Using UV light to lower THC concentrations?

Hello to everyone,

A friend of mine grew legally CBD plants but the problem is the outrageously low THC limit of 0,2%. After he completed the harvest he sent samples of the buds for lab analysis and results came back showing 0,6% THC and 13% CBD. Now he cannot legally sell those flowers.

He read about UV lights being used to lower THC concentrations...? Does any of you guys know more about the subject? Anyone who has tried it perhaps? Thank you very much for any answers.

You have it backwards, uva/b boost thc, not sure how it would lower.

you're talking about using UV light to degrade the THC in the harvested buds right? I think it's possible, but I'm sure the CBD would degrade as well. Good luck!

Rurumo said:

harvested

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Ahhhh I see. —- would UVC too harsh?

i wonder if harvesting them much later would help degrade THC?

Rurumo said:

you're talking about using UV light to degrade the THC in the harvested buds right? I think it's possible, but I'm sure the CBD would degrade as well. Good luck!

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Exactly, this is what i'm talking about. i'm looking for more information into that. What kind of bulb to use, what distance, how much weight can be treated at a time. I know that CBD will be degraded as well but I see no other option this is going to work out for my friend.

rkymtnman said:

i wonder if harvesting them much later would help degrade THC?

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Propably converting to CBN late in the process. But my friend does not have these kind of luxuries. The longer he would wait, the more possible the corresponding state agency do their own tests. Imagine that he harvested at week 6 instead of week 8 in fear of THC going even higher.

paparov said:

Hello to everyone,

A friend of mine grew legally CBD plants but the problem is the outrageously low THC limit of 0,2%. After he completed the harvest he sent samples of the buds for lab analysis and results came back showing 0,6% THC and 13% CBD. Now he cannot legally sell those flowers.

He read about UV lights being used to lower THC concentrations...? Does any of you guys know more about the subject? Anyone who has tried it perhaps? Thank you very much for any answers.

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I just ordered a UV light attachment for my HLG 600. The idea is that UV is harmful so the plant will produce more trichomes in order to protect itself like sunscreen which will increase the THC levels. That is my understanding of it. UVA can be run all the time, uvb is more harmful and UVC is more for sterilizing.

Doug Dawson said:

I just ordered a UV light attachment for my HLG 600. The idea is that UV is harmful so the plant will produce more trichomes in order to protect itself like sunscreen which will increase the THC levels. That is my understanding of it. UVA can be run all the time, uvb is more harmful and UVC is more for sterilizing.

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Yeah, I know that UV increases THC levels. I will experiment more with that in the future considering THC plants. But if UVB is used in bigger amounts closer to the buds than what is necessary, it degrades cannabinoids. You can check a thread at future420 considering that subject. My questions have to do with the distance of the UV bulb from the buds and the operation time in order to achieve proper degradation of cannabinoids.

You might be the first. Get the light. Leave it over the buds for a week. Smoke it. Send it to the lab and see what the results say. Everyone always says ‘keep it out of light, light degrades THC. You could leave some out in the sun also. Unfortunately I don’t think there is a way to target thc specifically. I think all canabinoid levels would drop. But if you only need to go from 0.6-0.3 you would still have 11-12% cbd, assuming they degrade at the same rate...

Check out solacure. They have uvb lamps with built in refectors. They have couple different lamps. I would look into the “flower power”.
These seem to be the best bang for the buck , least amount of gimmmicky nonsense. They have been making these lamps for other industries for some time.

Good luck,
And please come back and tell us if it works.

SnidleyBluntash said:

You might be the first. Get the light. Leave it over the buds for a week. Smoke it. Send it to the lab and see what the results say. Everyone always says ‘keep it out of light, light degrades THC. You could leave some out in the sun also. Unfortunately I don’t think there is a way to target thc specifically. I think all canabinoid levels would drop. But if you only need to go from 0.6-0.3 you would still have 11-12% cbd, assuming they degrade at the same rate...

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My math says CBD would be 6% or so.

SnidleyBluntash said:

You might be the first. Get the light. Leave it over the buds for a week. Smoke it. Send it to the lab and see what the results say. Everyone always says ‘keep it out of light, light degrades THC. You could leave some out in the sun also. Unfortunately I don’t think there is a way to target thc specifically. I think all canabinoid levels would drop. But if you only need to go from 0.6-0.3 you would still have 11-12% cbd, assuming they degrade at the same rate...

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I'm not the first. There is a thread in future4200 about that. But only one user reported doing it with success and measurements, albeit not giving any specifics. And he hasn't logged in that forum for over a year. It's okay for the whole range of cannabinoids to drop - my friend is looking to sell it legally so it's really important that THC levels drop to the legal level. I advised my friend to do what you are saying, check what is recommended for his bulb and then move it closer to the buds than is recommended, for bigger amount of time. It's really a pity, the buds have also a big amount of terpenes - this legal limit is really restrictive. Even strains like Carmagnola and others have the tendency to go over 0,2% depending on microlimate - the area my friend is growing gets cold early in the season so THC levels spike more easily. Imagine that he cut the buds at week 6 instead of 8.

Warpedpassage said:

Check out solacure. They have uvb lamps with built in refectors. They have couple different lamps. I would look into the “flower power”.
These seem to be the best bang for the buck , least amount of gimmmicky nonsense. They have been making these lamps for other industries for some time.

Good luck,
And please come back and tell us if it works.

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Yeah, I know I have checked them out...But it's a much bigger amount of money than what my friend can afford to give along with the extra tests. He has gotten a reptile UV bulb already. I'm personally interested in those bulbs for the "usual" reasons...Will definitely report when he completes his testing.

In my state the governor has decreed that any amount of THC at all is unacceptable. The exact allowed amount is a complete mystery, but all the shops are too scared to chance it.