What Is THCM (Cannabinoid)?
New cannabinoids seem to be popping up left and right these days, and THCM is simply the latest in a steady stream of new hemp compounds that consumers must puzzle over. One of the latest additions to the cannabinoid family is THCM, an extremely rare compound that doesn’t offer the practical utility you’re expecting at all.
Is THCM worth your time, and can you even buy it online? Find out in this guide.
Is there a cannabinoid called THCM?
Yes, the cannabinoid THCM certainly exists. It is related to THC in the same way that CBD is to CBDM — as a result it wouldn’t be unfair to call THCM “THC monomethylether.” As one of the rarest and least-researched of all cannabinoids, however, there is still very little we know about THCM, and it appears to be impossible to buy this cannabinoid — even for research purposes— at this time.
What is THC monomethylether?
Though we’re not aware of any official sources using this nomenclature, THCM is technically a monomethylether of THC. This makes THCM identical to common synthetic compounds — even if it appears the cannabinoid occasionally appears naturally in cannabis.
Most monomethylethers are synthetic, and they’re commonly produced in the plastics and pharmaceuticals industries. Offering improved solubility and reduced toxicity in many cases, monomethylethers also appear naturally in cloves and certain other plants.It remains unclear what sorts of changes and advantages occur when THC becomes a monomethylether in the form of THCM. This is one of the main obstacles slowing down further research into the cannabinoid.
How is THCM made?
The process used to synthetically create THCM is unknown. Attempts to isolate this cannabinoid in a lab have failed, so it is not currently clear which factors cause THCM to emerge in cannabis.
When was THCM discovered?
THCM was first detected in cannabis smoke in 1977. It has been known to be a byproduct of THC ever since, but since THCM is believed to be devoid of psychoactive properties, it has not received very much scientific attention.
THCM research
As far as we’re aware, the only research that has been conducted into THCM is the study referenced above, in which an attempt to isolate the cannabinoid failed. So, while studies into other cannabinoids have either implied or found evidence of THCM over the years, research directly related to the cannabinoid has been highly limited.
To make research possible, it must be possible to synthesize a cannabinoid exactly the same way in any lab around the world. Without even knowing enough about the chemical structure of THCM to replicate it properly, it’s likely that we’ll remain in the dark regarding this ultra-rare cannabinoid for the foreseeable future.
Even when made possible through lab synthesis, there must be sufficient economic interest in a cannabinoid to justify its research. Since scientists don’t even know what THCM does yet, there isn’t anywhere near the necessary impetus to drive further studies. That’s all to say don’t expect any THCM research anytime soon.
What does THCM do?
We honestly don’t know enough about THCM to be sure about the effects it offers. Since this cannabinoid is mainly used as a marker of cannabis use during pregnancy (see Mayo Clinic link above), it appears that no directly useful benefits of THCM have been discovered yet. This should be unsurprising since only a handful of research teams have even confirmed the existence of THCM to date.
How is THCM different from THC?
Scientists are unsure whether THCM is a metabolite of THC or if it occurs naturally in cannabis. The CBD equivalent, CBDM, was originally thought to be a metabolite of CBD, but it has now been discovered on its own in cannabis. These results indicate that the same is likely to be true of THCM, but until this cannabinoid is discovered to naturally occur in cannabis, we can only theorize.
Is THCM better than THC?
THCM does not appear to offer any advantages compared to THC. It’s practically impossible to acquire THCM while THC is plentiful (if you live in the right state), and it appears that THCM doesn’t get you high — or do much of anything else for that matter. THCM is so thoroughly unimpressive, in fact, that it has been practically ignored by alternative cannabinoid sellers online.
Is THCM synthetic?
Since THCM hasn’t even been determined to naturally occur in cannabis flower prior to incineration (it has only been detected in cannabis smoke), any THCM products found online or elsewhere would necessarily be synthetic. We aren’t aware of any suppliers of THCM, though, either reputable or unreputable.
Is THCM safe?
The safety of THCM is impossible to establish at this stage. If it’s true that this rare cannabinoid is a natural constituent of cannabis smoke, it’s simple logic that natural concentrentrations of THCM cannot be more harmful than cannabis smoke on its own.
