Raw Cannabis Juice: What Are the Benefits & How Does it Work?

Raw cannabis juice in two glasses, a straw and cannabis leaves

The benefits of juicing raw cannabis have been widely proclaimed over the last few years, but very little empirical data has been published to scientifically confirm the benefits. However, the anecdotal evidence is mounting up, and many swear by it—but are there inherent risks, and if so, what are they?

What’s behind the hype?

A more apt question could be ‘who’s behind the hype?’ as it is largely due to the promotional efforts of one man—Dr William Courtney. Dr Courtney is a California-based physician who holds a B.S. in Microbiology from Michigan University, an M.D. from Wayne State University and a Post Doctorate in Forensic Examination and Forensic Medicine.

Dr Courtney’s wife Kristen Peskuski reports to have successfully fought symptoms of lupus by using fresh cannabis juice. Since then, the couple has enthusiastically promoted the treatment, claiming its benefit in a range of illnesses for which its efficacy has not yet been assessed.

Cannabis juice in transparent plastic glass, with a cannabis leaf on top

Many of Dr Courtney’s claims are unsubstantiated and easy to debunk, and the trend for juicing cannabis is in grave danger of being dismissed as a fad—but is there any basis to the claims? There are very few reputable sources from which to draw a conclusion. The majority of articles available come from alternative lifestyle and counterculture blogs, and are not based on scientific studies.

Cannabinoid acids explained

On the living plant, up to 90% of Δ9-THC is present in the form of Δ9-THCA, a carboxylic acid (hereafter referred to as simply THCA). Cannabidiol (CBD) is present in the form of CBDA, cannabigerol (CBG) as CBGA, cannabichromene (CBC) as CBCA, and so on.

Carboxylic acids (the most abundant group of organic acids) are defined as such by the presence of at least one carboxyl group linked by a single covalent bond to another functional group. In organic chemistry, a functional group simply refers to a group of atoms within a molecule that is responsible for characteristic reactions of the molecule.

A carboxyl group is comprised of a carbonyl group (C=O; a carbon atom linked by a double covalent bond to a hydrogen atom) and a hydroxyl group (O-H; an oxygen atom linked by a single covalent bond to a hydrogen atom)—which overall is usually expressed as -COOH or -CO2H. For simplicity, THCA is expressed as THC-CO2H (although its chemical formula is C22H30O4; that of THC itself is C21H30O2), CBDA is CBD-CO2H and CBG is CBG-CO2H.

Thus, before any processing of cannabis plant material, cannabinoids exist in these acidic forms. Acidic cannabinoids are non-psychoactive and hence they stimulate enquiry about their potential medicinal benefits.

When cannabis is dried or subjected to heat, the acids transmute into their neutral, psychoactive forms, in a reaction known as decarboxylation.

Decarboxylation of carboxylic acids

When decarboxylation occurs, carbon dioxide (CO2) is lost, breaking up the carboxyl group. The leftover hydrogen atom forms a single covalent bond with the remaining part of the molecule, thus supplying an extra proton (a hydrogen atom consists of one proton and one electron; the electron is shared to form the covalent bond).

With cannabinoid acids, the process of decarboxylation occurs very rapidly through exposure to heat (for example, through the action of smoking or heating to make cannabis butter). It also occurs very slowly at room temperature, although by the time the cannabis has dried the process may be far from complete. For all intents and purposes, cannabinoid acids undergo a process of degeneration by heat to form cannabinoids as we know them.

THCA and THC chemical formulas against the white background

Several weeks’ curing post-drying should allow sufficient time for decarboxylation to fully occur, but may also allow THC to degrade to CBN. To avoid this, cannabis should not be exposed to air or sunlight while curing.

How decarboxylation occurs

If handled roughly when fresh, the resin glands break and the process of decarboxylation begins, albeit slowly. Hence, hand-rubbed hash and extracts made from fresh plants will cause intoxication, but require weeks of drying and curing before being ready for consumption. In some (particularly hot, tropical) climates, decarboxylation of cannabinoid acids may even begin while the plant grows, as it approaches maturity.

