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How to test THC levels. (POTENCY)

Discussion in 'Seasoned Marijuana Users' started by Nirvana High, Aug 12, 2009.

  1. This thread makes me sad.

    le sigh
     
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  2. Id believe this guy. He is a god.
     
  3. #63 Alpaca Hoodie, Nov 2, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 2, 2011
    Great Scott !
     
  4. Is there a layman's way to figure out the potency? I'm not talking percentages, just other indicators like color, number of seeds etc.

    Actually, "the number of seeds" bit is what I'm most interested in. I've heard several theories about how pot is more potent with a higher number of seeds. I just assumed they were following the logic of the chilli principle (more seeds=hotter) and wrote it off as bullshit. So for clarification purposes, is it?
     
  5. [quote name='"RD90"']Is there a layman's way to figure out the potency? I'm not talking percentages, just other indicators like color, number of seeds etc.

    Actually, "the number of seeds" bit is what I'm most interested in. I've heard several theories about how pot is more potent with a higher number of seeds. I just assumed they were following the logic of the chilli principle (more seeds=hotter) and wrote it off as bullshit. So for clarification purposes, is it?[/quote]

    I would think the number of seeds doesn't have to do with THC content. Some of the most potent weed I've had didn't have any seeds at all. I think seeds just have to do with pollination. Of course I could be completely mistaken.
     
  6. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI41d-bDjWk]May 2012 - Earth's Strongest Strains - YouTube[/ame]

    OG Ghost Train Haze Looks delicious!
     
  7. I agree. I have had bud that looked killer, smelled delish and tasted sweet as honey. But it didnt even get you so much as barely a buzz. 0% THC i swear.

    THC content varies from plant to plant, strain to strain. It all depends on how it was grown. Soil, and weather contribute for outside growing, and lighting and nutes and air conditioning and all that other stuff contribute to an indoor grow. You can have high grade swag or low grade sour deisel.
    When a Marijuana publication such as high times shows a pic of a bud of a paticular strain and it says something like "28%THC", they probably meant that paticular plant or bud tested at that level cause the grower really knew what the hell he was doing. It does not mean that the seed or strain will produce the same THC levels all the time or everyone would have weed with 28% THC, ya know what I mean?
     
  8. Im pretty sure they use liquid chromotography.theres an sc labs video showing how they do it..
     
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  9. #69 Enjoyable High, Sep 21, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 21, 2012
    *I would bet ca$h money that I could blindfold any stoner on this web--toke a pull of OG Kush---then toke a pull of say LAConfidential--and they not be able to tell the diff. Or even less extreme say a toke of Mids from my city versus a toke of Mids from your city. I assert this b/c the rel'ship betw "THC content" and actual "User Sensation" is non-linear.
    But all that being said, yes THC content is determined by micro-gravimetric coupled with chromatographic procedures compared to a suitable reference standard
     
  10. I think the point most people are missing here is that 23% THC is a ridiculous figure. If one is assuming that 23% means 23% of the actual plant matter is THC, it really doesn't add up.

    The THC in the plant is almost exclusively contained in the trichomes, and the trichomes rarely make up more than 5% of the plant matter. Of course, not all of the plant matter in the trichomes is THC, so as a percentage of the entire plant, even less will be actual THC and other cannabinoids.

    Similarly, if one were to use acetone or butane to extract the resin from the bud, we would see a similar effect. The resin extracted would make up less than 10% of the original weight of bud. For example, if you extracted the resin from 10g of bud, you would be lucky to get 1g of resin. And even then, the resin is not pure THC. Many other oils, sugars, and chlorophyll will be present in the resin.

    So, the real question is, when they say cannabis cup winning weed is 23% THC, 23% of WHAT is THC?

    We know by simple logic that it is not 23% of the total plant matter. If that were the case, the bud would be literally soaked in THC like a wet sponge. You could squeeze it with your fingers and it would drip out. (Excuse me for a minute while I drool over this mythical bud. Mmmmmm) Anyway, what I'm saying is I call shenanigans on the % figures and I want to know where they come from.

    With this in mind I have just written to High Times to query the origin of their figures. Will post back with their response.

    Pz, M
     
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  11. I think the 23% is total Cannabinoid content, not 23% of full plant mass. So it's 23% THC, and various percents of CBD, CBN, etc, making up to 100% of Cannabinoid content.
     
  12. In response to the OP's question, this video is pretty informative:

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIqTAvMNBG8]WMTV Ep. IX: WeedMaps checks out a Marijuana Testing Facility - YouTube[/ame]

    And for some really interesting videos on the composition of marijuana in different strains, check out Santa Cruz labs channel here:

    Do You Know Your Medicine? - YouTube

    Pz, M
     
  13. Then isn't the percentage of THC almost completely irrelevant?

    It could be say 50% THC, as a percentage of all cannabinoids, but if the bud matter was only 0.1% cannabinoids, then the THC content of the bud as a whole would be only 0.05%.

    Then you could take a different bud with 25% THC, as a percentage of all cannabinoids, but with bud matter that was 1% cannabinoids, and the THC content of the bud as a whole would be 0.25%. 5 times stronger.

