While Delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or simply “THC,” is the most popular cannabinoid to grace dispensaries and research groups, it wouldn’t exist without its precursor—tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA).
More recently, the public has been made aware of the lesser restrictions put on THCA compared to THC. Now, THCA products in the form of gummies, tinctures, high-potency THCA hemp flowers, and vapes are sold almost everywhere.
Take a closer look at THCA and see why it’s all the rage right now.
🔑 Key Takeaways
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Tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THCA) is the most abundant non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in strains of cannabis plants. It’s most commonly found in younger cannabis plants, scattered among fresh cannabis flowers and leaves.
Chemically, THCA’s additional molecular carboxyl ring bars it from binding to the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). The three-dimensionality of the molecule is not small enough to lock with the ECS receptors. This mechanism prevents the feeling of getting high.
Another interesting thing about THCA is that it’s the precursor of THC. THCA converts into THC through a series of enzymatic reactions after being exposed to heat. Known as decarboxylation, the process activates THCA’s psychoactive properties.
It can’t be helped for THCA and THC to be compared due to their close ties and similarities. However, there are glaring differences between the two cannabinoids.
One of the major distinctions is that THCA is non-psychoactive while THC is. Here are the other polarities:
THCA and THC share a similar chemical composition, except for the extra carboxyl group attached to THCA, making it an acidic form of THC.
THC is a controlled substance across the US, but THCA isn’t. However, some states have unique laws and protocols about THCA and THC. Check with your local laws before purchasing or consuming either compound.
THCA is abundant among younger cannabis plants, often found in cannabis flowers and leaves. Meanwhile, THC exists in large quantities among semi-young to adult cannabis plants. It’s largely concentrated among the flowering parts of the female cannabis plants.
THCA is fairly new to the market, but you can already purchase THCA buds, edibles, vape juices, tinctures, etc., from dispensaries and other smokeshops.
Conversely, products with more than 0.3% Delta 9 THC are hard to find across states. If you find one, you will need a medical cannabis license to purchase it.
Disclaimer: These statements are not meant to encourage readers to use THCA as a treatment, cure, or preventive compound for medical conditions. All the information presented is merely a reiteration of the scientific literature published online.
Research on THCA’s is still limited. Thus, it’s hard to make a definitive list of its effects on the brain. One thing’s for sure, though. THCA, on its own, can’t intoxicate the brain unless heated at some point.
While most of the studies are preliminary, they give us a clue as to what possible support THCA can offer to the human nervous system. Here are some of them:
A study published in the British Pharmacological Society notes the potent neuroprotective activity of THCA. Neuroprotection is a type of brain defence from neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation.
A 2023 study explores the role of THCA in rescuing memory deficits and reducing Amyloid-Beta and Tau Pathology in mice subjects with Alzheimer’s.
Aside from the array of interesting properties researchers found, THCA (along with CBDA) was found to modulate calcium ions, which is important in maintaining the ability of neurons to function well.
🧪 Other researched uses
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The majority of cannabinoids interact with the human brain and body through the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This is the biological route that enables cannabis compounds to directly influence the human body and elicit their effects.
| 📚 Definition The ECS is a complex network of receptors, enzymes, and human-produced endocannabinoids scattered throughout the body. It is responsible for several processes, such as pain, hunger, and mood, among others. |
While THCA doesn’t interact directly with the ECS like THC does, it can affect the ECS peripherally. For example, THCA has a role in helping ECS with the release and inhibition of proteins and enzymes—an action that ultimately bolsters a homeostatic effect, contributing to brain health.
First, it’s important to confirm that THCA can trigger a positive result in a marijuana screening. Even if consumed raw, THCA is such an unstable cannabinoid that there is a slight chance the compound could turn into a THC metabolite inside the body.
More so, your chances of failing a drug test increase with the consumption of THCA in heated or chemically synthesized form (smoking, vaping, etc.)
With that said, it’s best not to take your chances with THCA and abstain from taking it or any cannabinoid weeks ahead of a scheduled drug screening.