It is possible to speed up the process by gently heating cannabis in an electric oven at a temperature of around 110-120°C for 30-60 minutes. This is sufficiently hot for decarboxylation to occur, but not hot enough to cause degradation of cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenoids.

Decarboxylation of cannabinoid acids in the body

The biomechanism of cannabinoid acids in the body is not well understood. Until recently, the actions of the cannabinoids themselves have been of far greater interest to researchers.

Conversion from THCA to THC in the body is apparently very limited, so if an individual consumes fresh, undried cannabis, there should be little to no psychoactive effect (although terpenoids and flavonoids may produce some change in mood).

In one study, researchers were only able to decarboxylate a maximum of 70% of THCA present in the sample used. In another earlier study, researchers were only able to convert 30% of THCA to THC. There is much speculation about the maximum decarboxylation rate. At as little as 85°C, THC begins to degenerate into CBN, and it’s likely this occurs even during decarboxylation.

Dr Courtney’s assertion that consuming decarboxylated cannabis means sacrificing a highly medicinal cannabinoid (THCA or CBDA), is therefore questionable. According to the research mentioned above, even users of decarboxylated cannabis may be consuming a limited amount of cannabinoid acids.

Metabolism of THCA in the body

One study has shown that THCA is present in the blood and urine (in concentrations 5.0-18.6% that of THC) after ingesting cannabis. The study also indicated that the body eliminates THCA faster than THC, as the highest ratios of THCA to THC were found in individuals that had most recently smoked cannabis.

Another study investigated rats that had been orally administered THCA, analysing urine samples for metabolites that would indicate a biochemical pathway. They found that THCA undergoes hydroxylation to form a substance known as 11-OH-THCA, which then oxidises to form 11-COOH-THCA (similarly, THC hydroxylates to 11-OH-THC, which then oxidises to 11-COOH-THC).

Potential benefits of raw cannabis

There is now a growing body of evidence to suggest that cannabinoid acids are more bioavailable to the human body than decarboxylated cannabinoids. However, it is also generally accepted that inhalation delivers the greatest bioavailability, and it is nearly impossible to smoke raw cannabis flowers. Oral ingestion poses one of the lowest bioavailabilities, which can be increased if ingested raw.

Person holding a cannabis flower

It has been shown that both THCA and THC may exert a neuroprotective effect. THCA is showing some promise as a treatment for Huntington’s disease and other metabolic, neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases.

Raw cannabis still contains all the terpenoids, flavonoids and plant alkaloids that otherwise would have been lost during heating or drying. Research into health benefits potentially conferred by these compounds is not extensive, but there are indications that terpenoids and flavonoids may increase cerebral blood flow and enhance cortical activity (useful for conditions such as Alzheimer’s).  They may also kill respiratory pathogens and exert a generally anti-inflammatory effect. Although not generally considered psychoactive, they may also exhibit some sedative effect.

Dr Courtney explains the benefits of juicing raw cannabis

In the video ‘LEAF’, Dr Courtney describes what he considers the benefits of juicing raw cannabis. Kirsten Peskuski also features in the film, who used fresh cannabis to treat systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis:

Drawbacks & risks of consuming raw cannabis

Cannabis leaves contain variable cannabinoid acid content, and without time-consuming testing, it is almost impossible to establish if the correct dose has been achieved. Dr Courtney has stated that a ‘dietary dose’ of 600-1000mg of THCA should be consumed, but in practice this amount of cannabinoids would necessitate consuming vast quantities of fan leaf or significant amounts of bud.

Dr Courtney has stated that people with gall bladder or kidney problems should not consume raw cannabis; nor should individuals prescribed with blood-thinning drugs, due to its vitamin K content (vitamin K is the only vitamin found in cannabis, and it can prevent metabolism of such drugs in the liver).