When it comes to isolating and using high concentrations of THCM, though, the safety of this cannabinoid is anyone’s guess. Until we know more about it, you’re better off avoiding the cannabinoid THCM.
Is THCM legal?
Based on all available information provided by the federal government, THCM products would likely be considered industrial hemp just like CBD, CBG, or CBN products containing less than 0.3% delta 9 THC. It’s a moot point right now, however, since there don’t appear to even be any THCM products available to buy.
Can you buy THCM online?
To our knowledge, there is currently no way to buy the cannabinoid THCM online. Despite the immense amount of funding and interest that has been poured into alternative cannabinoids in general over recent years, nobody has deemed fit to touch the mysterious THCM — a cannabinoid so mysterious many aren’t sure if it even exists.
If you are able to find a retailer that sells THCM products online, maintain a healthy degree of skepticism. First, check the lab reports to determine if they genuinely prove the product contains THCM. Then, consider avoiding the product entirely due to the fact that THCM does not appear to offer any particular benefits — why pay top dollar for a cannabinoid that’s essentially a placebo?
Authenticity of THCM products
It has come to our attention that certain online vendors have recently started selling products they describe as containing THCM. Before giving these products a shot, however, there are three questions you should consider:
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What advantages does THCM offer?: To us, it’s unclear what THCM has to offer. There are far better synthetic forms of THC, and the fact that THCM is almost a complete unknown poses serious safety concerns.
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Is THCM safe?: We don’t know anything about the inherent safety of THCM, and we know far less about the safety of THCM extracts being included in consumer products. With all-natural THCA now available online, it’s unclear what advantage THCM offers.
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And, lastly, is it even THCM? You have no way of knowing whether the cannabinoid included in your product is actually THCM. Labs don’t even know what to look for, so there’s no way to confirm THCM levels in products sold online.
Overall, it’s best to assume that any THCM products sold online are not genuine. You should then look at any companies selling THCM products in a new light — what else might they be hiding from you?
What types of THCM products are there?
To our knowledge, there are no THCM products — period. If products containing the ultra-rare cannabinoid THCM do, in fact, exist, though, the product types most likely to be first to the market are distillates and vapes. Before that point, however, you should expect THCM to be offered by bulk chemical manufacturers — an event that has not yet occurred.
Summary: Should I use THCM?
In the wake of the breakout success of alternative cannabinoids like delta 8 and THCV, there’s a mad rush to explore and produce every single alternative cannabinoid that might offer some degree of benefit. After a while, though, you have to wonder if consumers truly benefit from having 20 different kinds of THC to choose from or if they’d be better off with just 3-5.
There’s a good reason THCM hasn’t made its way onto the market yet: There’s no demand for it. The same can be said for many alt cannabinoids that are nonetheless sold profusely online, though, so here’s the real reason you can’t buy THCM: Nobody has succeeded in isolating it.
In the event that the THCM code is one day broken, will there be any point in giving this latest addition to the THC alphabet soup a shot? If early reports that THCM has no psychoactive properties are correct, the answer is a definitive “no.”
THCM FAQ
We may not know much about THCM, but learn more of what little we do know below:
1. What is the cannabinoid CBDM?
Cannabidiol monomethylether (CBDM) is a rare, natural cannabinoid found in hemp. Discovered within the last decade, CBDM is still something of a mystery in regards to its origins and effects. Scientists believe CBDM is related to CBD in the same way THCM is to THC, and the existence of CBDM in cannabis buds indicates that the presence of THCM will also one day be detected prior to incineration.
2. Does THCM get you high?
No, according to the very little scientific information we’ve accumulated on THCM so far, it does not appear that this cannabinoid gets you high. THCM seems to be entirely devoid of intoxicating effects, but we know too little about this cannabinoid to be entirely sure.
3. Are there THCM strains?
Researchers have not yet identified any strains of cannabis that are high in THCM since this cannabinoid has not been detected in cannabis yet. So far, it is only known to be a metabolite of cannabis smoke, and it is not known if THCM is also present in raw buds.
4. Can I buy THCM vapes?
We are not aware of any vape products that contain THCM. Adding THCM to vapes would be a hard sell since the benefits of this cannabinoid remain unknown and it does not offer the benefits characteristic of THC. If you do come across any CBD vape products that are listed as containing THCM, check the authenticity of the lab reports for the product.
