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TAC or Total Active Cannabinoids is the number of active cannabinoids found in weed with THC and CBD being two of the most common.
As a key metric, it is often described on the label and is used to determine the strength and concentration of all the cannabinoids that are found in your favorite weed product for an active and desired effect.
The more the number of cannabinoids, the more intense the feel and the overall experience in a phenomenon called the “entourage effect.”
Before we elaborate on it though, it is important to understand that cannabinoids are just one of the many aspects of weed.
On a deeper level, there are many other chemicals including terpenes and flavonoids that give cannabis its magical properties as a whole.
To give you a fair idea, there are over 550 of these compounds that have been identified as we speak with more than 100 of them being cannabinoids aka phytocannabinoids.
What makes these cannabinoids particularly special is their ability to interact with our Endocannabinoid System (ECS) which is responsible for regulating many of our key biological and motor functions.
By connecting to our endogenous ECS receptors (CB1 and CB2), cannabinoids tend to mimic and stimulate the desired functions of our endocannabinoids.
Two of the most dominant and researched are THC and CBD with CBN and CBG being minor cannabinoids that are used to enhance the overall effects.
Along with the cannabinoids, TAC may also be used to indicate the amount of terpenes and flavonoids that give a plant its rich aroma and flavor.
As you can see, the term TAC is usually used to refer to the total amount of cannabinoids present in a weed product at any given time.
However, since many of the compounds can go undetected at the time of testing, be it due to their inactive state or lack of noticeable quantity, TAC can also be used to define the total microbial composition of the product. Hence, the alternative term “Total Aerobic Count.”
This generally happens at the time of cultivation and thus is not included in the label.
In either case, some of the most important ingredients include Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), CBN, CBG, CBC, terpenes, and flavonoids.
• THC is the main psychoactive compound that causes the ‘high.’
• CBD is the key medicinal compound used for various therapeutic purposes with no psychoactive effects.
• CBN or cannabinol is a slightly psychoactive cannabinoid that forms when THC breaks down into smaller molecules with aging.
• CBG (Cannabigerol) is another non-psychoactive compound regarded as “the mother of all cannabinoids” from which many other cannabinoids including CBD are formed.
• Terpenes and flavonoids are aromatic compounds that give a plant including cannabis its rich aroma and unique flavor.
When included in TAC, these compounds can give you a better estimate of the potential effects of your favorite flower while enhancing them as well.
The Role of TAC in Cannabis
The primary reason for mentioning TAC on a cannabis product is to let you know the exact amount of cannabinoids present in it.
For a more experienced user or enthusiast, having a higher concentration of different chemicals in a single product is more than they could ask for as it can significantly increase its potency and taste.
Better known as broad-spectrum and full-spectrum products, they can do that due to the higher amount of cannabinoids in them.
By working together in synergy, these chemicals as a whole are what give cannabis an entourage effect.
In other terms, a better and stronger hit compared to isolated products.
How TAC is Measured
As we established above, TAC is the sum of all the active cannabinoids found in weed ranging from major cannabinoids (like THC and CBD) to minor cannabinoids (including CBN and CBG) to other chemicals such as terpenes and flavonoids.
To measure TAC, a cannabis sample is obtained whether in the form of dried or ground weed or isolated extract such as resin or distillates.
In any case, the most common way to measure TAC is the process of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPCL) which allows for a proper separation and meticulous quantification of each cannabinoid.
After identifying and measuring each cannabinoid, the total active cannabinoids (TAC) can be calculated by adding the concentrations of all the active cannabinoids in the sample.
Why TAC Matters to Consumers
The reason for measuring and displaying TAC on a product is simple.
That is, to give you a fair idea about the total potency of the product and the kind of effects you’re most likely to experience.
Having the total number of active cannabinoids upfront can also help you figure out the ideal dosage for a desired effect.
At the same time, it can tell you whether or not a product has enough CBD and similar compounds to counteract the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
TAC vs. Other Cannabis Metrics
Along with TAC, there are other key metrics too that you can use to better understand the chemical composition of your favorite product and its promising effects.
These include, but are not limited to:
1. THC Content
THC content is perhaps the most prominent figure that is used to measure the supposed effects of weed.
As the primary psychoactive ingredient, it is what decides the potency or the intensity of the ‘high.’
The higher the THC, the stronger the high.
Luckily, modern cultivation techniques including advanced hybridization and extraction processes have allowed the cannabis industry to boost the THC of various strains and products like never before.
High-end concentrates such as dabs and shatter can have as much as 95% THC or more for experienced users.
However, if you are new to it, it’s extremely crucial to not use such high-intensity products straight away.
As tempting as they are, high THC can be too much to bear and requires a gradual and slow titration of the doses.
So be safe and start with low doses of 2.5 mg of THC per day and gradually increase it by another 2.5 mg every 2 to 7 days until a maximum daily dose of 40 mg/day of THC is achieved.
2. CBD Content
As a counterpart to THC, CBD is completely non-psychoactive and does not cause a ‘high.’
