Okay so if you just found out about THCa and you're confused, that's totally normal. Let me break it down as simple as I can.
THCa is not THC
THCa is the raw form of THC that exists in the live cannabis plant. It stands for tetrahydrocannabinolic-acid. In its raw form it does not get you high. That's the big thing people get confused about.
So how does it get you high?
Heat. When you apply heat to THCa it goes through a process called decarboxylation, or decarb for short. Basically the heat burns off a little carbon dioxide and converts THCa into THC, which is the thing that actually gets you high.
This happens when you:
So buying THCa flower is essentially buying cannabis that becomes regular weed the second you light it.
Why does this matter legally?
This is the part that makes THCa interesting right now. Because THCa is technically not THC in its raw form, it exists in a legal gray area in a lot of states under the 2018 Farm Bill. A lot of vendors sell it as a hemp product.
That said the laws are changing constantly and vary by state so always check what's legal where you are. We have a whole section for that in Safety, Legal & Testing.
What's a COA?
A certificate of analysis. It's a lab test that shows what's actually in the product you're buying. Any legit vendor should have one. It'll show THCa percentage, THC percentage, any pesticides, heavy metals, etc.
Always ask for a COA before buying from someone you don't know.
Quick summary
If you have any questions just drop them in here.
THCa is not THC
THCa is the raw form of THC that exists in the live cannabis plant. It stands for tetrahydrocannabinolic-acid. In its raw form it does not get you high. That's the big thing people get confused about.
So how does it get you high?
Heat. When you apply heat to THCa it goes through a process called decarboxylation, or decarb for short. Basically the heat burns off a little carbon dioxide and converts THCa into THC, which is the thing that actually gets you high.
This happens when you:
- Smoke it
- Vape it
- Cook it into edibles (as long as you heat it enough)
So buying THCa flower is essentially buying cannabis that becomes regular weed the second you light it.
Why does this matter legally?
This is the part that makes THCa interesting right now. Because THCa is technically not THC in its raw form, it exists in a legal gray area in a lot of states under the 2018 Farm Bill. A lot of vendors sell it as a hemp product.
That said the laws are changing constantly and vary by state so always check what's legal where you are. We have a whole section for that in Safety, Legal & Testing.
What's a COA?
A certificate of analysis. It's a lab test that shows what's actually in the product you're buying. Any legit vendor should have one. It'll show THCa percentage, THC percentage, any pesticides, heavy metals, etc.
Always ask for a COA before buying from someone you don't know.
Quick summary
- THCa = raw cannabis, not psychoactive on its own
- Heat converts THCa to THC
- THC = the thing that gets you high
- Decarb = the process of applying heat to make that conversion happen
- COA = lab test that proves what's in your product
If you have any questions just drop them in here.