Issue #17 -
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Dear Fellow Grower,
In today's issue you'll discover...
- What every grower needs to know about THC, CBN and CBD regarding marijuana effects
- Learn about a new, healthier, affordable, effective way to use your homegrown medicine.
- Learn how you can give back to the marijuana growing community
- The answer to a question about a FIM'ing vs. Topping a plant for extra colas.
We hope you enjoy this issue of Grow Weed Easy!
Happy Growing!
Nebula Haze and Sirius Fourside (founders of GrowWeedEasy.com)
"Unemployment is capitalism's way of getting you to plant a garden."
Orson Scott Card
THC, CBN and CBD: What Every Grower Needs to Know
By Nebula Haze
 Recently, I've been doing a lot of research on cannabinoids (the stuff in marijuana buds that makes these particular flowers so special).
I am dedicated to getting you the best and latest information, in a simple, easy-to-understand format, so you can grow marijuana that fits your needs.
Today I will share you what I've learned about the 3 main cannabinoids that we know the most about in marijuana, THC, CBN and CBD.
Chances are, you've heard of THC (delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol), one of the main components of marijuana that causes its unique mind-altering effects on humans.
Not too long ago, we thought that THC was the main cannabinoid that affected the "potency" and effects produced by marijuana.
However, in addition to THC, there are many other cannabinoids found in marijuana, including CBD, CBN, CBC, CBG, THCV, and many others.
 Did you know?
Prescription drug Sativex has been created which contains 50% each of THC and CBD derived directly from a marijuana plant.
Sativex appears to be very well tolerated and doesn't have many of the side effects associated with Marinol, which is made of 100% THC.
We've learned that, while THC is likely responsible for many the pain relieving (and more trippy) effects of marijuana, we also need to study the effects the other cannabinoids have on our health and how we feel after using marijuana.
Now some people love high THC levels and don't need or want any of the other cannabinoids. For other people, the positive effects of THC are only felt when enough other cannabinoids are present, too.
THC, CBD and CBN are the most studied cannabinoids found in high levels in marijuana. By understanding the simple relationship between these three cannabinoids, you can tune your grow into your unique needs.
THC / CBN / CBD Rundown
The Truth About THC (delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol)
THC mimics the action of anandamide, which is a naturally occurring cannabinoid in the brain.
Now, THC is the main psychoactive component in marijuana buds.
Quick Summary of THC
- THC seems to provide certain positive health benefits, especially when combined with other cannabinoids
- THC has the strongest psychoactive effects
- THC can cause feelings of creativity, curiosity, or excited well-being
- High THC levels may cause people to feel anxious, disorientated, drugged or "messed up"
THC appears to...
- Relieve Certain Types of Pain
-
Be Neuroprotective (helps stop brain from degenerating over time)
-
Cause Relaxation
-
Cause Euphoria
-
Contribute to Altered Space-Time Perception
-
Stimulate Appetite
How to get high levels of THC in your buds:
- THC levels in buds are determined mostly by strain (genetics). Choose a high-THC strain to get the highest levels of THC
- THC is found primarily in trichomes on marijuana buds and (for some strains) on leaves, stems, and other parts of plant
- Increasing overall resin production in a high-THC strain will usually increase your overall THC levels
- Harvesting when trichomes are milky white or cloudy with just a few amber trichomes starting to appear will result in highest levels of THC
Having a high THC content by itself does not necessarily mean that the marijuana is great. It's important to look at the whole experience caused by the plant, which includes considering the effects of CBD and CBN.
In fact, the following negative effects of THC are often prevented when higher levels of CBD or CBN are present:
- Lapses in Memory
- Disorientation
- Anxiety
The Truth About CBN (Cannabinol)
Quick Summary of CBN
- CBN is also psychoactive, though much less so than THC
- The presence of CBN with THC seems to reduce the feelings of anxiety that some people feel with high levels of THC
- The presence of higher levels of CBN with THC can cause people to feel less "messed up" from exposure to THC
- Too much CBN can make people feel groggy or sleepy
- Therefore, CBN promotes uninterrupted sleep
How to get high levels of CBN in your buds:
- THC turns into CBN when exposed for long periods to air or UV light
- CBN levels in buds can be influenced by harvest, drying, and curing methods
- Waiting longer to harvest, until trichomes have turned amber, often results in higher CBN levels
- Higher exposure to air during drying/curing, and longer curing processes result in higher levels of CBN
The Truth About CBD (Cannabidiol)
Quick Summary of CBD
- CBD is not psychoactive
- CBD seems to have many positive health implications
- Like CBN, the presence of CBD can reduce some of the subjective effects of THC
- A 2010 study indicated that marijuana buds which are high in CBD prevents the memory impairment caused by high-THC levels
We've always known about CBD, but originally we didn't think it caused much of an effect. Further studies have proven we were very wrong, CBD has a big effect on the subjective experience of using marijuana, as well as your health.