Used for medicinal purposes only, CBD or Cannabidiol content is yet another important parameter used to sell/buy weed.
In fact, out of both the major cannabinoids, CBD is the more legalized one due to its potential therapeutic effects and lack of intoxication.
On top of that, it is also claimed to reduce the psychotropic side-effects of THC by hindering its ability to bind with the brain.
All in all, CBD content is the preferred medium to judge the effects of cannabis, especially among those using it for health benefits.
Compared to THC, it has minimal risks of developing dependency and thus can be taken in higher doses in desperate times like that of anxiety, epileptic seizures, and panic attacks.
Still, to be safe, the clinically recommended dosage of CBD is set to be 5mg twice a day which can be titrated with another 10 mg every 2 to 3 days until the patient reaches their goals, or up to 40 mg/day.
3. Terpenes and Flavonoids
Apart from major cannabinoids (THC and CBD), terpenes and flavonoids can also play a crucial role in enhancing the overall potency of the plant.
Known to provide the plant its smell, color, and flavor, terpenoids, flavonoids, and polyphenols are secondary metabolites that can extend the therapeutic effects of other compounds in a process called the “entourage effect”. Needless to say, it only occurs in products made from a full cannabinoid spectrum and not isolated extracts.
In other words, for a product to produce an entourage effect, it is important to have a higher variety of compounds. And this is where TAC as an indication of a broad and full spectrum of cannabinoids comes into the picture.
Moving on, some of the common terpenes found across the Cannabaceae plant family are Myrcene, Linalool, Limonene, Pinene, and Caryophyllene.
When included in a product, they can boost the analgesic (pain-relieving), anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, anti-proliferative, and neuroprotective properties of cannabis among others.
Besides, without them, you may not even get the desired taste or flavor let alone the effects.
So when buying a cannabis product, make sure to check its TAC content, especially if it is a non-isolated variation.
Interpreting TAC in Different Cannabis Products
Checking TAC in authentic products is quite easy as it is likely to be mentioned clearly on the product label along with other information such as total ingredients, weight/volume, ideal dosage, and other crucial details.
The problem appears when you have gotten your hands on an unauthorized product or homemade one.
1. Flower
If bought from an authorized seller or weed dispensary, dried buds, and flowers would mention the TAC count on the product label.
In case, the TAC is not described, you can always make an educated guess by calculating the percentage of all the ingredients.
Or you can simply talk to a professional budtender to better understand the active cannabinoid count of your product.
A few important things to look at and add include THC, THCA, CBD, and CBDA, along with other minor cannabinoids as that’s how a lab would also calculate/adjust the TAC of a weed derivative.
Furthermore, TAC may vary from flower to flower depending on various factors such as the strain, cultivation methods, and environmental factors.
In general, it can span from 5% in low-intensity flowers to up to 30% or more in high-THC strains.
2. Concentrates
Concentrates are high-quality cannabis extracts that come in many forms and flavors including oil, wax, resin, tinctures, and distillates.
Depending on their cannabinoid concentration, they can either have a TAC count or not.
That is, if they are full spectrum, such as live rosin/resin, dab, shatter, and so on, they would have higher total active cannabinoids.
On the contrary, isolated extracts that are solely THC or CBD-based may not have a TAC at all; instead have a respective THC/CBD content mentioned on the label.
3. Edibles
The same applies to edibles as they can also be infused with isolated extracts such as edible oils or raw plant material for a full-spectrum effect.
Again, the total active cannabinoid content is calculated by taking into account all the individual cannabinoids such as THC, CBD, CBG, terpenes, and flavonoids.
As such, the TAC may vary from product to product depending on their type, dosage, and regional regulations.
For instance, THC-dominant edibles may have between 2.5-100 mg of TAC that corresponds to their THC levels.
Similarly, CBD-only edibles may have 5-100 mg of TAC or CBD, whatever you want to call it.
Conclusion
As a more comprehensive approach to understanding the chemical tapestry of a weed extract, TAC or total active cannabinoids certainly trumps the THC or CBD content.
However, it all depends on your use and requirements.
In the simplest terminology, TAC only comes into the picture when a product contains more than one type of cannabinoids in a single product aka broad-spectrum and full-spectrum products.
In isolated products though, TAC can be simply understood as the total amount of the dominant cannabinoid be it THC, CBD, or others.
FAQs
The ideal TAC ratio of a cannabis flower is between 10-15%, for concentrates, about 20-30%, and for edibles, between 2.5 mg -5 mg of THC per serving, especially when starting.
Yes, TAC levels can significantly vary between different strains of cannabis depending on their genetics, cultivation techniques, growing conditions, environment, and cannabinoid profile.
Since TAC includes both the THC and CBD content of a cannabis product, it can directly influence the therapeutic effects of weed.
To give you a hunch, higher CBD is connected to better health effects; whereas, higher THC is more to do with the ‘high’ or recreational properties.
While TAC is an integral method to choose a cannabis product, it can lack in giving you a proper balance of cannabinoids that may be required in your case. E.g. it can overlook the terpenes, the potential harm of too much THC, or the risk of developing dependency.