5. What is THCM used for?
At this stage, THCM does not appear to be used for anything. The only way that THCM figures into the global economy in any way is in the form of ongoing research into this cannabinoid.
THCM appears to offer very little merit, however, and it is an exceedingly difficult cannabinoid to produce. As a result, the future does not seem to hold much in the way of opportunity for THCM.
6. Is THCM stronger than THC?
No, based on what little we know so far, THCM does not appear to be stronger than THC. On the contrary, it seems that THCM is considerably weaker.
As a result, THCM does not belong with other alternative forms of THC, like THCP, that have recently been discovered to offer astronomical levels of potency. With a potency potential estimated at exactly zero, you’d be better off sticking with normal THC than you would be trying THCM.
7. What is the point of THCM?
So far, nobody has discovered the point of THCM. It’s a known cannabinoid, so it’s worth examining to make sure it’s used properly just like all the other new cannabinoids that have appeared on the scene over the last few years.
Those looking for the next delta 8 or THCP, however, will be disappointed by THCM — both because they can’t find it and because, if they did, it wouldn’t offer anything in the way of satisfying results.
The majority of new alternatives to THC have added something useful or at least interesting to the table. THCM, though, is a bonafide nothing-burger.
8. Is THCM psychoactive?
Based on everything we know about this rare and elusive cannabinoid, it does not appear that THCM provides any considerable degree of psychoactivity. It is worth underscoring, though, how little we know about THCM, making any sort of objective analysis of its properties very difficult. Regardless of which effects THCM may one day be discovered to have, it’s best to avoid going into using the cannabinoid expecting to get high.
9. What is the difference between THCM and THCP?
Like THCM, THCP is a rare but natural cannabinoid found in certain strains of cannabis. Unlike THCM, however, THCP is very psychoactive — some sources suggest this cannabinoid could be as much as 25 times as potent as THC. While THCM is more than likely to disappoint anyone seeking to get high, THCP almost certainly will not. It may even get you higher than you enjoy or intended.
10. Is THCP psychoactive?
Yes, THCP stands in sharp contrast to THCM, THCV, and other “lite” forms of THC as a highly potent form of the cannabinoid. In fact, it might be fair to consider THCP a “super-sized” version of THC. The primary benefit of both THCM and THCP is that they are natural cannabinoids, eliminating the concerns that can sometimes occur when using synthesized cannabis substances. Even if THCP is very potent, it isn’t any more potent than nature intended.
11. What are the effects of THCM?
The effects of the rare cannabinoid THCM remain largely unknown because they have not been studied and the cannabinoid is not in common use. Based on the structure of the cannabinoid and its similarities to other substances, it’s safe to assume that THCM is likely not intoxicating. As to the specific types of non-intoxicating effects this rare cannabinoid may offer, we will need to wait for more research to be conducted before we draw any conclusions.
12. Is THCM strong?
Theoretically speaking, THCM might be considerably stronger than normal THC. Monomethylethers are generally more bioavailable than their conventional counterparts, meaning that your body might be able to use more of the THCM you ingest.
It’s important to point out once again, however, that nobody knows how strong THCM is — especially those trying the hardest to sell it on the internet. The cannabinoid is a complete unknown, and any THCM products you come across are guaranteed frauds.
13. What are the best THCM products?
Assuming they’re genuine, the best THCM products would most likely be gummies or vapes, since these cannabis product types are among the most popular overall. With cannabinoids like THCM that you have to synthesize to collect in any great quantities, cannabis flower isn’t an option, so you’ll need to go with concentrates instead.
14. Can I learn more about THCM on Reddit?
As is usually the case, Reddit is a great source of anecdotal reports and discussions around products supposedly containing THCM. In places like Japan where conventional THC is illegal, THCM is one among many synthetic cannabinoids supposedly sold in vape carts. One Japanese Redditor says the cannabinoid is a lot like CBN.
Other Redditors provide wildly conflicting data on the discovery date of THCM, and one poster even says THCM stands for “THC methoxy,” which isn’t even a full chemical name. So, while entertaining, it’s best to take THCM results from Reddit with a grain of salt.
