Cannabis Company Landing Page
- Oct 31, 2025
- 10 min read
Updated: Nov 4, 2025
What is CBDVa?
CBDVa, also known as cannabidvarinic acid, is a minor cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. It’s the molecular precursor to CBDV, meaning that CBDVa breaks down into CBDV when exposed to heat. CBDV is not psychoactive, so it doesn’t get you high.
How does CBDVa differ from CBDV?
CBDVa is the acid version of CBDV and is only found in raw cannabis. Once it’s exposed to heat, time, or age (a process known as decarboxylation), CBDVa turns into its active version: CBDV.
CBDVa is one of several acid-based cannabinoids (such as THCa), and none of them tend to reach their active state at the same temperature or through the same process. Different cannabinoids convert at different rates and vary in complexity.
However, while CBDVa is known as inactive, this term can be misleading. Like all cannabinoid acids, it’s thought to carry its own benefits.
How does CBDVa differ from CBD?
Once CBDVa becomes CBDV, it’s incredibly similar to CBD, with only slight structural differences. This is why these cannabinoids tend to do many of the same things. Both, for instance, are non-intoxicating and both appear to help reduce seizures in epileptic patients. They’re found together, too—strains that are higher in CBD tend to also be higher in CBDV.
Of course, cannabis is known for having many cannabinoids with slight structural differences. THC has THCV, for instance, a molecularly similar cannabinoid. One difference, however, is that CBD and CBDV usually work with each other, whereas THC and THCV may either work with each other or against each other (a dose-dependent occurrence).
How does CBDVa differ from THC?
The most significant difference between CBDVa and THC is the psychoactive properties of each. THC is the most well-known psychoactive cannabinoid; CBDVa (even in its active form) is not psychoactive at all. Both CBDV and TCH have their own benefits and are often used together or with other cannabinoids. When taken as one, you might get high, but it’s not the CBDV eliciting the effects; it’s purely the THC. CBDV, like CBD, may help moderate the effects of THC, helping keep the high from getting too lofty.
What is the entourage effect?
The entourage effect is a phenomenon in cannabis discovered through research that essentially means the sum of the plant is better than any one part. In other words, all the parts of the plant, cannabinoids, nitrogenous compounds, fatty and amino acids, minerals, and vitamins, work together, effectively helping each element complete its individual role.
This phenomenon is significant to people who use cannabis to relieve pain. The strains that contain equal parts CBD and THC are often highly effective at relieving pain and discomfort. The psychoactive effect dulls the senses, and the anti-inflammatory effects from both reduce other symptoms (like swelling), resulting in whole-body relief.
The entourage effect began to come to light when Marinol (a synthetic version of THC) hit the market. It was designed to treat nausea and vomiting caused by certain medications; it’s also used as an appetite stimulant in AIDS patients.
Initially, researchers assumed that Marinol would work because of its THC content, the psychoactive cannabinoid that was believed to be the most beneficial. Yet, in practice, patients preferred using more of the cannabis plant rather than THC alone. Doing so afforded them a higher degree of relief.
Is there CBDVa in hemp?
Yes: Just as hemp contains CBD, it also contains CBDVa. Hemp produces higher concentrations of CBDVa than marijuana because, genetically speaking, that is what it is made to do. Hemp and marijuana biosynthesize their cannabinoids differently. Marijuana’s inner workings are set up so that the plant produces the THC cannabinoid more abundantly. Hemp’s are set up to make more CBD (and, with it, CBDVa).
Breeders have manipulated the genes, which is why it’s possible to find marijuana strains that are now high in CBD. But the natural genetics between hemp and marijuana remain different, ultimately comparable to the genetic differences between a European and an East Asian. In other words, hemp and marijuana are relatives and both members of a larger family (the cannabis plant), yet they still possess unique qualities.
Cannabinoids establish the most crucial difference between marijuana and hemp, not only in terms of psychoactivity but also in terms of the legality that psychoactivity subsequently brings. But, cannabinoids aside, hemp and marijuana have other differences. Whereas hemp is tall and lean and limited in foliage, marijuana is short and stout with lots of flowers. Hemp is also the more versatile of the two and is used in numerous products across several industries.
Is CBDVa legal?
Under federal law, CBDVa is illegal or legal based on where it’s sourced. If it comes from hemp, it’s always legal. It can be transported across the country, sent by mail, and purchased almost anywhere, including places like Walgreens.
If it comes from marijuana, CBDVa is federally illegal, but may be legal via state law, depending on your location. Even then, federal law supersedes state law in many instances. For example, you can’t take marijuana on a plane or send it through the mail. You can’t use it on national land, and you can’t take it across state lines, not even if you’re going from one legal state directly into another legal state.
