info some plague on humanity, blithering idiot who never verifies facts, posted their ignorant shit on the internet that runs through their stupid brain. (Sorry for that rant... just get your facts straight my people.)

    I'm stumped. Give me your opinions and votes. If anybody has experience with it or some valuable, researched wisdom/knowledge to input then by all means, comment... and if you read all that then thanks haha. I appreciate it as much a lonely, old, cat-lady :rolleyes:

    Go to page 2 for the best answer ever. BadKitty explains so much. Awesome guy.
     
  2. #2 SDP Sin Nixe, Feb 23, 2013
    The main problem is that burning(smoking) weed destroys a lot of THC and other cannibinoids before it reaches you due to the amount of heat.
     
  3. #3 Equalvision95, Feb 23, 2013
    I knew someone would say that. Straight up doesn't matter bro. You're still gonna burn the same ratio of THC no matter what.
    Oh, and before anyone else mentions it, no. You're not going to lose THC from baking since the heat isn't great enough to make it combust.
     
  4. #4 Jazzyj, Feb 23, 2013
    This process is called decarbing, and it's only useful if you're going to be making food products, such as cannabutter or oil. If you're just smoking it, this process doesn't help at all.
     
  5. #5 SDP Sin Nixe, Feb 23, 2013
    I don't see how it doesn't matter that you're burning THC.

    Anyway, yeah, baking your bud at approximately 220 degrees for 20 minutes will speed up the process of decarboxylation, but you could always just let it sit too. It's a natural process.

    As for if there is enough THCA.. Definitely. That 22% THC? More like 22% of THCA at first.
     
  6. #6 Equalvision95, Feb 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 23, 2013
    I'm aware of the name of process, I just don't see why it wouldn't work. Plus wouldn't that happen anyway while baking it in food? Skip the baking first and go straight on to making food.

    Haha sorry, I'm super analytical. Keep to myself mostly though unless the conversation is about experimentation and hypothesis. I hate being that annoying guy when high who tries to spout off their theories about how life works.
     
  7. #7 Equalvision95, Feb 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 23, 2013
    The point I was making is that you're gonna just light up more THC.

    and does Carbon lose it's bond just through time? I don't think that's true, but I don't know. Plus I don't want to wait for my weed to lose its carbon bonds before I smoke it.
     
  8. #8 SDP Sin Nixe, Feb 23, 2013
    You can have 80% of the THC activated, or only 30%. All the rest gets activated and more. Burning the herb will activate it, boil it, and for some of it, just straight up destroy it.

    Which is why a previous poster said it doesn't help if you're going to smoke it.
     
  9. #9 SDP Sin Nixe, Feb 23, 2013

    If you smoked some freshly picked herb, would it get you high? No. What if you let it dry and cure it? Yes. THCA becomes THC as it dries(I don't remember the specifics, so forgive me), which happens over time once the buds are removed from the plant. Heating the buds just makes them drier quicker.
     
  10. #10 Equalvision95, Feb 23, 2013
    Ha, dude that whole reply didn't make much sense at all to me. Sorry. You have to be stoned haha.

    My theory was that THCA may not turn into THC when smoked, thus being useless. But if it is already THC, then it is usable.
     
  11. #11 SDP Sin Nixe, Feb 23, 2013

    All of the THCA becomes THC when smoked(activated). The problem is that the extreme heat of a flame causes some of the THC to be destroyed(more).

    80% THC, 20% THCA becomes 100% THC when smoked

    30% THC, 70% THCA become 100% THC when smoked

    I'm not sure of the exact amount, but let's just say 30% is destroyed. In both cases, all of the THCA become THC, but 30% is destroyed no matter what, due to the heat. Thus, you only be able to get 70% THC despite how much THCA was converted to THC to begin with.
     
  12. #12 jtwpayne, Feb 23, 2013
    I'm pretty sure it does that when u vape, not smok, the flam would destroy it before it became thc, vaping is a whole other story- vaping works for that perfectly- even granny posted it a day ago in a abv thread
     
  13. #13 Equalvision95, Feb 23, 2013
    Ah, I see. That's a lot clearer. Hmm, I'm really hoping that's not true haha.

    Alas, you're probably are right. It sounds to good to be true. I'm leaning more towards not effective to bake now. Thanks for clearing some of that up for me.

    Where did you get that info though if you remember? I looked all over Google and I couldn't find squat about THCA turning into THC when you smoke. I may have just not searched right. I'm gonna try again.
     
  14. #14 SDP Sin Nixe, Feb 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 23, 2013
    Any heat(direct flames will even destroy it!) will cause THCA to convert into THC. Baking, lighting on fire, letting sit in the sun, etc will cause THCA to turn into THC because it dries out the bud.

    EDIT: Even keeping it in an airtight container in a pitch black room will convert THCA into THC. It just has to become drier some way.
     
  15. #15 Equalvision95, Feb 23, 2013
    Didn't think about vaping, but my theory comes into question again. The THCA turning into THC when heat is applied quickly. Same as how when water is being boiled it doesn't immediately turned into gas (unless there is enough heat applied)

    If SDP Sin Nixe is right though, blows my whole theory out of the water.
     
  16. #16 obes, Feb 23, 2013
    you're doing the same thing when you smoke it????
     
  17. #17 Equalvision95, Feb 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 23, 2013
    I was asking for proof, not a mincing of what you said earlier. If that sounds mean I'm sorry haha. Only way I could put. I understand what you're saying. I just need cold, hard facts backed by experimentation and research. Just because someone said it and you believe doesn't make it true.

    Oh and uhh, drying releases carbon bonds? I'm gonna have research why that happens. I'm always on a quest for knowledge.
     
  18. #18 SDP Sin Nixe, Feb 23, 2013

    Well, THCA being activated into THC is different from it changing into another state of matter. The conversion happens instantly depending on the heat of the flame.

    If I didn't understand what you meant, let me know, as I am only trying to help. :)
     
  19. #19 SDP Sin Nixe, Feb 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 23, 2013
    Ahh, I apologize. I guess I just misinterpreted what you said, heh.

    I don't remember where exactly I found the information, so I have no citations, but I will look. If I find anything, I put it in an edit of this post.

    And drying is mostly relevant to the subject of weed. The moisture keeps it from getting hot enough for decarboxylation, which can happen naturally when the weed is dry enough.
     
  20. #20 Equalvision95, Feb 23, 2013
    Don't worry, you're helping out more than you think. I like having other perspectives so they can help me understand certain details I didn't or wouldn't think of myself. :p
     
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