Does THCa Get You High? Complete THCa Product Breakdown
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TL;DR:
THCa itself doesn’t get you high in its raw form, but it can deliver a potent high once it’s heated or dried. This blog explains exactly how THCa works, why heat is the key to unlocking its psychoactive effects, and what to expect from THCa flower and vapes. Readers also learn about legality, potency levels, and how long a THCa high typically lasts.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
• Why raw THCa behaves more like CBD and won’t get you high
• How heating or drying THCa converts it into Delta 9 THC — the source of the high
• Whether THCa feels stronger than other cannabinoids
• What counts as a “high” THCa percentage in flower
• How long a THCa high lasts when smoking or vaping
Does THCa get you high? The shortest correct answer is that it can, as long as you heat or dry it first.
The reasons why that’s true for THCa lead to plenty of other questions and answers about this unique chemical that can be found in cannabis and hemp plants. Keep reading as we break it down, covering all the key info you need about THCa, how it works, where to find it, and much more.
THCa: All the Info You Need on This Cannabinoid
What is THCa?
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCa) is a chemical that develops naturally in cannabis and hemp plants as they grow. It’s one of many cannabinoids – a class of chemicals found in cannabis and hemp plants that interact with the human body’s natural endocannabinoid system (ECS).
Raw THCa, meaning the same chemical found in live cannabis and hemp plants, isn’t like most other cannabinoids. The majority of cannabinoids, although certainly not all of them, give users a high. They deliver uplifting feelings, a sense of euphoria, and more.
Raw THCa is more like CBD and similar cannabinoids that have functional effects, but don’t cause a high. As WebMD explains, THCa in its raw form may help provide pain relief and reduce feelings of nausea.
However, when THCa is heated through smoking or vaping, or dried, it transforms into Delta 9 THC (commonly just called THC). In other words, THCa is a precursor to THC. That’s the main cannabinoid found in cannabis plants, and it most definitely delivers a high. So, when you buy THCa hemp flower or THCa vape carts, then apply heat to vape or smoke them, you convert the raw THCa into regular THC.
Is THCa Legal?
THCa is legal on the federal level and in many states. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized the cultivation and sale of hemp as long as it contains no more than 0.3% Delta 9 THC by dry weight, as Congress.gov explains.
Because THCa is chemically distinct from THC, the presence of THCa does not count toward that 0.3% limit. THCa is legal in the eyes of the federal government and is also legal in many, although not all, states.
Does THCa get you high?
Raw THCa does not get you high – it has effects that appear to be somewhat similar to those of CBD or CBN, helping with functional issues like pain. Heated or dried THCa, on the other hand, does deliver a high. That’s because the process of heating or drying out THCa converts it into Delta 9 THC, the same main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis plants and products.
Does THCa get you higher than other cannabinoids?
While there’s not an official, scientific answer to this question, the anecdotal evidence is that THCa delivers a high that’s more potent than many other cannabinoids.
Because heated or dried THCa is really Delta 9 THC, and because Delta 9 is known as a stronger cannabinoid compared to many others, it’s fair to say that smoked or vaped THCa is pretty potent. It delivers a high that, compared to the same dose of a cannabinoid like Delta 8 or HHC, among many others, is more powerful.
What is a high THCa percentage?
THCa percentages in hemp can vary from very low – close to 0% -- to very high, approaching 30%. It’s rare to find hemp flower that has a THCa percentage over 30%, although it can be possible with extremely careful breeding, cultivation, and harvesting.
Does smoking THCa get you high?
Yes, smoking THCa gets you high, as does vaping it. When THCa is exposed to heat, it changes into THC, which is psychoactive. It gets you high, in other words.
How long does a THCa high last?
The length of a high from smoked or vaped THCa depends on factors ranging from your personal metabolism to the size of the dose. However, a generally good estimate is that smoking or vaping THCa will lead to a high that starts within a few minutes, peaks about 30 minutes in, and lasts for 2-4 hours in total.
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