Was CBDVa from hemp ever illegal?
CBDVa sourced from hemp has a complicated history because hemp has a complex history (legally speaking).
Until the 1900s, the cannabis plant in all its forms (hemp and marijuana) could be enjoyed and used any way people wanted. Come the start of the 20th century, and all of that began to change. While cannabis didn’t land in Uncle Sam’s spotlight until later, states had already started to illegalize it within their own jurisdictions.
Fast forward to when America was on the brink of another world war, rebounding from the Great Depression, and dealing with the failure of Prohibition, and the stage was set for paranoia. Harry Anslinger (the commissioner of what would become the DEA) stepped onto the stage and made marijuana (and, with it, hemp) his focus. He played a pivotal role in the claim that cannabis was a dangerous substance. Reefer Madness, a propagandic film released in the 1930s that painted marijuana users as murderers and rapists, only fanned the flames, causing panic and fear nationwide.
Soon after, Congress passed the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. It introduced strict and overreaching regulations on anyone who grew, prescribed, sold, or used marijuana and effectively illegalized it in the process.
Marijuana wasn’t made outright illegal until 1970 with the Controlled Substances Act. But it wasn’t just marijuana that the government banned…..it was cannabis. And that included hemp.
Why hemp was involved in the first place continues to perplex historians. Hemp is a crop (not a drug), and its placement on a list that included heroin and LSD stymies many. Some people believe that the government either thought hemp and marijuana were the same thing or they were unable to tell the plants apart, thus covering themselves by illegalizing both.
Others offer an explanation in the form of a conspiracy theory, believing that hemp’s illegalization was an attempt to downsize the industry and prevent it from threatening timber (and the influential people with timber holdings). The Du Pont family is named as a conspirator since they likely saw hemp as a rival to the nylon they’d just invented.
Whatever the reasons, hemp didn’t just lie down and die. It made a comeback during World War II when soldiers needed hemp to help them fight. Enter the Hemp for Victory campaign, buoyed by a film developed and released by the US Department of Agriculture in 1942. Its goal was to encourage farmers to grow as much hemp as they could, going as far as to insinuate that growing hemp was the patriotic thing to do.
When Richard Nixon signed the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, hemp production landed on the chopping block once more. It was added to the Schedule 1 List along with marijuana and a handful of highly dangerous drugs (which includes an opiate believed to be 3000 times more potent than morphine). This new law gave the government permission to interfere with the cannabis industry, essentially illegalizing it, with the exception of what they deemed allowable for highly regulated scientific research.
In December of 2018, hemp was removed from the Controlled Substances Act by President Trump when he signed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, removing it for the first time in nearly 50 years. But even prior to its removal, the reins had loosened. The US began to import food-grade hemp seed and hemp seed oil in 1998. A few years later, hemp scored a much-needed win when the Hemp Industries Association sued the Drug Enforcement Administration in 2004 and won. The win came when the DEA issued an internal and external statement declaring that “the mere presence of cannabinoids does not render material a controlled substance, as the issue of whether a material constitutes a drug is rather in fact determined by whether the material is derived from the non-exempt parts of the plant.” This victory gave the food and beauty industry permanent protection of hemp products.
Ten years later, President Obama signed the 2014 Farm Bill, which gave hemp-growing permissions to state agricultural departments, colleges, and universities. It was part of a pilot program to stimulate a boom in the industry once again. This was also the year that the distinction between hemp and marijuana was solidified, with hemp legally classified as cannabis that contains less than .3% THC (a level too low to elicit any psychoactivity).
When was CBDVa discovered?
CBDV, the active form of CBDVa, was discovered in 1969 by Vollner, Bieniek, and Korte. Despite this being over 50 years ago, not a lot of research has been dedicated to CBDVa or CBDV. Rather than focus on minor cannabinoids, much of science has looked at THC and CBD.
That is changing, though; CBDV is so closely linked to CBD that interest in one warrants interest in both.
How does CBDVa work inside the body?
As mentioned above, there is still a lot to learn about CBDVa and exactly how it behaves inside the body. We know that it, like all cannabinoids, acts on the endocannabinoid system. This is a system that has a vital role in how the body functions, helping to moderate sleep, mood, anxiety, bone growth, blood pressure, and anxiety (to name a few). The endocannabinoid system is not limited to those who use cannabis; it’s found in everyone. It’s also found in other mammals, birds, and reptiles.
Inside the endocannabinoid system sit endocannabinoids, or our “natural” cannabinoids. When cannabis is ingested, its cannabinoids work with our endocannabinoids to provide different types of benefits.
The way this happens is through cannabinoid receptors, or receptors that are receptive (as their name indicates) to cannabis. These receptors are located in various parts of the body, including the central nervous system.
