Short Answer
Cannabis contains more than 100 cannabinoids. Delta-9 THC and CBD dominate most flower. Every other cannabinoid sits under 1% of dry weight. Acid forms such as THCA and CBDA convert to THC and CBD when heated. Each compound binds the CB1 and CB2 receptors with a different strength.
Minor Cannabinoids: Benefits and Uses
Cannabinoid List Chart
- Delta-9 THC, acid form THCA. Psychoactive. Binds CB1 and CB2. Boiling point 157 C (315 F). Most abundant in drug-type cultivars.
- CBD, acid form CBDA. Not psychoactive. Low affinity for CB1 and CB2. Boiling point 160 to 180 C (320 to 356 F).
- CBG, acid form CBGA. Not psychoactive. Parent molecule for THCA, CBDA, and CBCA. Flower content 0.1% to 1%.
- CBC, acid form CBCA. Not psychoactive. Binds CB1 and CB2 at low strength. Studied for pain and inflammation.
- CBN, acid form CBNA. Weak psychoactive effect. Forms when THC oxidizes in air and light. Content rises in old flower.
- THCV, acid form THCVA. Psychoactive at high doses. Binds CB1. Found in strains from southern Africa.
- CBDV, acid form CBDVA. Not psychoactive. Close in structure to CBD. Found in hemp and some indica lines.
- Delta-8 THC. Psychoactive. Occurs in small amounts in the plant. Also made from CBD in a lab.
- Delta-10 THC. Psychoactive. Rare in the plant. Most samples come from chemical conversion.
- CBL, acid form CBLA. Not psychoactive. Degradation product of CBC.
- CBT. Not psychoactive. Minor compound with little research.
Acid Forms and Decarboxylation
Raw cannabis holds cannabinoids in acid form. THCA carries an extra carboxyl group. Heat removes that group. THCA becomes delta-9 THC. CBDA becomes CBD. CBGA becomes CBG. Decarboxylation starts near 105 C (220 F) and runs fast above 150 C (300 F). Smoking and vaping do this in one step. Edibles need oven heat first.
What Does THC and CBD Stand For? Full Names Explained
How Labs Measure the Chart
Labs report each cannabinoid as a percentage of dry weight. Total THC equals delta-9 THC plus 0.877 times THCA. The 0.877 factor accounts for the mass lost as carbon dioxide. US labels follow that math.
cannabis cannabinoids list and effects
US Legal Note
Federal law sets hemp at 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. Hemp-derived CBD and other cannabinoids sit outside the Controlled Substances Act. State rules differ. Delta-8 THC and delta-10 THC face bans in several states.