THCA stands for tetrahydrocannabinolic acid. Although there is a limited amount of information available regarding this cannabinoid (compared to THC and CBD), THCA has generated tons of interest, not only from scientific circles but perhaps more importantly, from recreational and medical cannabis users.
In this blog post, you will learn a few fascinating things about this non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis plants.
What is THCA?
As cannabis plants grow, they produce various cannabinoids. THCA is derived from another cannabinoid known as CBGA. Eventually, CGBA is converted into CBDA, CBG, and THCA.
Through the process known as decarboxylation, THCA is converted to THCA which is familiar to most recreational and medical cannabis users.
Eventually, heat and oxygen remove some of the carboxyl groups in THCA, converting a small amount of the cannabinoid into THC. But upon close inspection of raw cannabis, you will notice that the amount of THC is negligible, especially upon harvest. To fully transform THCA into THC, raw cannabis must undergo decarboxylation.
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) is the acidic form of THC which is popular among cannabis users because of its intoxicating effects as well as other benefits. It is also worth noting that there are other cannabinoid acids aside from THCA. These include CBGA, THCVA, and CBDA which are also present in raw cannabis upon harvest. Like THCA, these cannabinoid acids need to undergo the decarboxylation process to become activated. To date, scientists have discovered over 100 phytocannabinoids in cannabis plants, including THCA.
Although THCA and THC share a few similarities, they also have a few notable differences, starting with their chemical structures. Compared to THC, THCA has one more extra carboxyl ring.
Another key difference between the two cannabinoids is that THCA is shaped differently, due in large part to its extra carboxyl ring. The shape of THCA's molecule also affects how the major cannabinoid receptors of the body interact with it. Basically, you can't get high if you consume THCA.
How Cannabis Plants Make THCA
THCA is most abundant in young and freshly harvested cannabis plants. The trichomes, in particular, are primarily responsible for the production of cannabinoid acids like THCA. These cannabinoid acids function as the immune system of a cannabis plant.
Marijuana plants produce THCA from cannabigerolic acid or CBGA. CBGA is one of the most abundant cannabinoid acids, especially during the early life of a cannabis plant.
As the cannabis plant matures, the process of converting CBGA into other cannabinoids begins. This is why it is critical to wait until the plant matures fully before harvesting. If you harvest a cannabis plant too early, it will contain a marginal amount of cannabinoids, including THCA.
How to Convert THCA to THC
To convert THCA to THC, two important elements must be present - heat and light. Without these two, decarboxylation will not take place. But what exactly happens to the THCA a cannabis plant produces that turns it into THC?
Decarboxylation can occur in a variety of ways. It can occur naturally with little to no intervention from people. Here are a few ways that decarboxylation can occur in raw cannabis.
Little to no intervention
The simplest way to decarboxylate THCA is just to leave it in an area where it can get sufficient light and heat. Over a short span of time, the THCA molecules will convert themselves into THC.
Alternatively, you can just leave your raw cannabis in a room and allow the THCA molecules to do the heavy lifting for you. Some cannabis users prefer to soak raw cannabis in olive oil or ethanol.
Smoking and vaping
When you are smoking THCA flower, you are essentially facilitating the conversion of THCA into THC. While convenient for most recreational and medical cannabis users, smoking isn't the most efficient way to decarb THCA.
If you want to maximize your dosage of THCA, one of the best and most efficient ways to do that is to vape. The heating element in a vape device converts THCA to THC.
Dabbing
Some people who use THCA prefer dabbing over vaping. THCA crystals are the preferred product of people who dab THCA because of their efficiency.
Baking
Planning to use THCA for your edibles? If your goal is to reap the psychoactive benefits of THC, you will need to decarboxylate your raw cannabis first before infusing it with either oil or butter.
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid is unstable and will readily convert into THCA without much help from you.
How THCA Decarboxylation Works
Decarboxylation is the process that activates the psychoactive properties of cannabinoids. THCA, in its natural form, is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. Although there are theories that suggest that you can get intoxicated by eating raw cannabis, you may need to eat a ridiculous amount just to get intoxicated. This makes decarboxylation necessary.
But what exactly is decarboxylation? In simplest terms, decarboxylation is the process where you convert THCA into THC to enjoy the psychoactive properties of the latter.
