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Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

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Cookies come in handy when you visit our website. They ensure you stay logged in, that you can shop safely, and that the items you add to your cart stay there before you make a purchase. But cookies also help us. The data they provide allow us to improve our website and enable us to present you with targeted advertisements that are compatible with your interests.

What kind of cookies do we use?

Functional cookies

Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

Analytical cookies

Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

[email protected]


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

  • First and last name
  • Home and billing address
  • Telephone number
  • Gender
  • IP address
  • Email address
  • Date of birth

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

  • First & last name
  • Gender

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

  • Email address

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: [email protected].

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to [email protected].

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO:

  • Revoke the consent you have granted;
  • Access personal data;
  • Rectify personal data;
  • Delete personal data;
  • File a complaint or a writ for the protection of your rights before the Spanish Data Protection Agency;
  • Be notified of any security incident that may affect your rights;
  • Limitation of processing;
  • Portability.
By Luke Sholl


Cannabis sativa is a complex species that contains hundreds of chemical compounds. Some of these you may be familiar with, including major cannabinoids such as THC and CBD, and perhaps even terpenes like limonene and beta-caryophyllene. However, many others exist alongside these more well-known chemical compounds, and it’s here that you’ll find the rather elusive THCB.

What Exactly Is THCB?

THCB, or tetrahydrocannabutol, is a minor cannabinoid that accounts for less than 1%[1] of the cannabinoids found in raw cannabis plant material. Italian researchers successfully isolated THCB[2] in 2019, quickly discovering that it has a higher affinity for CB1 receptors (more on this shortly) than its THC counterpart.

While this affinity for CB1 receptors isn’t a phenomenon unique to THCB, the compound’s difference in size and shape compared to THC means it could present an entirely new avenue of therapeutic potential. However, before we get ahead of ourselves with chemical structures, binding affinity, and complex interactions, let’s examine the fundamentals of THCB, starting with the most basic of questions: what exactly does THCB do?

What Are the Effects of THCB?

Effects of THCB

To understand the possible influence of THCB, we need to understand some basics of cannabinoid chemical structure. THCB is known as a homologue of THC, which means it shares a remarkably similar chemical structure. The only difference between THCB and THC at a molecular level is that the former has a butyl side chain (four carbon atoms), while the latter has a pentyl chain with five carbon atoms. Essentially, this slight difference means that most of the effects between the two are incredibly similar.

The effects of THCB include:

  • Euphoria
  • Slowed reactions
  • Energy
  • Creativity
  • Changes in appetite
  • Relaxation

Now, if those effects seem familiar, it’s because they are! THC has an almost identical influence on the mind and body. However, provisional research suggests that THCB may be slightly more potent than THC while also having a stronger influence on anti-inflammatory and anti-analgesic mechanisms.

Is THCB Stronger Than THC Delta-9?

According to early research, yes. THCB exhibits a stronger affinity for CB1 receptors, and it’s this interaction in the brain that causes the effects outlined above (what we know collectively as “getting high”). However, we should point out that research into THCB is incredibly scarce. And for experienced cannabis users, you’ll probably find that THCB feels almost identical to THC.

Unfortunately, as THCB makes up less than 1% of the cannabinoid content of raw plant material, this means that it simply isn’t feasible for researchers or cannabis companies to extract and isolate THCB from cannabis flowers. Instead, they have to synthesise the cannabinoid in a lab, using various precursor molecules.

THCB vs THC

Given how closely related THC and THCB are, you might think there isn’t much need for a detailed comparison. However, there are some subtle differences separating the two compounds, as outlined below.

THCB THC

Butyl chain with four carbon atoms

Pentyl side chain with five carbon atoms
Accounts for less than 1% of cannabis’ chemical structure Accounts for up to 30% of cannabis’ chemical structure
Must be synthesised in a laboratory

Easily isolated from plant material with solvent-based and solventless extraction methods

Psychoactive

Psychoactive

Primarily binds to CB1 receptors

Primarily binds to CB1 receptors

Recreational and therapeutic potential

Recreational and therapeutic potential

Nebulous legal status Prohibited in many parts of the world

At present, the main differences are the degree to which these compounds bind with CB1 receptors, and the effects this has on internal bodily functions such as inflammation and pain management[3].

What’s the Difference Between THCA and THCB?

Another common comparison is between THCB and its alphabetically superior sibling, THCA. Interestingly, it’s more than just a letter that separates these two compounds. While THCB has similar intoxicating effects to THC, THCA does not interact with CB1 receptors in a way that causes a high. Indeed, THCA is a precursor to THC and must be decarboxylated (heated) in order to exhibit intoxicating effects.

Aside from the differences in effects, THCA represents nearly 90% of the total THC content found in cannabis plants, making it far more abundant than the elusive THCB. Of course, without THCA, we wouldn’t have THC at all, so you shouldn’t dismiss the cannabinoid acid just because it does not produce a high in its “raw” state.

THCA may have its own soothing and neurological effects, making it a useful wellness compound.

How does THCB work
How does THCB work

The legal status of THCB is cloudy at best. While THC is widely prohibited, THCB derived from industrial hemp is federally legal in America, under the US Farm Bill. In Europe, matters are less clear, although currently THCB is not a controlled substance. Of course, this can vary from country to country, and may change in the near future, so you should always check the regulations in your area before trying to purchase THCB.

As for the rest of the world, THCB’s legality falls into a gray area. Just remember that the level of THCB in cannabis flower is almost undetectable, so any THCB products you purchase are synthesised in a lab as opposed to being extracted from live plant material.

Does THCB Show Up on a Drug Test?

If you do manage to get hold of THCB-exclusive products, then drug testing becomes a concern. While the compound may be legal to buy and use in many parts of the world, there is a chance it will show on a drug test, given how similar in chemical structure it is to THC. The problem is that while drug tests aren’t looking for THCB specifically, you may end up triggering a false positive. As is often the case with derivatives of THC, the best way to pass a drug test is abstinence.

The World of Cannabinoids Continues to Grow

We may not know much about THCB, but it represents another step towards a better understanding of cannabinoids in their entirety. It also highlights the vast potential of cannabis, outside of just getting high, and helps to push the plant one step closer to being a candidate for therapeutic treatments. As for THCB specifically, much more research is needed to understand whether the compound's increased binding affinity for CB1 receptors can be leveraged to offer something that THC doesn’t.

However, given the difficulty in isolating THCB, it may be some time before we understand the full scope of the compound's effects. In the meantime, just remember that THCB levels in cannabis flower are negligible, so you’ll need to focus on THCB products synthesised in a laboratory if you want to experience the cannabinoid yourself.

External Resources:
  1. A novel phytocannabinoid isolated from Cannabis sativa https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. Isolation of a High-Affinity Cannabinoid for the Human CB1 Receptor https://pubs.acs.org
  3. Phytocannabinoid Pharmacology: Medicinal Properties of Cannabis sativa Constituents Aside from the “Big Two” https://coloradochromatography.com
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.
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