As cannabis plants grow, they produce cannabigerolic acid (which is known as CBGA). It’s the precursor to the three main cannabinoid lines: THCA, CBDA, and CBCA.
Then, when energy is added to CBGA through heating, it undergoes a chemical reaction called decarboxylation (you know… “decarbing”) which drops the A from CBGA, converting it from cannabigerolic acid to cannabigerol.
Over time, most of a plant’s CBGA content ends up being converted into other cannabinoids (primarily THC or CBD). This process typically leaves about 1% CBG in the plant itself.
CBG and CBD are often compared to each other because they both influence the endocannabinoid system and are non-psychoactive. This means that by themselves, they won’t alter your state of mind in the way THC will. CBG is generally reported to have a calming effect, and it doesn’t have any notable side effects. But even though it was first identified in 1964, studies on CBG didn’t really begin until recently. The good news is that everything scientists are finding out about the cannabinoid is very promising.
