One Simple Spray Could Dramatically Boost THC, THCA, and Antioxidants in Your Cannabis

martinweller · Feb 27, 2026

Researchers from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (Bangkok) and Thailand’s Institute of Scientific and Technological Research conducted a rigorous greenhouse trial on Cannabis sativa and found that a single preharvest foliar spray of salicylic acid (SA) at the right concentration and timing could significantly elevate THCA, delta-9-THC, total THC, antioxidant activity, chlorophyll levels, and phenolic compounds — all in one shot.

JIMKSI64 · Feb 27, 2026

martinweller said:
Researchers from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (Bangkok) and Thailand’s Institute of Scientific and Technological Research conducted a rigorous greenhouse trial on Cannabis sativa and found that a single preharvest foliar spray of salicylic acid (SA) at the right concentration and timing could significantly elevate THCA, delta-9-THC, total THC, antioxidant activity, chlorophyll levels, and phenolic compounds — all in one shot.

orggrwr · Feb 27, 2026

Where's the write up? Sounds very suspect but I would be willing to read the report on the study.

amneziaHaze · Feb 27, 2026

Effects of Ingesting Salicylic Acid

Symptoms of Ingestion

Mild Toxicity:
- Nausea and Vomiting: Common from initial ingestion.
- Gastrointestinal Irritation: Can cause epigastric discomfort.
Moderate to Severe Toxicity (especially at doses over 150 mg/kg):
- Tinnitus: Ringing or buzzing in the ears.
- Altered Mental Status: Confusion or lethargy.
- Respiratory Issues: Hyperventilation or respiratory alkalosis.
- Metabolic Acidosis: Can develop over time, especially in severe cases.
Life-Threatening Effects (at doses exceeding 300 mg/kg):
- Seizures: Neurological disturbances may occur.
- Coma: Loss of consciousness and vital functions.
- Pulmonary Edema: Fluid in the lungs can be life-threatening.
- Cardiovascular Issues: Risk of altered heart rhythm or arrest.

Risks and Toxicity

Toxicity Overview

Salicylates, including salicylic acid, can impair cellular respiration. Severe toxicity can result in significant metabolic disturbances, including respiratory alkalosis followed by metabolic acidosis. Serious consequences include cardiac arrest and respiratory failure.

but i guess you can smoke it

martinweller · Feb 27, 2026

orggrwr said:
Where's the write up? Sounds very suspect but I would be willing to read the report on the study.

One Spray Before Harvest Skyrockets THC and THCA — New Science Explains How

New 2026 research shows a single preharvest salicylic acid spray can dramatically raise THCA, total THC, antioxidants, and flavonoids in cannabis. Here's what growers and consumers need to know.

thecannex.com

martinweller · Feb 27, 2026

amneziaHaze said:
Risks and Toxicity

Learn a little of biology, please :) It isn’t rocket science. Plants produce salicylic acid naturally as part of their immune system. Depend on concentration.

amneziaHaze · Feb 27, 2026

martinweller said:
Learn a little of biology, please :) It isn’t rocket science. Plants produce salicylic acid naturally as part of their immune system. Depend on concentration.

i beleve i wrote the concentrations. learn a little respect next time

Ninjadogma · Feb 27, 2026

amneziaHaze said:
Effects of Ingesting Salicylic Acid

Symptoms of Ingestion

Mild Toxicity:

Nausea and Vomiting: Common from initial ingestion.

Gastrointestinal Irritation: Can cause epigastric discomfort.

Moderate to Severe Toxicity (especially at doses over 150 mg/kg):

Tinnitus: Ringing or buzzing in the ears.

Altered Mental Status: Confusion or lethargy.

Respiratory Issues: Hyperventilation or respiratory alkalosis.

Metabolic Acidosis: Can develop over time, especially in severe cases.

Life-Threatening Effects (at doses exceeding 300 mg/kg):

Seizures: Neurological disturbances may occur.

Coma: Loss of consciousness and vital functions.

Pulmonary Edema: Fluid in the lungs can be life-threatening.

Cardiovascular Issues: Risk of altered heart rhythm or arrest.

Risks and Toxicity

Toxicity Overview

Salicylates, including salicylic acid, can impair cellular respiration. Severe toxicity can result in significant metabolic disturbances, including respiratory alkalosis followed by metabolic acidosis. Serious consequences include cardiac arrest and respiratory failure.

but i guess you can smoke it

It's a precursor for

orggrwr said:
Where's the write up? Sounds very suspect but I would be willing to read the report on the study.

Found a link. According to an AI summary, not the silver bullet OP claims it to be. They didn't test THC, it was things like phenolics, flavinoids, antioxidants, chlorophyll and pigments. https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/12/3/276

I'll have to peruse it, but apparently it's not any kind of game changer.

trygrowup · Feb 27, 2026

martinweller said:
Learn a little of biology, please :) It isn’t rocket science. Plants produce salicylic acid naturally as part of their immune system. Depend on concentration.

Synthetic is not at all the same as natural. Big corp like us to believe it is..
I have examples if anyone want

Ninjadogma · Feb 27, 2026

amneziaHaze said:
i beleve i wrote the concentrations. learn a little respect next time

Fortunately we don't ingest concentrations of SA like that. I had a friend who had a intolerance to salicyllates, made him sick as a dog and because they were in so many different foods it really sucked for him. He would have to order a chicken breast plain with nothing on it when we'd grab dinner. Fortunately it was treatable and he can now actually enjoy food.

amneziaHaze · Feb 27, 2026

i got a bottle of alge killer its active ingridient is that acid it says if contact with skin call doctor if eaten call doctor if in eyes call doctor....

