Did you know that Snoop Dogg puts his blunt in the microwave for 11 seconds before he lights up? In a 2010 interview with musician and media personality Nardwuar in Vancouver, Snoop can be seen rolling a blunt and popping it into the microwave for a few seconds. According to him, the microwave helps to “trap all the ingredients.”

If you smoke weed, you may be wondering if there’s any real benefit to microwaving a blunt or if it’s just a meaningless ritual that’s part of Snoop’s smoking routine.

It turns out Snoop may be on to something there.

If you’re familiar with edibles, then you’re not new to the process of decarboxylation, and it involves heating weed to activate the THC. But for those who are hearing this term for the first time and who may be a bit skeptical about all this, let’s get technical and break down what this means.

Decarboxylation is a chemical reaction that causes a carboxylic acid to release carbon dioxide. Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, THCa, is a carboxylic acid. During the decarboxylation process, THCa gives off one carbon atom and two hydrogen atoms (which forms carbon dioxide CO2). The decarboxylation process also converts cannabolic acid (CBDa) into CBD.

THCa is the natural state of THC found in the cannabis plant. THCa won’t get you high because it can’t stimulate your cannabinoid receptors. However, when you apply heat during the decarboxylation process, the chemical structure of THC changes to Delta 9 THC, activating the THC and making it possible for this compound to interact with your endocannabinoid system and get you high.

Decarboxylation is essential when making edibles because they may not be subjected to heat before they are consumed. And if the THC and CBD are not activated, you will not experience anything when you consume them.

Now, you may be thinking, if decarboxylation is so important, why doesn’t everyone do it before smoking? Why do you smoke weed and get high without any decarboxylation? Well, when you light a joint, the heat readily decarbs the weed and activates the THC. So, there’s decarboxylation taking place, but it’s happening on the go as you puff.

If you’re familiar with edibles, then you’re not new to the process of decarboxylation, and it involves heating weed to activate the THC. But for those who are hearing this term for the first time and who may be a bit skeptical about all this, let’s get technical and break down what this means.

Decarboxylation is a chemical reaction that causes a carboxylic acid to release carbon dioxide. Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, THCa, is a carboxylic acid. During the decarboxylation process, THCa gives off one carbon atom and two hydrogen atoms (which forms carbon dioxide CO2). The decarboxylation process also converts cannabolic acid (CBDa) into CBD.

THCa is the natural state of THC found in the cannabis plant. THCa won’t get you high because it can’t stimulate your cannabinoid receptors. However, when you apply heat during the decarboxylation process, the chemical structure of THC changes to Delta 9 THC, activating the THC and making it possible for this compound to interact with your endocannabinoid system and get you high.

Decarboxylation is essential when making edibles because they may not be subjected to heat before they are consumed. And if the THC and CBD are not activated, you will not experience anything when you consume them.

Now, you may be thinking, if decarboxylation is so important, why doesn’t everyone do it before smoking? Why do you smoke weed and get high without any decarboxylation? Well, when you light a joint, the heat readily decarbs the weed and activates the THC. So, there’s decarboxylation taking place, but it’s happening on the go as you puff.