The Benefits of THCa

Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid (THCa) is a cannabinoid found in raw marijuana. THCa begins to convert to THC while the cannabis flower is still on the plant. Therapeutic properties can be attributed to THCa including pain relief and reducing inflammation. The non-psychoactive effects allow patients to take at a higher dose for treatment.

Eating raw cannabis by juicing or tincture will provide ample amounts of THCa. Lab results of the flowers containing THC actually show how much THCa will be converted to THC when heated. Generally, the THCa consists of 5-25% of the marijuana plant itself.

Studies have shown that THCa has anti-inflammatory properties that can help arthritis, multiple sclerosis, pain, and gastrointestinal problems. (Source) Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid can improve and reduce the effects of neurodegenerative disease. (Source) The antiemetic properties in THCa also helps patients with HIV\Aids and cancer. (Source) And finally, research has shown that THCa can slow or stop cancer growth in the prostate. (Source)

Source:

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bpb/34/5/34_5_774/_article

https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22571976

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2042-7158.1981.tb13806.x/abstract

 https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3570006/

Dr. William Courtney

Dr. William Courtney is an advocate for consuming raw cannabis. He is a proponent for eating fresh marijuana flowers for their therapeutic and nutritional value. The psycho-active quality of marijuana is not present in the raw flowers, allowing consumers to continue with their daily activities unimpaired.

Raw cannabis has healing properties without the dangers of smoking. The cannabinoids CBGa, CBCa, THCa, and CBDa are present in raw cannabis that hasn't been aged. Tinctures with high potency of these cannabinoids can be made without the threat of psycho-active side effects. Dr. Courtney states that a tolerable dose of 10 mg limits THC from being as beneficial as THCa, which can have a dose of 100-200 times greater.(Source)

The essential fatty acids, essential amino acids, and phyto-cannabinoids are the focus of Dr. Courtney's mission to popularize the use of cannabis in a daily diet. He’s working to find a minimum daily requirement guide for raw cannabis to be included in health maintenance. He is part of Cannabis International Foundation which supports an international treaty for cannabis to be recognized as a dietary supplement. (Source)

Dr. William Courtney has recently been in the press for aiding in treatment of a baby’s cancer. The child’s parents used the suggestion from Dr. Courtney to apply CBD oil on the baby’s pacifier. The goal was to reduce an inoperable brain tumor in an eight month old baby. The results were outstanding - the tumor shrunk, allowing the child to thrive. Dr. Courtney stated that “this child... is not going to have the long-term side effects that would come from a very high dose of chemotherapy or radiation... currently the child's being called a miracle baby.” (Source)

The Story Behind RAW Rolling Papers

Raw Rolling Papers

RAW is well known for it's unrefined and unbleached rolling paper that contain no additives. The product is popular with the customers at OUTCO in El Cajon, San Diego due to it's natural non-toxic properties. RAW is produced in Alcoy, Spain where the origins of rolling paper come from the days of Christopher Columbus.

Rolling papers for cigarettes originate from the late 1400's. Columbus brought back cigars to Spain from Cuba. As told in the history of RAW on their website, Cuban cigars at that time were only available to aristocrats. Left over stubs were re-rolled with newsprint making the first rolled cigarettes.

Alcoy, Spain became the central city for making rolling paper in the 1800's. At first they were a bleached white paper to signify cleanliness and hygiene. The craft of making papers thin and with flavor originated and were refined in Alcoy. In the 1900's Barcelona's bigger factories took over the rolling paper industry. Alcoy remained to have artisans making small batches of rolling paper with antique machines.

The founder of RAW, Josh Kesselman had a desire to make an unrefined natural paper. He received a lot of discouragement for the brown paper from manufacturers. The industry told Josh that nobody wanted to smoke a paper bag. Taking a risk he put his money into the RAW project and proved that their was a demand by smokers for a natural product. Today RAW is one of the most popular brands for its non-toxic, additive free paper.

Source:

http://rawthentic.com/heritage/alcoy-spain/

Cannabis Begins it's Medicinal Benefits with Cannabigerolic acid (CBGa)

CBGa is Cannabis in the Raw

All cannabinoids start out as cannabigerolic acid (CBGa). Eating raw fresh cannabis that contains CBGa has medicinal benefits with different effects than other cannabinoids. As a result of it's non-psychoactive nature CBGa can be consumed in larger quantities than THC.

Fresh and raw cannabis typically breaks down CBGa into other cannabinoids quickly after harvest. Some industrial hemp strains have shown to have CBGa that doesn't convert to other cannabinoids. It has been speculated that these strains hold a recessive gene which doesn't allow this conversion. If a strain has a high CBGa content then smoking it will add heat and change it to CBG.(Source)

CBGa has been found to interact with a different cannabinoid receptor than THC. Ruth Ross from the University of Aberdeen found that CBGa was an antagonist for the cannabinoid receptor GPR55. She found that CBGa and CBDa were 2-4 times stronger in affecting GPR55 than CBD and CBG.(Source) GPR55 has shown to target inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain and aid in bone development.(Source)

Dr. William Courtney ,a leading physician advocating the use of raw cannabis, says:

“If you heat the plant, you get decarboxylated THCa – THC, and you will have psychoactive effects with only 10mg of THC. If it is not heated, you can take from 500 to 600 mg of THCa, use it as essential nutrient and enjoy the antioxidant and neuroprotective properties that these high doses offer you.”