Decarboxylation happens when heat is applied to cannabis and cannabis products. Smoking and vaping are two of the easiest ways to decarb THCA. By applying heat to cannabis, you transform it into THC which interacts with the cannabinoid receptors of the body.
Decarboxylation is particularly important if you prefer consuming cannabis in the form of edibles. Because you need to apply heat to convert THCA into THC, decarboxylation is necessary before preparing your edibles. Otherwise, you won't get the intoxicating effects of cannabis.
Take note that decarboxylation is not just all about applying heat to cannabis. Decarboxylation usually happens at around 93 C. If you are prepping edibles, you should heat your cannabis at around 104 C for about half an hour. This will help ensure that the terpenes and other cannabinoids remain.
If you set the temperature higher than what is recommended, you can end up wasting your cannabis as the terpenes and cannabinoids burn off. You should also be mindful of the time you apply heat to your cannabis. Beyond 40 minutes, you also risk burning the cannabinoids and terpenes.
Why You Should Consider Using THCA
While THC and CBD products remain popular among recreational and medical users, there are a few reasons why you should consider trying THCA products.
One of the chief advantages of THCA is that it is non-intoxicating. If you are a medical user looking for relief from the symptoms of your condition without the accompanying intoxicating effects associated with THC, then THCA may be the better option for you.
Although studies centering around THCA remains few, there is a continuously growing interest in the cannabinoid and its potential health benefits.
One of the potential benefits THCA offers is its anti-inflammatory properties. The cannabinoid may offer help to patients suffering from conditions like Crohn's disease, arthritis, and Parkinson's disease.
Experts also believe that THCA is a neuroprotectant. In simple terms, that means that the cannabinoid may help protect the brain and manage symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.
And although more research needs to be done, it is believed that THCA can help prevent certain types of cancers.
Other potential uses of THCA include the prevention and management of nausea, insomnia, and muscle pain.
What is great about THCA, especially if you are a medical user, is that the cannabinoid can also provide both calming and energizing benefits without causing intoxication. And as such, it is ideal for medical users and people who wish to enjoy the benefits of THCA without losing their sharpness.
How to Use and Activate THCA
THCA continues to grow in popularity among different types of cannabis users. Smoking, dabbing, vaping, and edibles are the most popular ways to use THCA.
But aside from that, you can try eating raw cannabis or adding it to your juices and smoothies. The chief advantage of this route is that you get to enjoy the benefits of THCA without necessarily getting intoxicated.
As people become more aware of THCA and its benefits, companies have responded by releasing other forms of THCA like THCA tinctures, topicals, and crystals.
Activating THCA is pretty straightforward. You can simply smoke marijuana or if you have the right gear, smoke or dab. Applying heat to cannabis activates THCA.
What Is THCA Flower?
If you have visited your local dispensary, you might have noticed a few buds labeled as THCA flowers. But what exactly are these cannabis buds?
The term THCA flower refers to new cannabis strains that have been bred to contain a higher amount of THCA. These buds can either be smoked or vaped like your typical weed. The key difference is their potential for high potency.
THCA flowers usually have a THCA percentage of around 20% and a THC percentage not exceeding 0.3%. Now, when you light up a THCA flower, its THCA content converts into THC. And in turn, you get to enjoy the familiar psychoactive properties of marijuana.
Aside from that, THCA flowers are stronger than most strains of cannabis.
How to Smoke THCA
On its own, THCA does not cause intoxication. You need to decarboxylate it if you want to enjoy the psychoactive properties of cannabis. This is why smoking is one of the most accessible ways to enjoy THCA. But how exactly do you smoke THCA?
One way to smoke TCA is to apply heat to it and inhale it immediately. This is called dabbing. You can make use of a vaporizer or similar device or just add THCA to cannabis buds. Although some users find the smoke from dabbing to be harsher, others prefer the quick onset of effects from it.
If you are planning to try smoking THCA concentrate, be aware that it is not as flavorful as rosin or live resin. The extraction method for THCA separates the cannabinoid crystals from the terpenes. The end result is a potent concentrate. With THCA crystals, you can add or sprinkle them to your cannabis buds.
How to Smoke THCA Diamonds and Crystals
Some people mistake THCA diamonds for crystals and vice versa. The two are different types of concentrates.