Specifically, here are the corresponding timeframes for THC detection on each type of sample:
| Frequency | Urine | Blood | Saliva | Hair Follicle |
| First-time user | 3 days | 2-12 hours | 24 hours | 90 days or less |
| Regular user | 10-15 days | 1-2 days | 1-3 days | 90 days or more |
| Heavy user (multiple times a day) | More than a month | 30 days | 1-3 days | 90 days or more |
Raw THCA has lesser dramatic side effects compared to heated THCA. When overconsumed from an unverified source, some of the side effects noted are nausea, an upset stomach, and indigestion.
On the other hand, once smoked or vaped in large doses, THCA can trigger the following short-term effects:
To prevent the unpleasant THCA side effects from happening, deviate from the following practices:
Overall, THCA can be consumed in five ways. Check out what they are and how each is consumed.
As the most common method of consuming THCA, vaping or smoking is a method that allows a quick onset of effects. The heat utilized by vaping devices, pre-rolls, concentrates, and joints transforms THCA into THC in real-time.
THCA is now available as a food or beverage. Products that have come out are mostly gummies, capsules, and seltzers. Edibles may take longer to effect (around 30 minutes or more), but they’re lasting compared to other product types.
If the THCA edible hasn’t undergone any chemical-altering process, such as decarboxylation, it will stay non-psychoactive.
THCA oil or tinctures consumed through the sublingual method are some of the purest ways to take THCA. If you want to make sure you’re taking preserved THCA, purchase tinctures and oils.
| 📚 Definition The sublingual method refers to the placing of tincture or oil drops under your tongue and letting it stay there for a few minutes for absorption. The tiny blood vessels under the tongue transport the product directly into the bloodstream. |
THCA can also be applied to the skin through THCA-infused creams, lotions, face masks, balms, etc. People who buy these products like the fact that THCA is only applied to a localized area and doesn’t transfer to the bloodstream in concentrated amounts.
THCA suppositories are inserted in the rectum at a comfortable depth. This is often the most overlooked method of consuming THCA, but it’s a great option for those having problems taking THCA orally or through inhalation.
There is no universal dose that works for everybody since THCA affects consumers differently. Users tend to experiment with different dosages to find what will perfectly work for them.
The search for that “sweet spot” starts with the smallest dose. Then, users gradually increase (every few days) until they arrive at a dose that gives them their desired effects.
Here’s a chart to give an idea of what THCA dosage looks like per user type.
| User Type | Dosage Level | Daily dose |
| First-timer | Low | 5-10mg |
| Regular user | Moderate | 10-20mg |
| Heavy and frequent user | High | 20mg+ |
If a THCA product package has its own recommended dosage, it’s better to follow that than what the chart says. However, it’s important to stretch out the daily recommended dose throughout the day into threes. This allows the body to adjust to the newly introduced compound.
| 🗒️ Note Before deciding on the amount of THCA to consume based on the basic dosage guidelines, keep in mind the following factors that might affect the dosing:
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Chances are, if there is a dispensary or online shop that sells cannabis products, there will also be a THCA product available. However, compared to CBD and Delta 8, THCA is still fairly new, so your brand choices might be limited.
To widen your options, get in touch with as many shops as you can in your locality. That said, here are some ways to shop for THCA products near you.
A quick search on the internet will lead you to awesome online shops that sell THCA products. Within these e-commerce sites, you get to experience the whole shopping process. For example, you can read product descriptions/comments from real buyers, check out an item, pay in advance, and get the parcel delivered to your doorstep.
Two types of e-commerce sites for cannabis products exist. The first one is a direct shopping website that allows you to purchase a THCA product straight from the brand. The second one is an online merchant partner like the DD8 Shop that sells THCA products from different brands.
