What Is THCa? A Complete Guide to THCa Products

THCa is one of the many cannabinoids found in hemp plants. It’s the precursor to THC — the cannabinoid responsible for the high associated with weed. THCa hemp looks, smells, tastes, and gets you high like marijuana.

In this post, we'll dive into everything you need to know about THCa, including its chemistry, psychoactive effects, legal status, and potential benefits.

In addition, we’ll give you some helpful recommendations for getting started with THCa flower and other cannabis products.

Visit the our Shop to browse our selection of high-quality flower, concentrates, edibles, and more. 

How Is THCa Hemp Different From THC?

THCa, or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, is part of the chemical structure of the raw form of the cannabis plant.

THCa is not psychoactive in its raw state. However, once cannabis buds are smoked or heated, THCa converts directly to THC through a process called decarboxylation. You can’t get THC without first having the THCa found in raw cannabis.

What Are the Effects of THCa?

As we mentioned above, THCa doesn’t have the intoxicating effects associated with THC until it’s heated or smoked. However, once they’re heated, THCa products like diamonds provide a classic high.

Heat turns the cannabinoid into Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9 THC), which interacts with your body’s cannabinoid receptors to produce a high. You can expect the same experience that you’d get from the best fresh cannabis flower at your local dispensary.

At Hemp Provisions, we seek out American-grown strains with specific cannabinoid ratios and terpene profiles so we can confidently predict the type of high you’ll feel, whether that’s chatty and social, relaxed and chill, creatively inspired, or just happy.