In the raw form cannabis gives a powerful dietary component of essential fatty acids, essential aminoacids, fibers, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, carotenoids, terpenes and of course phytocannabinoid acids. (Source)

Source:

http://www.medicaljane.com/2013/08/03/cannabigerol-cbg-is-a-minor-cannabinoid-with-major-impact/

http://www.jbc.org/content/287/1/91.full.pdf

http://grantome.com/grant/NIH/R01-DA023204-08

http://www.alchimiaweb.com/blogen/dr-courtneys-raw-cannabis-juice/

The Differences Cannabis Raw, Heated or Aged

The Differences Cannabis Raw, Heated or Aged

Different cannabinoids are created when the flower is exposed to UV light, aging, oxidation and heat. Each cannabinoid has unique medicinal effects.

Cannabis is unique in that it is the only plant able to produce cannabigerolicacid (CBGa). The first cannabinoid the cannabis plant produces in raw form is CBGa. Cannabis synthesizes through natural enzymes to change CBGa into three main cannabinoid branches. CBGa is in an unstable form and typically is converted to other cannabinoids quickly. These three cannabinoids types are tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCa), Cannabidiolic acid (CBDa) and Cannabichromenic acid (CBCa).

Heat changes cannabinoids into THC, CBD, CBG and CBN. This conversion process is created by losing a carbon dioxide molecule (CO2). In this state they are thought to be in a neutral form. When a strain has a high CBGa content smoking it will add heat and change it to CBG.

Raw or heated cannabis can turn into different cannabinoids when it has oxidation and age. THCa with oxidation will change to CBNa. Aged THC will change into CBN or Tetra8 THC. When aged CBC will turn into CBL. Raw CBCa turns into CBLa over time.

Different Ways of Consuming Cannabis

Depending on your lifestyle, medical need and preference there are many ways to consume cannabis. Patients may find for their specific need that a certain way is better than another. OUTCO in San Diego has a knowledgeable staff that can help you choose the method based on other patients experience.

Smoking Cannabis

Smoking is the oldest form of consuming marijuana by using the dried flowers, hash and kief ( compressed resin glands, more potent than flowers ). Smoking by joint, pipe, water pipe or bong are the methods of smoking cannabis. Depending on the amount and potency the effects last form 2-4 hours.

A study from study sponsored by California NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) and MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) smoking an unfiltered joint or a pipe was more healthy than a water pipe. The reasoning was that more of the psycho active drug was filtered out than other tars, making one have to smoke more to reach the desired high.

The water pipe resulted in 30% more tar than an unfiltered joint. A filtered cigarette performed 30% less effective at delivering the medicine. Researchers suggest that the cannabinoids being sticky do not get through the filter. A pipe with an electric mixer performed the worst.

High potency can allow the patients to get the desired amount of medicine with less smoking. Choosing a strain that has a higher THC content can reduce the tars inhaled. (Source)

Vaporizers

Vape Pens is the new way of consuming marijuana and the popularity has good reason. Vaporizers are devices that give the medicine at a lower temperature to allow inhaling a vapor rather than a smoke. The method patients describe as working twice as fast without feeling the results of a burning sensation in the throat like smoking, so it is warned to go at slow at first. (Source)

Vaporizers using an electric hotplate method seemed to be the most effective, performing 25% more effective than an unfiltered joint. However the hot air gun vaporizer has a hot water filter which diminished the effective only performing as well as an unfiltered joint.(Source)

Topicals

Topicals come in many forms that are applied to the skin and are non psycho active. They can be in the form of lotions, salves, balms, sprays, oils and creams. Patients prefer topicals to treat rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, restless leg syndrome, muscle spasms, stress and soreness giving an anti-inflammatory effect. Cannabis is lipophilic, meaning it can be dissolved in a fat-soluble that can absorb into cell membranes. Ingesting marijuana takes the medicine goes through stomach acids and digestive enzymes before entering the blood stream losing some of it's effectiveness and making you drowsy. Topically cannabis can enter the bloodstream quicker and more effectively and avoiding side effects.(Source) Rick Simpson was one of the pioneers of marijuana in the topical form, known for making Rick Simpson Oil.

Tinctures

Tinctures are a highly concentrated form on cannabis in alcohol. They can be just the THC form, the CBD form or a mixture. Applied under the tongue or mixed in a beverage it is another delivery method of consumption.

Edibles

Edibles are commonly known as cannabis that is infused into butter or oil and cooked into food. Edibles take longer to take effect, so users need to be aware to not consume too much. It can take 20 minutes to an hour  to take effect and last up to four hours or longer. Most describe it as a overall body relaxation rather than a cerebral head high. (Source)

The THC component only gives the psychoactive high when heated, ingesting it raw is a way to receive many of the benefits without the high. Blending it with other vegetables and fruits to make a smoothie takes out the bitterness and more palatable to eat raw.(Source)

Source:

http://www.canorml.org/healthfacts/smokestudy.html

http://www.harborsidehealthcenter.com/methods-of-cannabis-consumption.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/034425_marijuana_cannabinoids_medicine.html