Now, there are pros and cons to shopping on a direct site and through a reseller. Here’s a chart to compare:
| Direct Shopping Website | Online Merchant Partner | ||
| Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
| Buy the original retail price | Limited product selections | Wide collections of products | May or may not have price mark-ups |
| You’re less likely to get scammed | May overhyped products unnecessarily | Huge and frequent price discounts | |
| Speedy and direct customer service | Censorship issues regarding published reviews | ||
Whatever online store you choose to shop at, here are some things to remember.
Before shopping online, it’s important to check your state’s protocols about cannabis and specific compounds like THCA. You can refer to blogs and other informative articles online but always double-check your state’s official websites.
Verifying a shop’s credibility is part of making sure you’re only getting legitimate THCA products. Some of the ways to research an online shop are to look for raw customer reviews (on-site or through forums) and rating sites like Trust Pilot.
Verify if they can offer “discreet packaging” and if delivery times/prices are reasonable.
Dispensaries are physical shops that people can walk into to buy cannabis products like THCA. They cater to two types of purchases—medical or recreational purposes. Depending on the state you live in, most recreational users would need to be 21 or older.
Here are some things to keep in mind to experience a smooth-sailing shopping journey with dispensaries.
Make sure that purchasing cannabis and its specific compounds, like THCA, is legal in your state. Additionally, check if you qualify to purchase.
If your local laws don’t ban THCA and allow the recreational and medical consumption of cannabis, you’ll most likely find a dispensary near you.
After checking with your localities’ dispensary rules, prepare the required documents. Here’s what your list of requirements would look like:
| ✅ Pro Tip Google and other search engines can recommend nearby shops better if they know your exact location. Take advantage of this tracking feature by activating it in your search engine’s settings. |
Bring cash instead of debit/credit cards.
A lot of dispensaries are still negotiating with credit card partners to accept payments for cannabis products. So, some shops may not accept credit or debit cards as a form of payment.
Budtenders inside the shops will guide you throughout your purchase, but it wouldn’t hurt to learn a little about THCA and product labels to avoid getting duped.
| 🗺️ Other navigational ways to find nearby THCA stores |
By legalizing hemp under the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Act), derivatives like THCA have been made federally legal under several conditions.
One of the major prerequisites for legal THCA is that the product should not contain more than 0.3% Delta 9 THC. However, states have their own laws about hemp and cannabinoids like THCA. Some of these laws are quite restrictive, conditional, or non-existent.
So far, five states have reservations about allowing the circulation of THCA within their jurisdiction. These states, including Oregon and Arkansas, add THCA to the “total THC” content per product.
Find out if your state has the same sentiment in this mapping chart:
| ⚠️ A Word of Caution THCA may not be a scheduled substance and is legal in your state, but that doesn’t mean that authorities will not question a person who possesses an illegal amount of marijuana or concentrates just because raw cannabis isn’t intrinsically intoxicating. |
THCA may not be a psychoactive compound, but it’s one of the most investigated cannabinoids for several beneficial reasons. Not to mention, without THCA, THC wouldn’t even exist.
Like any other burgeoning cannabinoids, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about THCA’s effects and its legality. Thus, it’s important to only trust credible sellers and keep educating oneself to make sure you’re staying safe and compliant.
How Are THCA Products Made?
The process of making THCA products hinges on the type of product a manufacturer wants to produce. For example, to make THCA crystalline, the process starts with a THCA extract. This is followed by several chemical processes, such as the addition of acetic acid and hexane.
How is THCA flower made?
THCA flowers are either naturally grown or sprayed. Farmers grow THCA-rich buds in colder areas. Meanwhile, sprayed THCA flowers are sprayed with a THC-rich extract that has been chemically converted from CBDA.
What is a high THCA percentage?
Examples of products with a high THCA percentage are THCA diamonds, THCA powders, and THCA crystallines.
What are THCA diamonds?
THCA diamonds are some of the purest THCA concentrates on the market. They can yield up to 99.9% of THC once heated. Concentrates are mostly vaped or dabbed.
Is THCA better than Delta 8?
In terms of potency, Delta 8 is far superior to the 0% non-psychoactive THCA. However, once converted to THC, THCA is far superior in making you high compared to Delta 8.
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