Ninjadogma · Feb 27, 2026

amneziaHaze said:
i got a bottle of alge killer its active ingridient is that acid it says if contact with skin call doctor if eaten call doctor if in eyes call doctor....

And related, I think we all learned the lesson not to try and get our ivermectrin from aquarium cleaner products.

amneziaHaze · Feb 27, 2026

Ninjadogma said:
And related, I think we all learned the lesson not to try and get our ivermectrin from aquarium cleaner products.

I know i bought potash glass for basment insulating because it was silica i needed for plants until i learned the machines that make it give heavy metals....

Grownsince95 · Feb 27, 2026

People have been giving aspirin to plants for a long time, it's a stress response thing. Most cannabis growers know stress responses are good for terpenes and THC etc ... Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't see any new ground being broken here. Take a plain uncoated aspirin, crush and dissolve in a gallon of water. Works a trick on tomatoes too. My grandma used to just drop a whole crushed up pill in the hole when she planted them.

The problem is spraying anything on something you're gonna smoke. I guarantee you the scientists didn't roll that shit up.

Ninjadogma · Feb 27, 2026

Grownsince95 said:
People have been giving aspirin to plants for a long time, it's a stress response thing. Most cannabis growers know stress responses are good for terpenes and THC etc ... Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't see any new ground being broken here. Take a plain uncoated aspirin, crush and dissolve in a gallon of water. Works a trick on tomatoes too. My grandma used to just drop a whole crushed up pill in the hole when she planted them.

The problem is spraying anything on something you're gonna smoke. I guarantee you the scientists didn't roll that shit up.

I've crushed up and smoked a lot of pills in my day chasing a cheap buzz, but never aspirin.

And I don't know why I feel compelled to mention it, but I get a sour vinegar vibe with aspirin. Not even remotely curious to taste it on my tongue or in smoke.

Which reminds me... don't ever, ever ever spray sulfur on your buds. I wound up with "sulpher berries."

martinweller · Feb 27, 2026

amneziaHaze said:
i beleve i wrote the concentrations. learn a little respect next time

Yes, I'm sorry. But the text of the study, in general, answers your questions.

grayoldnproud · Feb 27, 2026

Ninjadogma said:
They didn't test THC, it was things like phenolics, flavinoids, antioxidants, chlorophyll and pigments. https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/12/3/276

Yes they did from what I read. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12030276

I don't see where there is any practicality to it especially with the temporal responses seen.

Ninjadogma · Feb 27, 2026

grayoldnproud said:
Yes they did from what I read. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12030276

I don't see where there is any practicality to it especially with the temporal responses seen.
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View attachment 2607884

The one I found was an entirely different salicylic acid study. This one was just published. I will thumb through it but a couple "no go's" jumped out at me. First was the concentration used was 19,000ppm. Second, it was applied an hour before harvest so we are talking about a chemical reaction, not biosynthesis.

From what I noodled online, probably as far as the home grower wants to take this is crushing up an aspirin and adding it to a watering to trigger an immunity defense response. It doesn't offer the same benefit to cannabis as it does to tomatoes and peppers *that we know* - and with this new study and follow up ones, maybe we will get to learn a lot more about how SA and cannabis interact.

Hossgrows · Feb 27, 2026

martinweller said:
Learn a little of biology, please :) It isn’t rocket science. Plants produce salicylic acid naturally as part of their immune system. Depend on concentration.

So is salt...but it can kill u and your plants, too.

It's just a sales gimmick. Look how much shits coming out, since legalization. Yep....we gotta pill for that too. Their already spraying bud hardener on some dispo weed. Putting kief in junk weed, then into infused cones with flavor enhancements, as pre rolls. I can't even smoke it, now that I'm growing my own....makes me nauseous AF

JIMKSI64 · Feb 27, 2026

Hossgrows said:
So is salt...but it can kill u and your plants, too.

It's just a sales gimmick. Look how much shits coming out, since legalization. Yep....we gotta pill for that too. Their already spraying bud hardener on some dispo weed. Putting kief in junk weed, then into infused cones with flavor enhancements, as pre rolls. I can't even smoke it, now that I'm growing my own....makes me nauseous AF

If you can chuck a cannabis bud up in a wrist rocket and kill a rabbit with the " rock hard nugs " I believe I would not enjoy the smoke.

One Simple Spray Could Dramatically Boost THC, THCA, and Antioxidants in Your Cannabis

One Simple Spray Could Dramatically Boost THC, THCA, and Antioxidants in Your Cannabis

martinweller

JIMKSI64

orggrwr

amneziaHaze

Effects of Ingesting Salicylic Acid​

Symptoms of Ingestion​

Risks and Toxicity​

Toxicity Overview​

martinweller

One Spray Before Harvest Skyrockets THC and THCA — New Science Explains How

martinweller

amneziaHaze

Ninjadogma

Effects of Ingesting Salicylic Acid​

Symptoms of Ingestion​

Risks and Toxicity​

Toxicity Overview​

trygrowup

Ninjadogma

amneziaHaze

Ninjadogma

amneziaHaze

Grownsince95

🤘😆👍

Ninjadogma

martinweller

grayoldnproud

Ninjadogma

Hossgrows

JIMKSI64

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency

Effects of Ingesting Salicylic Acid

Symptoms of Ingestion

Risks and Toxicity

Toxicity Overview

Effects of Ingesting Salicylic Acid

Symptoms of Ingestion

Risks and Toxicity

Toxicity Overview