By J Gordon Curtis
Through the haze of an onslaught of cannabinoids coming to market, THCa is standing apart from the others. As this cannabinoid starts taking off, you may find yourself asking what it is, why everyone loves it, and what types of THCa products are even on the market.
Never fear, we’re here to help walk you through the ins and outs of THCa. Below, we will introduce you to this wonderful cannabinoid and the many ways you can enjoy it with the helpful guide below
What Is THCa
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCa) is a cannabinoid that is abundant in the cannabis plant. If you’ve ever tried to make infused brownies, you’ve likely already heard of this cannabinoid.
THCa is non-intoxicating which is why you wouldn’t get high from eating weed. THCa converts to Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) through the introduction of heat.
When dealing with edibles, that usually involves the process of decarboxylation — or introducing the weed to low heat to convert the cannabinoids without burning them. When smoking cannabis, the heat comes in the form of a lighter, match, or torch.
Does THCa Get You High?
Strictly speaking — no. THCa will not make you feel high. Many forms of THCa are smokable, however, which has a clearly intoxicating use.
Once you introduce this cannabinoid to heat it will convert to Delta-9 THC — the one that does make you feel high.
If you consume THCa products in a method that involves the introduction of heat, you will get high from them. Intoxication from THCa in this fashion is equal to the intoxication from Delta-9 THC and you should not drive or operate heavy machinery in this state.
Types Of THCa Products
THCa products come in a variety of forms that each offer different benefits and use-cases. Below are some of the most common forms users can expect to find THCa in:
THCa Diamonds/Isolate
While many forms of extraction involve heat which can convert the THCa into THC, cold-extraction methods enable producers to extract THCa without altering it.
The result is a crystalline substance we call diamonds — due to their appearance.
Many utilize THCa diamonds as a potent add-in for a bowl or to smoke on its own as a concentrated form of THC. It is not uncommon for these forms of concentrates to have upwards of 95+% THCa in them.
THCa Flower
THCa flower is exciting as it is the only current form of alternative THC that you can get in flower form. Delta-8 flower and other similar alternative cannabinoids utilize hemp flower sprayed with concentrate
With THCa flower, this is not the case. Since THCa is already the most abundant cannabinoid in the plant, making flower under the legal limit of Delta-9 THC while maintaining substantial percentages of THCa is possible.
As a result, THCa is by far the smoothest smokable experience of all alternative forms of THC — not to mention the best looking and the best smelling.
THCa Powder
THCa powder is also a potent, mostly-isolated form of THCa that many will add to their flower or dab on its own. One thing that makes the powder unique is that it is also an excellent way to take THCa without the intoxicating effects.
By adding it to a glass of water, you can experience the benefits of THCa without converting it to THC. While non-intoxicating, there is evidence that THCa may act as a neuroprotectant and could possibly assist with neurodegenerative diseases as a result.
The majority of the “evidence” is still anecdotal at this point but there is early research that seems promising.
THCa Side Effects
The side effects of THCa after you introduce it to heat are going to be the same as you may expect with THC. This means that it’s important to practice caution — a THC overdose isn’t fatal but it’s also not fun.
Taking too much THC can lead to:
- Paranoia
- Elevated heart rate
- Nausea
- Visual or auditory hallucinations
- And more
When you’re dealing with highly-concentrated forms of THC like diamonds or powder, it can be very easy to overdo it. Make sure to start with a small amount and increase slowly. As the old saying goes, you can always take more — you just can’t take less.
Where Can You Buy THCa Products?
Since THCa technically falls into the category of hemp, it is an unregulated product. As such, the quality of THCa can vary greatly between different producers.
From a regulatory standpoint, the only reporting that producers of THCa have to do is on the level of Delta-9 THC in a product. That means they don’t even have to technically report on the amount of THCa it contains.
Anytime you’re dealing with an unregulated market, the most important thing is to choose a vendor you can trust. At Perfect Plant, we offer full-pannel, third-party reporting on all products to make sure you can have confidence in what is on our labels.
We don’t mind giving you a “peek under the hood” because we’re not scared of what you’ll see. Everything that we stock on our shelves is rigorously tested for purity, potency, and quality.
Still have questions? Stop by one of our shops off Whitebridge or in Germantown and speak with one of our cannabis experts today.
Or, if you already know what you want, check out our website and see what THCa products we have in store for you there!