CBD appears to:
- Prevent Convulsions
- Relieve Some types of Inflammation
- Reduce Anxiety
- Relieve Nausea
- Reduce Insomnia
CBD has also been shown to:
- Have a calming effect
- Act as an antipsychotic for people suffering from schizophrenia
- Possibly offer relief for those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia and Epilepsy
- Help stop the growth of cancer by inhibiting cancer cell growth, for example when injected into breast and brain tumors in combination with THC
- Prevent the memory impairment and disorientation associated with THC
How to get high levels of CBD in your buds
- Like THC, CBD content in buds is primarily determined by strain (genetics)
- CBD is often confused with CBN, which can be affected by harvest methods
- There is not much you can do to increase levels of CBD besides choosing a high CBD strain
- CBD is naturally found in higher amounts in low-THC varieties such as Hemp and Ruderalis (auto-flowering)
- In recent years, some high-THC strains have been particularly bred for higher levels of CBD
Answer to Common Question: What does it mean when marijuana buds are "18.2%" THC, "0.1%" CBN and "0.5%" CBD?
 It means that of all the cannabinoids present in the sample, 18.2% of them are THC, 0.1% of them are CBN and 0.5% of them are CBD.
What does this mean to you? It means having a lot of trichome production does not necessarily mean higher potency. The resins inside the trichome may or may not contain high levels of active ingredients.
Another thing to keep in mind is that these numbers do not in any way indicate "weight by volume." In other words, sometimes two samples of weed can have the same numbers, and can have similar effects, but one sample could be way stronger because it has higher levels of cannabinoids overall.
So tell me, which is better, THC, CBN or CBD?
As a grower, you will get the best results when you choose a specific strain and prepare your plants in order to specifically cause the effects you're looking for.
The best results seems to come from using marijuana that has a mix of cannabinoids that are suited to your needs.
The information you've learned today has given you a great foundation to understand the effects you're getting with different buds.
For example, high-THC strains have many positive benefits, yet too much THC by itself, without other cannabinoids like CBD and CBN, can cause disorientation, lapses in memory and anxiety.
For those who find these effects unpleasant, choosing strains with higher levels of CBD, or using harvest and curing methods that promote the creation of CBN often prevent many of these negative side effects.
In other words, the levels you want of THC, CBD, and CBN are truly a matter of personal preference.
It is highly recommended that you try different strains and harvest/curing methods to find what suits you best.
****Stay Tuned as Next week we will explain... "What growers need to know to achieve the exact right amounts of THC, CBD and CBN in their buds?"
Next week, you'll learn what strains to get, when exactly to harvest, and the perfect drying/curing methods to suit your unique needs.
About the Author: Nebula Haze
In response to the need for more tutorials aimed at new growers, Nebula co-founded GrowWeedEasy.com in 2008 with fellow grower Sirius Fourside.
Since then, Nebula has published dozens of growing articles in print and online, stars in several online video lessons, and continues to dedicate herself to serving the needs of the medical marijuana growing community.
"My mission is to show other medical marijuana patients how easy and fun it can be to grow pounds of killer weed out of your closet."
Join Nebula Haze on Twitter
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Check It Out!
 Over the years, I've tried a sizable number of devices to use my homegrown cannabis.
When I first tried Vaporizers, they seemed to be the latest craze, but many of the ones I tried left me wanting to go back to something more effective.
I can honestly say that as of now, I've tried only 2 full-size vaporizers that will do the trick for someone with my "higher" tolerance.
One is the Volcano Vaporizer which is without a doubt, an awesome, high-quality product. However, the $530 price tag can be more than a little scary for many of us. The Volcano is definitely the "cream of the crop" Rolls Royce of vaporizers.
The other, and my favorite vaporizer/"smoking" piece, is the Arizer Extreme-Q Vaporizer. It costs about $140, it's very easy to use, it's easier on your body, and it packs a punch! Remote control? Check. Timer? Check. Multiple ways to vaporize? Check!
I'll leave you with this great review about the Arizer Extreme Q Vaporizer that made me laugh...
"I brought this originally thinking it was for vapor therapy I could use with my chinese herbal medicine. When I received it my son couldn't believe I toke up! How could he know I used to toke up when I was his age? Turns out this machine is typically used for medical marijuana patients, but for us it turns out we both could use some medical marijuana.
Now we're both California MMJ patients and we enjoy family time even more. This is a fantastic vaporizer!"
We Need Your Help!
Ever wondered how you could help overgrow the world?
Interested in getting exposure while showing off your growing skills
and helping other growers around the world produce bigger, more
potent buds?
Do you have experiences, pictures, or lessons learned that you believe will be helpful for other growers?
If so, we want to hear from you!
Nebula
Haze and Sirius Fourside, founders of GrowWeedEasy.com, have dedicated
their lives to building the most comprehensive, easy-to-follow marijuana
growing resource in the world.
We
know that the best way to get medicine into the hands of those in
needs is to provide people with information that makes it easy for
anyone to grow it themselves....
From a newsletter subscriber
"Trying defoil this grow. I stripped my plants down to nothing. They looked like tumbleweeds. They paid me back by coming back so thick it is almost ridiculous. Really tremendous new growth. I like spending the extra time in my garden (indoors) and being legal makes it so much better...Suggest everyone try this [defoliation] at least once. It rocks out some serious bud sites...can't wait. Thanks for all the top shelf growing info."
So awesome to hear that. Defoliation is hands down one of the most useful tools for managing the shape of your plants. Let us know how it goes! Happy growing!
Sirius
Question: You mentioned to FIM the top of the plant when it reaches 3 to 5 nodes tall. I've seen the photo that shows the difference between topping and FIMing...My question is: WHICH TECHNIQUE DO YOU use to get the "multi-flower" arrangment, that is shown in your photos?
Answer: I always go with FIMing; that produces the 4 main cola plant you're looking for, and barely slows down growth of the plant!
Sirius
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