List of Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids
The main hemp-derived cannabinoids are CBD, CBDA, CBG, CBGA, CBN, CBNA, CBC, CBCA, CBDV, CBDVA, CBL, CBT, delta-9 THC within the 0.3% dry-weight limit, THCA, delta-8 THC, THCV, THCVA, THCP, and CBDP. Hemp plants make many of these in acidic forms first. Heat or storage can convert an acidic cannabinoid to its neutral form.
Prerequisites for Using This List
Before you compare products, get the certificate of analysis (COA) and the product label. You need both to match each cannabinoid name to a tested amount and to confirm the hemp source.
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Major Hemp Cannabinoids
- CBD (cannabidiol): Common neutral cannabinoid in hemp extracts.
- CBDA (cannabidiolic acid): Acid form of CBD in raw or lightly processed hemp.
- CBG (cannabigerol): Minor neutral cannabinoid; often listed in focused extracts.
- CBGA (cannabigerolic acid): Acid precursor to CBG and other cannabinoids.
- CBN (cannabinol): Neutral cannabinoid; can form as THC breaks down.
- CBNA (cannabinolic acid): Acid form linked to CBN.
Minor and Acidic Hemp Cannabinoids
- CBC (cannabichromene) and CBCA (cannabichromenic acid): Neutral and acid forms.
- CBDV (cannabidivarin) and CBDVA (cannabidivarinic acid): Propyl cannabinoids found in some hemp cultivars.
- CBGV (cannabigerivarin) and CBGVA (cannabigerivarinic acid): Propyl forms of CBG.
- CBL (cannabicyclol) and CBT (cannabicitran): Minor cannabinoids in some hemp profiles.
- THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) and THCVA: Neutral and acid forms; THCV is not the same as delta-9 THC.
- THCP (tetrahydrocannabiphorol) and CBDP (cannabidiphorol): Minor cannabinoids with longer side chains.
THC Forms in Hemp
Hemp can contain delta-9 THC, THCA, delta-8 THC, and other THC variants. Federal hemp law uses delta-9 THC concentration on a dry-weight basis, not the total of every THC form. THCA can convert to delta-9 THC with heat, so a label that lists only delta-9 THC can miss the acid form. Delta-8 THC is often made from CBD through a chemical process, and state rules for it differ. Check your state's rules before you buy.
Read a Hemp Cannabinoid List in 4 Steps
- Find the total cannabinoid panel, not just the headline cannabinoid.
- Separate neutral forms from acidic forms, such as CBD from CBDA.
- Check delta-9 THC against the federal 0.3% hemp limit, and check any state total-THC limit that applies.
- Match the COA batch number to the package batch number.
US Regulatory Notes
Under federal law, hemp is Cannabis sativa L. with no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis. The FDA has not approved CBD for use in food or as a dietary supplement; one CBD prescription drug is approved. State hemp and cannabinoid rules vary, and delta-8 THC products face different limits by state. For any product, confirm the COA and the seller's state compliance claims.