THCA crystals are created by using hexane and acetic acid to dissolve terpenes and imperfections. Afterward, the solution is concentrated to create crystals.
With THCA crystals, you can choose between vaping and dabbing. Be aware that crystals need a higher temperature to melt. As such, they shouldn't be used together with cannabis flowers.
THCA diamonds, on the other hand, are made through a combination of chemical and mechanical extraction. These two methods ensure that the other cannabinoids are kept. Eventually, pure THCA settles at the bottom while liquid terpenes rise to the top.
Although THCA diamonds and crystals may seem similar, the key difference is quality. Usually, THCA diamonds take on a transparent appearance. And like crystals, diamonds can be dabbed or vaped. Additionally, you can add them to flowers because of their lower heating point.
Disadvantages of THCA
While there are a few reasons why you should strongly consider trying THCA, the cannabinoid does have a few drawbacks that you should be aware of.
For starters, the effects can be subjective. Some may find themselves lethargic after taking THCA. Others say they feel energized.
Another potential drawback of THCA is that it doesn't have the psychoactive properties of THC. That may be a dealbreaker for users who need the intoxicating effects of cannabis. Fortunately, there are different ways to consume cannabinoids. Certainly, you should avoid eating or juicing raw cannabis if you want to get intoxicated.
But then again, decarboxylation methods like vaping and cooking can be tricky to nail down, in terms of the amount of THCA converted into THC. This can make it hard to find a sweet spot for your dosage.
You can overcome some of these drawbacks by trying different products, from THCA tinctures to edibles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is THCA legal?
That depends on where you live. From the federal level, THCA is considered legal because it is not included in the DEA's list of controlled substances. But aside from that, THCA flowers are also considered legal as long as their THC by dry weight does not go over 0.3%.
The Farm Bill of 2018 states that products from the hemp plant with a THCA percentage of 20% or more and 0.3% THC or less can be sold and used. However, be aware that there are states that prohibit the sale of THCA.
If you are unsure if it is legal to buy and use THCA in your area, err on the side of caution and brush up on existing laws and regulations in your location before placing an order for any THCA product.
Is THCA safe?
Generally speaking, THCA, in its various forms, is safe for most people. However, if you are sensitive to THC, it is best to avoid THCA products.
Effects may also vary, depending on your consumption method. Upon conversion to THC, THCA can produce intoxicating effects.
If you are using THCA for the first time, start with a low dose. Otherwise, you might experience adverse side effects like dizziness, dry mouth, fatigue, paranoia, red eyes, and rapid heartbeat.
What is a good THCA percentage?
Reading the labels of cannabis products can be quite tricky, due in large part to the lack of a standardized method of reporting testing data.
When it comes to testing the potency of liquids, light chromatography, and gas chromatography are the two top methods used. However, these techniques can yield different results.
If you are unsure if a product has a good percentage or not, your best course of action is to talk with the dispensary staff or have a quick chat with your chosen online seller.
Will THCA show on a drug test?
THCA has the potential to show up on drug screenings. Most drug tests can detect both THC and THCA. Additionally, even if you decarb THCA, it is possible that a trace amount may remain and get detected.
THCA is a target analyte in some drug tests. And as such, if you are scheduled to undergo a drug screening, avoid using THCA products. You also avoid eating or juicing raw cannabis.
Will THCA get you high?
The answer depends on how you consume THCA. If you are eating or drinking raw cannabis, it is highly unlikely that you will get intoxicated. Although there are people who theorize that ingesting raw cannabis can cause an intoxicating effect, you may need to consume tons of cannabis to get your desired effect. In short, if you are not subjecting cannabis to heat exposure, it is unlikely that you will get high.
But if you are smoking, dabbing, vaping, or even cooking cannabis, you are converting the THCA to THC. In turn, THC will create intoxicating effects that will give you the familiar high associated with the cannabinoid.
Your Dependable Source of THCA Products
Since the beginning, Apotheca has been committed to the philosophy of putting people first before profit. All our products have been thoroughly vetted and tested, ensuring that the products we put on our shelves live up to a high standard of efficacy and excellence.
If you are looking to try THCA, check out our thoughtfully curated range of products.
