Will THCA Get You High? Here’s What You Need To Know!

Will THCA get you high? It’s a good question, because there are over a hundred different compounds in the cannabis plant. And each has a unique effect. The latest research also reveals that the plant hundreds of terpenes and flavonoids. Mostly, we hear about CBD and THC because they are the two most abundant compounds.

That being said,  all these compounds seem to work better together than alone, something we call “the entourage effect.” Now, one minor compound that’s becoming more popular is THCA or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid. So, if you’re wondering “Will THCA get you high,” you’ve come to the right place. Because you’ll have your answer by the end of this article. But first…

What Is THCA?

You’ve probably already heard about THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. It’s the cannabinoid that gets you “high” (delivers an intoxicating effect). If you use cannabis for recreational purposes, you may enjoy weed’s psychoactive effects. But you won’t get it from every variety in the plant family.

How could that be? Well, cannabis has two main plant varieties: hemp and marijuana. Hemp contains less than 0.3% THC and is legal in the U.S. But marijuana contains more than 0.3% THC. So it’s federally illegal, though legal in some states for medical and/or recreational uses.

But before THC forms in plants, you’ll notice its precursor, called THCA. These two compounds have almost identical chemical structures, but there are a few molecular differences. And these differences account for major changes in how the two compounds can make you feel.

Another difference? THCA is abundantly available in raw cannabis plants.  But THC isn’t. Because you have to convert THCA into THC by heating weed through a process called decarboxylation.

What is Decarboxylation?

You can decarboxylate cannabis by exposing it to heat. That temperature should range between 240-250 degrees F. But there are other options, too.

Want to make your own product? You may also decarb cannabis flowers by drying and curing them. Normally, THCA doesn’t produce any psychoactive effects. Those only show up once you introduce heat and convert THCA into THC. For that reason, you can consume a bunch of raw cannabis buds, and hardly get high.

While it doesn’t have strong psychoactive effects, THCA may positive effects. Try it for yourself and see how you feel! We’re guessing it may become one of your favorite cannabis compounds to supplement.

How Can I Use THCA?

You need to enjoy THCA without converting the compound to THC. One of the most popular techniques of using THCA is to trim raw cannabis buds and juice the plant matter. It is a quick and easy way to take full advantage of THCA before the compound is converted into THC. Another popular method is to prepare THCA tea with the compound. For this purpose, you should steep raw cannabis buds in hot water. The process exposes cannabis buds to relatively low temperatures where they cannot turn into THC through the process of decarboxylation. You can also use it as a garnish or salad dressing to take full advantage of the medicinal properties of THCA.

You should expose the cannabis to a temperature exceeding 250 degrees Fahrenheit if you need to break it down to THC. The Cannabis International Group states that raw cannabis provides a thousand times the amount of therapeutic cannabinoid acids (THCA) compared to smoking or vaporizing the plant.

Can I Smoke it?

No. When you heat THCA, it converts to THC. For example, THC is produced by decarboxylation THCA to a temperature of 240 degrees F. If you expose THCA to a temperature of 212 F for 4 hours, it will convert to THC. When you smoke or vaporize raw cannabis, it will lose its THCA content altogether. The process also happens when you dry or cure raw cannabis. Here are some of the most popular methods of decarboxylation THCA to produce THC:

. Sunlight – When THCA molecules are exposed to sunlight for long periods, they convert into THC.

. Room Temperature – If you leave THCA in the open (room temperature) for long periods, you may end up with THC. For example, if you leave THCA in the open at 77 F for 10 days, 20-22% of THCA will convert into THC.

. Using An Oven – Most people decarboxylate THCA using an oven. Place the raw cannabis buds on a piece of parchment paper and put it in an oven at 230 F for 20-30 minutes, and you will have THCA. The process can take up to 90 minutes depending on the moisture content of cannabis.

Is it Legal?

The FDA still lists marijuana as a Schedule I drug even in 2021. The FDA does so because of the high potential for abuse of the substance. The main reason for listing marijuana as a Schedule I drug is its THC content. The psychoactive properties of THC make people enjoy marijuana as a recreational substance. Although the FDA doesn’t mention THCA specifically, it is better to avoid THCA products in states where THC is still illegal.

Could it Make You Fail A Drug Test?

Yes. Whether you smoke THC or juice raw cannabis (THCA) for its health benefits, both these compounds metabolize into THC-COOH. Most drug tests screen for THC-COOH. For example, 9-THCA can be detected in urine for approximately 1-5 days in occasional, recreational smokers, and for 3-4 weeks in chronic, heavy smokers.

Will THCA Get You High?

THCA won’t get you high unless the compound is converted into THC due to excess heat. In order to convert THCA into THC, one needs to heat the substance at 230-240 F. Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid is the non-psychoactive acid form of THC – found in cannabis plants when they are raw. THCA turns into THC when it is decarboxylated. The fact that healthcare providers and their patients are reporting significant health benefits from this compound at very low concentrations indicates that there is much more to be studied about THCA.

Where Can You Buy Acidic Cannabinoid Products?

THCA products are mostly found in legal marijuana dispensaries across the United States. The product is known as THCA Crystalline and is considered a form of marijuana. The substance looks like white crystals or a white powder. Most of the time, terpenes from the cannabis plant will be added to the substance for better health benefits. When terpenes are added to THCA, the substance turns into amber or brown coloring or off-white crystals. People can easily mistake the substance as marijuana wax or dabs.

The most important thing is to buy THCA products from a reputable manufacturer or supplier in the market. There are hundreds of such manufacturers and suppliers out there, but all of them are not created alike. Do your homework and choose a reputable THCA supplier such as Tanasi.Com to source all of your cannabis products including THCA.