Decarboxylation: the temperature and time that turn THCA into THC

Raw cannabis is barely psychoactive. The cannabinoid in the living plant is the acid form — THCA — which has to lose a carboxyl group (as CO2) to become THC. That reaction is decarboxylation, and it is driven by heat over time. Getting it wrong is the most common reason a home edible "does nothing". The chemistry in one line THCA -> THC + CO2. Smoking/vaping does this instantly with the flame/heat. For anything eaten, you must decarboxylate first, deliberately. The numbers - A commonly used oven schedule is roughly 110-120 C (230-250 F) for about 30-45 minutes for the bulk conversion of THCA to THC. Lower-and-longer preserves more terpenes; hotter-and-faster risks degrading THC onward to CBN (more sedating, less of the expected effect) and losing volatile terpenes. - CBDA -> CBD decarboxylates on a similar schedule. - Oven temperatures lie; an oven thermometer is worth more than the dial. Spread thin, stir once, and account for the fact that a thermometer in the plant mass reads lower than the air. Why precision matters for dosing If you do not decarboxylate, potency is unpredictable and usually low. If you overheat, you convert THC to CBN and lose potency a different way. Either error makes "even dosing" impossible, because you cannot dose what you cannot characterise. Even-dosing method for infused food (why a thorough homogeneous infusion matters more than the raw number): https://wiki.soapbox.community/wiki/Infused_Baked_Goods_Even_Dosing_in_Brownies_Cookies_and_Bars General harm reduction: https://wiki.soapbox.community/wiki/Cannabis_Harm_Reduction