Cannabis is being embraced by millions of individuals across the globe. Cannabis contains substances known as cannabinoids. However, most of you must have encountered the tag, ‘TAC’ on cannabis products. But what exactly does ‘TAC’ mean? Why is it part of the product? And how it is different from THC. Read more to find out.
‘TAC’ stands for Total Active Cannabinoids. This refers to the cannabis strain’s cannabinoid profile. On the other hand, THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main psychoactive cannabinoid present in the cannabis plant that is responsible for making us “high”.
Cannabis users can understand the specific strain’s cannabinoid profile by looking at the TAC value of the strain. By knowing the TAC value, users can easily customize their dosage and have the best experience that they are looking for.
Now that we are clear with what TAC is, let us take a look at how it is different from THC.
TAC vs. THC
THC is a compound that stands for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. While that may be the scientific name and involves immense amounts of complexities, it may simply be known as THC. As the name suggests, it is a cannabinoid found in cannabis. It is the main psychoactive ingredient – and is mainly responsible for the effects cannabis has.
When speaking about both THC and TAC, the total active cannabinoids figure is important to gauge the effectiveness of the substance. TAC reveals how the effect operates. This is directly related to how THC and CBD (another component) induce physiological effects when consumed. This is especially when they are consumed together, or when consumed in addition to minor cannabinoids of other natures.
Knowing more about the TAC values is highly beneficial to users of cannabis. This value provides them with a clear indication of how and what to expect from the effect of the product. Those users, however, who use the product for recreational purposes, use TAC values and the components associated to improve dabbing experiences.
Quite often, however, the name of TAC is often confused with Total Aerobic Count. This term is quite different and has a different meaning. The total aerobic count measures the microbial counts in a cannabis sample and is unrelated.
The TAC of the particular strain grabs the attention away from the THC values. It sheds more light on the minor cannabinoid content in the plant and provides greater information on the product. The information obtained from the TAC values directs and informs users of the product about the various potencies that can be sought from the various strains.
Manufacturers of the products often choose to disclose the TAC information to users as a cumulative figure. This is different from other manufacturers of other products, who choose to reveal individual properties of the cannabinoids that are present in the strain so used. Users of the product can then decide which product they actually need based on the effects of the potency of the particular product being used.
Cannabinoids and why they are important
Every cannabis plant contains different amounts of cannabinoids. Some cannabis plants contain over 50 cannabinoids. While this may be the case, not all can be detected. The TAC is a representation of the total potency level and amount of these various cannabinoids that can be found within specific plants.
While detection cannot happen in the best way possible, some methods can be used to identify cannabinoids that are available in larger quantities. When we say larger quantities, we mean those that are available in the product in abundance. This goes to say, that the TAC value is usually less than the exact amount of cannabinoids in the particular strain of the product.
In order for these cannabinoids to be included in the Total Active Cannabinoids value, they must have some influence on the effects that manifest in the user of the product.
Weed plants have a huge amount of cannabinoids in them when compared to processed products. Some contain more than 60 cannabinoids. TAC labels on some of the products can last up to 100 cannabinoids in one particular product. Their mechanisms however are largely unknown.
A large chunk of these compounds have been identified, but are still listed as unknown. This is due to their mechanisms not being understood. Some of these common cannabinoids, although found in large quantities outside of the product, can only be traced to small quantities. Some of these are as follows:
Cannabidiol (CBD) – this component is widely observed in products of weed, and induces effects that vary from one product to another.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – this is by far, the most popular cannabinoid in the industry.
Cannabidivarin (CBDV) – this is a rather minor cannabinoid and can be found in hybrid varieties of cannabis products.
Cannabichromene (CBC) – a minor cannabinoid found in small amounts of certain cannabis plants.
Terpenes and Flavonoids – these are rather not understood but play a role in the effects they have.
Overall Importance
TAC allows users to experiment with various ratios of the product and allows you to mix and match with concentrations that will give you the experience that you would be looking for. Knowing the exact value, therefore, is very important. This adds to the various reasons in a long list, as to why regulations around cannabis manufacturing enforce on manufacturers of the various products, and the need to list the information when labelling their products.
When the total cannabinoid value is listed, it adds to the value even further as this allows for better experimentation. Medical officers can also make use of this measurement obtained, to determine quantities in various therapeutic concentrations for products of cannabis.
