What in the World is THC-P, and Why are Hemp Enthusiasts Gravitating Towards It?

by NAM McL November 02, 2022

Tetrahydrocannabiphorol (THC-P) is a brand new cannabinoid that has entered our awareness as a result of advanced analysis practices applied to the booming hemp industry. Already proving to be quite a big hit with hemp enthusiasts, its reputation mainly revolves around its powerful psychoactive effects, but that’s not all that the cannabinoid seems to have up its sleeve.

Now that THC-P is becoming more widely available in various product forms, it’s important to provide some general insight into what this hemp derivative can do, both in terms of its intoxicating effects and other properties, as you decide if it’s the right addition to your hemp arsenal.

THC-P Through a Hemp-Based Looking Glass

Tetrahydrocannabiphorol is, as we said, a new discovery – it was only found in December of 2019, when a team of hemp researchers in Italy found it after applying advanced analysis techniques to a sample of the hemp plant. It’s extremely trace in the plant naturally, but the researchers were able to find that its effects are actually quite profound in its isolated form.

Is THC-P Psychoactive?

As you can imagine, we’re still learning a lot about THC-P considering how new it is. And, given the rapidly growing interest in the cannabinoid, you can expect more studies to come out about its properties in the relatively near future. For the time-being, however, we know from the one study that was done by the researchers who discovered the cannabinoid that it’s likely the most potently intoxicating compound in all of the hemp plant. This is based on observations made, in which the cannabinoid attaches to CB1 receptors at 31x the rate of delta 9 THC – those receptors being the ones that are responsible for the psychoactive response we get from THC compounds. In short, this means that THC-P is likely to get you very, very high compared to what you may be used to.

What are the Other Properties of THC-P?

THC-P is still being analyzed, as we said earlier, so we don’t have access to decades of research showing its specific properties, like we do for more widely known cannabinoids like CBD and delta 9 THC which were discovered in the mid-1960s. But, the researchers who analyzed THC-P noted its unique effects on the endocannabinoid system, and discovered that the cannabinoid likely offers much of the same properties associated with delta 9 THC when it comes to mood, nausea, appetite, physical discomfort, neuroprotective qualities and inflammation.

Is THC-P Legal?

Laws regarding THC-P are a bit complicated, as is the case with psychoactive cannabinoids. Technically, THC-P is protected under federal law, ever since the passing of the Farm Bill in 2018, which determined that all hemp products containing a maximum of 0.3% delta 9 THC are federally legal. This law therefore means that THC-P is unrestricted throughout the country.

State laws, however, can differ from the Farm Bill’s declarations, and as of now, a handful of states have banned all THC-based compounds in response to the growing popularity of delta 8 THC. This means that THC-P may be illegal in:

Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Delaware
Idaho
Iowa
Mississippi
Montana
New York
North Dakota
Rhode Island
Utah
Vermont
Washington

Because state laws can change at any time, it’s wise to keep an eye out on what your state allows when it comes to the hemp plant, to make sure that you’re always complying.

What Kinds of THC-P Products are Out There?

The market is quickly expanding its selection of THC-P products, but bear in mind that this cannabinoid is extremely new, which means that you won’t get the huge choice of product types that you would with CBD, or even delta 8 THC. Over the coming months, you’ll find that more and more THC-P product types will become available from your favorite brands. For the time-being, you’ll have more than a satisfying experience with these products that are currently available.

THC-P: A New Cannabinoid with Tons of Promise

Overall, tetrahydrocannabiphorol is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after cannabinoids for a reason. We have enough evidence that it’s the most powerful psychoactive cannabinoid we know of thus far, and besides that, it’s bursting with properties that can be extremely useful to us in more practical applications.