Westword
Audio By Carbonatix
Dear Stoner: Can I activate the THC in my weed with citric acid instead of heat, similar to the way ceviche is cooked? I’d like to try making a weed smoothie with lemon or orange juice.
Boulder Bob
Dear Bob: This side quest takes over a cannabis forum every few years, and the consensus is that citric acid or vinegar can activate THC. Adding heat to the process helps, though, and the citric acid method is usually more messy and time-consuming than heating ground herb in an oven. That said, you might have just inspired a summer project for both of us.
Citric acid can do a lot of things, but can it activate the THC in your weed?
Flickr/Ed Chadwick
There are dozens of posts online detailing how to soak buds in a solution of citric acid and water, dry them out under a towel for about a week and then eat them. The buds tasted like booty, according to the amateur-scientist posters, who claimed to get high from eating them. There are also ways to extract cannabinoids from a liquid concentration with citric acid, using methods employing red or apple cider vinegar. Our first test will be a smoothie recipe involving raw cannabis juice, whole citrus fruits and raw coconut. If that works, it’s on to no-bake guacamole.
Send questions to marijuana@westword.com.
Will you step up to support Westword this year?
We’re aiming to raise $50,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to this community. If Westword matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.