The Travel Agency Guide to CBC: Effects, Products, and More

The cannabis plant contains multitudes. Tucked away inside the shiny, sticky goodness of the plant’s trichomes are dozens of compounds called cannabinoids. You know THC well, and you probably know CBD too, but there are so many more. This article explores one of the lesser-known, but still impressive cannabinoids: cannabichromene, or CBC.

What is Cannabichromene (CBC)?

CBC is one of the most abundant cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, but it’s often outshined by its more famous siblings, THC and CBD.

CBC was discovered in 1966 by famed cannabis researcher Dr. Raphael Mechoulam and his colleague Yehiel Gaon at the same time as cannabigerol (CBG). While CBC is abundant in the cannabis plant, it’s not as abundant as THC and CBD. And just like THC and CBD, CBC comes from a compound called Cannabigerolic acid (CBG-A). This acidic cannabinoid — which won’t convert into its “active” form until it’s heated — is the starting point for the development of CBC, THC, CBD, and several other cannabinoids.

How does CBC make you feel?

The effects of CBC are subtle. Unlike THC, which is known for its obvious and intoxicating “high” sensation, CBC works in more mysterious ways. It stimulates the endocannabinoid system by selectively activating the CB2 receptors as well as other receptors. CBC, like CBD, is less about what you do feel and more about what you don’t feel after trying it.

Research on CBC is still in the early stages because most interest is directed toward CBD and THC. Researchers are still exploring the effects of CBC and how our bodies and minds react to this cannabinoid.

Does CBC make you feel high?

CBC won’t make you feel high like THC will. It’s non-intoxicating so it works more like CBD, giving you a subtle uplifting feeling and stimulating your ECS to help you feel good from the inside out.

How does CBC work with other cannabinoids?

Research on CBC is still in the early stages, so there’s a lot we don’t know about this cannabinoid. But researchers believe that CBC works best with others — cannabinoids, terpenes, and the other compounds that the cannabis plant contains in the “entourage effect.”

The entourage effect is a theory that states that the whole cannabis plant works more effectively and synergistically in your body than if you were to try pure THC, CBD, CBN, or any other cannabinoid. Cannabis flower and some concentrates naturally contain all compounds and therefore support the entourage effect.

Is CBC stronger than CBD?

CBC isn’t more potent than CBD, nor is it more intoxicating. These two cannabinoids work differently but have a lot of overlap in their receptor activations and their effects on your body.

Here’s a short rundown of the similarities between these cannabinoids.

Neither CBD nor CBC binds well to the CB1 receptor in your ECS, the receptor that THC interacts with. However, scientists are split on whether CBC has a “low” binding affinity or none at all.

Both cannabinoids interact with multiple other receptors in your body and may offer anti-inflammatory effects because of their interaction with certain receptors that deal with pain and inflammation, such as TRPV1 and TRPA1. CBC is thought to interact more strongly with these than CBD.

Both cannabinoids may help with gastrointestinal distress and are being examined for their effects on gut motility, which is how food moves through your digestive tract.

Both CBC and CBD are also being explored for neuroprotective effects, although in very different ways.

3 strains that contain CBC

CBC is a rare cannabinoid to find in cannabis products on the market today, and you’re more likely to find it in tinctures and edibles than flower strains, like in this Daytime Tincture from Harney Brothers Cannabis that contains CBC alongside CBG, CBD, and THC.

But nonetheless, if you want to try adding CBC into your cannabis routine, budtenders at the Travel Agency can help.

3 Kings

3 Kings is a sativa-leaning hybrid strain that gets its name from the three strains it comes from OG Kush. Sour Diesel, and Headband. This strain tends to contain 1.0% to 2.0% CBC.

Jorge’s Diamonds

This rare strain, created through a partnership of horticulturist Jorge Cervantes and seed bank Dutch Passion, is one of a handful that has naturally elevated CBC content. Some growers that cultivate this strain report higher concentrations of CBC, which may range from 0.2% – 1.0%

Sour Tsunami

Known for its high CBD content and low THC content, some varieties of Sour Tsunami have been reportedly high in CBC.

Learn more about other cannabinoids

THC is just one of dozens of cannabinoids that the cannabis plant produces. Learning about these cannabinoids and their effects can help you customize your cannabis routine to best suit your personal needs. If you enjoy the “high” feeling of THC, you have plenty of options, but if you’re looking for cannabis products with more subtle effects, we have options for those too.

Learn more about:

THC

CBD

CBC: Expand your cannabis horizons

The cannabis plant houses hundreds of chemical compounds, and some are better understood than others. If you’re curious about the lesser-known cannabinoids like CBC, CBG, and CBN, The Travel Agency is here to help, with our digital educational resources and knowledgable budtenders. Need help? Just ask — it’s what we’re here for.