Raw cannabis may also harbour bacteria and other pathogens that can cause illness if ingested—salmonella and E. coli have both been found on herbal cannabis—while pesticides and foliar feeds may leave traces of harmful chemicals on the harvested cannabis. For these reasons, it’s advisable to only juice veganically-grown cannabis (organically grown, without the use of animal products such as manure).

Is it safe to consume raw cannabis?

Further empirical testing should establish the relative efficacy of raw cannabis over any other form. It does not appear that there are any serious risks, save for those with the aforementioned conditions. Certainly, raw cannabis preparations have been in use for thousands of years, and if any severe risk could result, it would likely have been established by now.

There are undoubtedly benefits to be gained from consuming raw, organic fruit and vegetables for most healthy individuals, and there seems to be a potential for cannabis as well. Further studies are required to assess the bioavailability of raw cannabinoids, and this poses an interesting avenue of research into the medicinal application of cannabis.

  • Disclaimer:
    This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with your doctor or other licensed medical professional. Do not delay seeking medical advice or disregard medical advice due to something you have read on this website.

Comments

18 thoughts on “Raw Cannabis Juice: What Are the Benefits & How Does it Work?”

  1. So does it work to only juice the leaves? And should they be fresh or dried? How much juice should I drink each day to get any benefit?

    1. Mark - Sensi Seeds

      Good afternoon Axel,

      Thanks for the comment,

      Fresh fan leaves and sugar leaves are the most used part of plant. However, Flowers can be juiced as-well.

      Raw cannabis will retain it’s terpene profile, and, like cannabinoids, terpenes bind to cannabinoid receptors in the body. There are various scientific studies suggesting that terpenes have direct physiological effects on the body, especially for linalool and limonene. However, further studies are required to assess the bioavailability of raw cannabinoids.

      This article on What Is the Endocannabinoid System and How Does It Work? might also be of interest to you.

      Thanks again, and I hope you continue to enjoy the blog,

      Have a great day!

      Mark

  2. The written piece is truly fruitful for me personally; continue posting these types of articles.

  3. Thank you for presenting this information. I’m a stage IV colon cancer survivor of 6 years (according to my oncologist I’ve been dead for over a year. I attribute my continued survival to medical marijuana which I’ve been consuming at the rate of 1 gram/day of RSO. I am about 1 month away from my first harvest to make my own RSO. Per my supplier, the decarboxylation process is essential to the RSO process. I made some RSO from the decarbed trim, but it used too much solvent for a continued this practice. Since I hate waste, enjoy juicing and now have a lot of trim, I thought about juicing the trim. However, my it seems that the juice should be decarboxylated somehow as, though there are many, many articles about the benefits of thc and cbd, but none about the benefits of these cababinoids in their acidic forms (thc-a and Cbd-a). I feel like my life depends on the right approach and I can’t afford to get this wrong, or to take too long to figure it out.
    So, does juiced weed need to be decarboxylated and how might one go about that? The raw weed for the RSO will be cured for 7-10 days, upside down in a dark location. Then I’ll decarboxylate it in the oven at 245 for 40 minutes.

    1. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

      Hi Kirk,

      Thank you for your comment, and for sharing your story. I am sorry to hear about your situation. I am obliged to give the reply below, but I would also like to mention these two posts, which may be of interest to you if you have not already seen them: Leaf: the health benefits of juicing raw cannabis, and Hemp juice is here to stay.

      As Sensi Seeds is not a medical agency or practitioner, we cannot give any kind of medical advice other than to consult our registered healthcare professional. This article about the potential benefits of medicinal cannabis might be useful for you to show your healthcare provider if they are not familiar with it.

      You may also find it helpful to contact a support group for medicinal cannabis patients. In the UK there is the United Patients Alliance, and throughout much of the rest of the world there is NORML, who should be able to put you in touch with a group in your area (search United Patients Alliance or NORML followed by your area name).