Some cannabinoids latch directly onto specific cannabinoid receptors. THC, for instance, attaches directly to CB1 receptors, which is why consuming it causes a high. CBD, instead of latching onto CB1, influences the way THC latches onto CB1, decreasing the ability of THC to attach. That’s why CBD decreases THC-induced psychoactivity.
Science isn’t quite sure how CBDV, the active version of CBDVa, attaches to receptors or to what degree it does. Likely, different versions (such as pure versus modified) attach in various ways. Even when it doesn’t attach, it’s still effective in synergizing with other cannabinoids as well as the body’s natural endocannabinoids.
Does CBDVa make you high?
No: CBDVa is the non-activated acid form of CBDV. Even in its active form, it is non-psychoactive, so it will not get you high. It acts more like a counteragent to THC and has been shown to reduce and/or change the effects of the high felt from consuming THC. CBDV, like CBD, is prized more for its medicinal effects because of this.
Are there any high CBDVa strains?
The only way to ingest CBDVa is to consume raw cannabis; once it’s been heated (or exposed to time or age), the CBDVa converts to CBDV.
Unlike THC and CBD, breeders don’t yet manipulate strains to make them high in CBDV. Still, because strains that are high in CBD will most likely be higher than average in CBDV, looking for high CBD strains is your best bet. Some of these include Harlequin, Pennywise, ACDC, Charlotte’s Web, and Sour Tsunami.
How is CBDVa ingested?
CBDVa is a chemical compound found in cannabis prior to decarboxylation. So, in order to consume CBDVa, you must ingest the plant in its raw form. Freshly harvested cannabis will have the highest CBDVa content. People who want CBDVa tend to toss raw plant matter into their smoothies, just as they would add spinach or kale.
Is CBDVa safe?
There isn’t a ton known about CBDVa, but it’s assumed that it can be used safely in people and pets, particularly because it’s so similar to CBD. However, it is recommended that you use it in moderation, as you would any supplement. Anyone with health conditions should always check with a medical professional before starting a new supplement routine.
Is CBDVa addictive?
CBDVa is not addictive, and whether marijuana, as a whole, is addictive is up for debate. There is some evidence that suggests THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid, can be addictive when consumed by long-term users. This can possibly induce a condition called cannabis use disorder. It is brought on when a user of THC suddenly stops using it. Withdrawal symptoms are not as acute or dramatic as the withdrawal symptoms caused when stopping other drugs (including alcohol and opiates), but they can be annoying and bothersome. Most users experience increased anxiety, despondency, irritability, and sleep disruption. CBDVa, used in conjunction with THC, can lead to cannabis use disorder upon cessation. However, CBDVa by itself will not cause it.
Is CBDVa a gateway drug?
The idea that cannabis of any kind is a gateway drug has been largely debunked through scientific research. The confusion regarding the danger of cannabis is based on the theory that once someone smokes pot and enjoys the effects, they’ll want to try other drugs to see how they feel. Nowadays, cannabis is no longer believed to be a gateway drug, and there is some evidence that it may actually reduce the use of more dangerous drugs (namely narcotics). In fact, states where medical marijuana is legal now have lower rates of opioid prescriptions.
Where can I buy CBDVa?
As mentioned above, if you want CBDVa, your best bet is to buy raw cannabis. But CBDV can also be found in a handful of other places. There are a few sites online that sell CBDV oil that is made from hemp, but it’s nowhere near as popular or easy to find as CBD oil.
CBDV derived from marijuana can be purchased at a dispensary if you live in a legal state. Again, it’s not easy to find, but CBD products will usually naturally contain CBDV. And CBD products are readily available.
Will CBDVa give me the munchies?
Marijuana is famous for causing the munchies, but the cannabinoid that leads to cravings is THC. THC binds to the olfactory receptors in the brain, which causes your sense of smell to become highly sensitive. This sensitivity then cues the brain, telling it that you’re hungry even if you’re not. CBDVa will not produce this effect alone, though consuming CBDV with THC might.
What are the medical benefits of CBDVa?
While much research is still needed regarding CBDVa, what is known hypothesizes that CBDVa has very similar health benefits to CBD. It can reduce pain, nausea, anxiety, and inflammation. Like so many cannabinoids, it may also have anti-tumor effects.
Specifically, CBDVa may help people seeking treatment for cancer by preventing nausea and vomiting. Its ability to ward off inflammation might also help prevent cancer in the first place (as aspirin does).
Like CBD, a great deal of attention surrounding CBDVa has to do with seizures; it’s believed to be both an anticonvulsant and an antiepileptic. There’s speculation that it could reduce both the severity and the frequency of convulsions. And it may also help with anxiety disorders and panic attacks, similar to CBD.