    It is interesting how long I have seen these % figures and never thought to question what they actually refer to. Will do some research and find out for sure..

    Pz, M
     
  14. OK, this completely answers the OP's question:

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2QC9b90loM]How Marijuana Is Tested - YouTube[/ame]
     
  15. Part One:
    This is my first experience with this place, I headed here to drop off 2 samples, I was greeted and the guy who was helping me out was pretty nice. "How much does it cost per sample?" I asked $70 each so I said OK and we went on with the testing Not a moment later I was told "man you should just go to one of the stores for a 10pack of our testing packs for $150. The price of testing is going up."A little enraged for a moment, i said f-- it and proceed with the 2 samples anyway. lets talk handling procedures first, not a pair of chop sticks,tongs or gloves while handling my medicine (note the oils from your hands degridate THC and I'm sarcastically sure this doesn't effect the over all sample data, soon after its time to take pictures, so this "Lab Tech," cant get my bud to stand up write for the photo so he takes, with out hesitation as if its common practice, the black Swing-line stapler turns it on its side looks at me and and says "there is usually and stand here, i don't know where its at." and continues to take the photos utilizing the stapler as a base.


    Part 2:
    I ask how long it would be and I was told wed. I dropped off the samples on Monday. I called them today (Thursday) and when i asked what the deal was I was told " well my priorities changed so i didn't get to the testing. But maybe tomorrow fist thing or Saturday, um well by Monday at the latest.". Really!!!!? A week for 2 samples. Where do I start first with this place? First off if your running any kind of business your paying customers come first epically ones who are relied upon to provide quality medicine to people who need it! Second when you over promise and under deliver you loose what little credibility you have, epically when it relates to a first impression of your business. I was really hoping this place was going to do it for me and by "it" I mean just simply provide a reliable service that should be held with high regard because of the extent to which this data and service that comes along with it is crucial, not only for the patients benefit but for our industry as a whole. YOUR RUNNING A "LAB," but from the first impression its seams to me that this specific location in Providence RI, needs.....how can i say this.....to take a serious look at yourselves as employees or owners or founders of this place and ask the question "Can we, do better?" The answer should be abundantly clear. Needless to say, I'm going to say it anyway, I will not be returning to this place, and they have lost a customer.
     
  16. So this is a three part answer. 1st. You can always pay a company to test it. It's about $200 a year set fee but you get a full breakdown analysis. 2nd. Talk to your grower. 3rd. If you live around a college go and talk to the botany professor and they will be able to help or know of someone at the school who can test it. Their not cops so it's more like a science experiment for them. Worst case you find out what you need to know and have to hook them up with a nug.
     
  17. ^ i'd probably not ask my professor
     
  18. Didn't they do this test on weed country? Shitty memory but I happen to recall something tested at 23 percent. Think it was the first or second ep. No I'm not talking about the part where the guy extract the cbds.
     
  19. I live in Seattle. I am an MMJ patient.

    The "appeal" of THC test results are used as a way of narrowing down the choices (of which there are MANY!) in the dispensary.

    For example: My dispensary labels everything on the jars -i.e., The strain name, Indica or Sativa or hybrid and the cannabinoid %'s.

    So, let's say I see they have two versions of Blue Dream. One version shows a test result of 15% THC. The other shows a result of 25% THC. Well, I like to get high, so I opt for the strain with the higher test result.

    I don't know if the test results are accurate...HOWEVER, I assume that the dispensary (and grower) are essentially saying, "This one is stronger than that one." So, I usually choose the higher % strain...because I want the strongest strains.

    As far as smell and looks...While it may not be 100% accurate, I do believe that good-looking, stinky, sticky buds will tend to be more potent than not. It might not be that way all the time, but I think it IS that way most of the time.

    And, I'm in the school of belief that THC really isn't the whole picture, anyway. I believe that "potency" relates to a combination of chemicals in the plant. I've had many, many strains that were supposedly high THC strains. Even though the THC percentages would indicate they are potent, they don't always get me high in a pleasant way. Some of those high THC strains give me headaches. Some of them taste like shit.

    The test results are like a starting point when narrowing down choices. That's it.

    And, even gas chromatography doesn't guarantee consistent results -even for a well-known clone. Like, if I grow out a clone of The White...and you (anyone) grow out the same clone...even though they are the same exact genetics, the results will be different for each grower. You might grow your clone in a hydroponic setup with nutes and end up with huge, dense heavy buds. I might grow mine in dirt...etc., etc., etc. It's all the same material, but the end results will be totally different. It will even smell different...if you flower yours for 10 weeks and I flower mine for 8. You might dry yours differently...cure it differently.

    At the moment, there is no way to get consistent results from testing. It's going to be impossible -until there is one grower, growing everything under the same conditions.

    And also don't forget that THC is volatile and breaks down over time. What came INTO the dispensary at 22% THC, might not still be 22% THC a month later.

    Take test results with a grain of salt!
     
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  20. I've seen to many 30%+ thc levels labeled from clubs to believe most testing is accurate
     
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