      This are our pages on medicinal cannabis and medicinal cannabis strains, which you might also find interesting.

      With best wishes,

      Scarlet

    2. Kirk, have you looked into extractors that recover the solvent, such as the ExtractCraft Source? It’s a little spendy, at $600, but it recovers most of the expensive solvent for re-use, so it would eventually pay for itself.

  4. ronnie kampala uganda

    Good infomatio ,i used it for kaposi sassakoma type of cancer the rawone for two months am now cured ,free from cancer,try it guys

  5. I have been juicing for about one year. Suffered terrible headaches for the last 13 years from spinal punture.
    Had to quit job. Retire early moved from Alaska to calif.
    Spent years going to UCSF Headache clinic. Stayed in the hospitality twice. Lidicane pic for 10 days. No help at all.
    Grew some pot. 30 days after juicing and oz per day. My headaches are pretty much disappeared.
    My problem is traveling.
    Juice is had to keep frozen and it sours in a few says.
    Can I dry it for travel.
    Any suggestions.
    Thanks John

  6. Hi Seshata

    Thx for the nice read.

    Is it possible for you to list the studies you mentioned? (especially interested in the ones about Acids in the body and the metabolism of thca in the body).

    thx so much!

    1. Gurdev Singh

      I am Gurdev Singh, Asia’s No 1 ranked sprinter son of 105 years old Sardarni Man Kaur world record holder in athletics living in Punjabi University Patiala campus.
      I am a permanent resident of Canada but these days I am in my home country India. We have plenty of hemp plants growing wild.
      In comments I have read some patients want to shift to a country where it is available. So anybody want to shift to India for taking fresh juice of hemp can come to my place.
      I have slow juicers and I can help all. I have two children both well settled in US and Canada and I am not going to raise money for anyone in our family.

  7. Lawrence Noon

    Could u please recommend a strain that could help with Parkinson’s disease thank you

  8. very good article. im interested though, in the vitamin content of cannabis. i was always under the understanding that there were a lot of vitamins in it, not just vitamin k, and had always been told that pretty much all green leafy stuff was full of vitamin c as well.. though i was not able to find an article as well written as this one that deals with that subject. thanks for writing this 🙂

  9. Veganics is not necessary. As with anything else you take from the garden to juice, just give it a wash before juicing.

  10. Wow great read, thanks 🙂

    We almost have 15000 signatures on our cannabis petition 🙂 🙂
    Please help spread the petition, we have limited time, and we have a court date lined up, so this is the 1 petition that matters 🙂 🙂

    https://www.daggacouple.co.za/petition/lite/

    Thanks &have a lovely day

    1. Seshata - Sensi Seeds

      Hey, thank you so much for your comment. We’ll do what we can to publicise the petition, and good luck!

      Keep up the good work!

  11. Excellent article Seshata, thank you. It’s hard to find technical articles such as this so keep up the good work. Since cannabis has been used for thousands of years surely we can discover some of the why and how it was used throughout history.

    75 years have passed since cannabis was essentially outlawed by and in the US for medicinal or any other use. But through the journal of the IACM, the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines, located in Holland, I can now learn how the research is going outside the USA, around the globe, such as in Israel where I see it being prescribed for older, retired people with their unique problems.

    So many, many thanks to you……. please keep up the good work…..

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    Sensi Seeds

    The Sensi Seeds Editorial team has been built throughout our more than 30 years of existence. Our writers and editors include botanists, medical and legal experts as well as renown activists the world over including Lester Grinspoon, Micha Knodt, Robert Connell Clarke, Maurice Veldman, Sebastian Maríncolo, James Burton and Seshata.
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    Sanjai Sinha

    Dr Sanjai Sinha is an academic faculty member at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. He spends his time seeing patients, teaching residents and medical students, and doing health services research. He enjoys patient education and practicing evidence-based medicine. His strong interest in medical review comes from these passions.
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