CBG vs THC: What's the Difference (and Why Pair Them)?

You flipped the can around and read “10mg THC | 5mg CBG.” THC you’ve heard of. CBG sounds like a cable channel. Here’s what it actually is, which one gets you high, and what the science does (and doesn’t) say about pairing them.

Quick Answer

THC (Delta-9) is the cannabinoid that gets you high. CBG (cannabigerol) is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid — a 2024 scientific review describes it as one that “does not induce intoxication.” Every can of San Buzi has 10mg of Delta-9 THC and 5mg of CBG, a 2:1 ratio, and both numbers appear on the batch’s lab report. We added CBG hoping for a more uplifting, energetic kind of can, but that’s a goal, not a research finding: the review doesn’t show CBG doing that, so we don’t promise it changes how THC feels.

CBG and CBGA: the “mother” cannabinoid

Here’s the fun fact for your next group chat. Cannabis plants build most of their cannabinoids from one starting compound: cannabigerolic acid, or CBGA. A 2024 review in Molecules calls CBGA the principal precursor to most other cannabinoids — including Delta-9 THC, CBD, CBN and CBC. CBG itself is what CBGA becomes when it loses its acid group. So CBG isn’t some random cannabinoid; it’s the neutral form of the compound the whole family starts from.

THC: the one you’ll feel

Delta-9 THC is the intoxicating one. In a drink, how strong it feels depends on the dose and on you, and it can take up to an hour to show up — see do THC drinks get you high? and the 5mg vs 10mg guide. Same fine print as always: 21+, don’t drive after one, skip it if you’re pregnant or nursing, and any amount of THC can show up on a drug test.

CBG vs THC, side by side

	THC (Delta-9)	CBG (cannabigerol)
Gets you high?	Yes	No — non-intoxicating
Where it comes from	The plant makes it (as THCA) from CBGA	CBGA without its acid group
In a can of San Buzi	10mg	5mg
On the lab report	Measured every batch	Measured every batch

San Buzi Strawberry and Blueberry Lemonade cans, labeled 10mg THC and 5mg CBG, with strawberries, blueberries, lemons, mint and ice on a wood table

So what happens when you take them together?

This is where the internet gets very confident, so let’s not. You’ll see the “entourage effect” — the idea that cannabinoids behave differently together than alone. It’s an interesting hypothesis. But the 2024 review we’re citing keeps calling for more studies, including human clinical trials, to understand what CBG actually does in people.

So we’re not going to tell you the CBG smooths out, softens or boosts your buzz. The buzz is the THC’s job. The CBG is part of the recipe: every can is formulated at the same 2:1 ratio, 10mg THC to 5mg CBG, in both flavors, and both are verified batch by batch.

Why we put CBG in San Buzi

So why put it in at all? Straight from the people who made it: we wanted a brighter, more uplifting, more energetic kind of can, so we added 5mg of CBG alongside the 10mg of THC, hoping it would help get us there.

Here’s the honest part: that was the plan, not something research has shown CBG does. The 2024 review we cite doesn’t show CBG making anyone feel more energetic or uplifted, and research on CBG in people is still early, so (same as above) we’re not claiming it changes how the THC feels. How any THC drink feels depends on the dose and on you: notice how it lands for you, give it the full hour before you decide on a second, and energetic or not, don’t drive after one.

How to check what’s in your can

Don’t take a label’s word for it, including ours. Every San Buzi batch has a public certificate of analysis listing THC and CBG, plus the contaminant screens. If the numbers look like hieroglyphics, here’s how to read one.

Pick your can

Strawberry Lemonade (The Social Lifesaver): bright, classic, slightly chaotic in the best way.
Blueberry Lemonade (The Couch Command): jammy, laid-back, deeply unbothered.

Same 10mg THC + 5mg CBG either way. Zero alcohol, zero calories, 0g sugar.

Try San Buzi

Hemp-derived THC lemonade made in Atlanta — 10mg THC + 5mg CBG, zero alcohol, zero calories.

Shop San Buzi

Frequently asked questions

Will CBG get me high?

No. CBG (cannabigerol) is described in a 2024 scientific review as a cannabinoid that does not induce intoxication. In a San Buzi can, the buzz comes from the 10mg of Delta-9 THC -- that's the intoxicating part.

Is CBG the same as CBD?

No -- they're different cannabinoids. They're related, though: the plant makes both from the same starting compound, CBGA, which a 2024 review calls the principal precursor to most other cannabinoids, including THC and CBD.

Does CBG change how THC feels?

Honest answer: nobody can promise that. You'll see the 'entourage effect' idea online, but research on CBG in people is still early, so we don't claim the CBG in San Buzi changes, softens or boosts the THC. It's part of the formula, measured and listed on every lab report.

Why did San Buzi add CBG?

Honest answer: it was a hope, not a proven effect. We added it aiming for a more uplifting, energetic kind of can, but the 2024 review we cite doesn't show CBG doing that and research on CBG in people is still early, so we don't claim the CBG changes how the THC feels. How a THC drink feels depends on the dose and on you.

How much CBG and THC is in San Buzi?

Every 12oz can has 10mg of hemp-derived Delta-9 THC and 5mg of CBG -- a 2:1 ratio, the same in both flavors. You can check the numbers for your batch on our public lab reports.