A Beginner’s Guide to THCa: Everything Newbies Need to Know to Get High With Confidence

If you’re scratching your head at the “THCa” label on your weed product, you’re not alone. The weed world gets more complicated and confusing as time goes on. While some terms refer to passing trends, I’m willing to bet that THCa is here to stay–at least until weed becomes federally legal (and not just rescheduled).

With that in mind, here’s a beginner’s guide to THCa. 

I’m going to keep this short and simplified, because all these letters and terms can get complicated quickly. Here’s the gist of it:

THCa refers to tetrahydrocannabinolic acid. It’s a metabolic precursor to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the regular, classic compound that most of us associate with getting high. Now, a metabolic precursor is basically the chemical compound that will eventually convert into a more “active” compound. So, THCa is basically the less mature, little version of THC. 

On its own, THCa can’t get you high. It’s just a baby, after all! But THCa will eventually convert to THC if left on its own for long enough. This slow conversion can also be sped up with one handy trick: heat. When you bake THCa at a high enough temperature, or spark it up with a lighter, the compound will reach its full potential and convert to THC–the kind of compound that does get you high.

As interesting as these chemical compounds may be, you’re probably not here for a chemistry lesson. So let’s talk about why THCa is such a popular item right now. 

MORE: Master the Art of Microdosing With These Low-Dose THC Drinks

Remember how I said THCa doesn’t get you high? This is crucial to why it’s so popular right now.

The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the list of controlled substances and made it federally legal. If cannabis plants have less than 0.3% THC–not THCa–they are legally considered hemp, an agricultural commodity. The goal here was to allow for the cultivation and production of non-intoxicating hemp products, but that’s not exactly what went down. 

On paper, THCa products with less than 0.3% THC content fit under the federal provisions for hemp. They are non-intoxicating, after all. But remember that one handy trick? That’s right, if you take federally legal, hemp-derived THCa and heat it up, suddenly it becomes THC–the stuff that’s still federally illegal. 

Many brands hopped on the THCa train when they realized they can sell an intoxicating product that’s federally legal. Hemp cultivators carefully harvest genetics that produce high amounts of THCa and then harvest the plants at peak times before their compounds naturally convert to THC. It’s how we ended up where we are today, with Sprouts stocking THC beverages and even a major events arena selling weed drinks at concerts.

Call it a loophole, call it innovation, call it what you want. The bottom line is, THCa has made it possible to get high for people in states without legal cannabis markets. Because it’s federally legal, stoners across the country can buy THCa products online and in various stores. 

At its core, THCa is just as safe as regular cannabis. Expect the same risks you’d expect from state-legal weed. Many THCa brands also sell cannabis in state-legal markets, and their products are virtually indistinguishable. The key difference is that THCa, while federally legal, is not regulated in the same way cannabis is. 

States with cannabis markets have strict rules about cannabis production. Products must be traced from seed to sale and undergo thorough testing to verify purity and potency. It’s a far from perfect system, though, and cases of mold, arsenic, and other impurities in state-legal weed pop up from time to time. 

But with hemp-derived THCa products, these regulations aren’t in place. No one is requiring companies to track their plants from seed to sale or rigorously test them for impurities. And forget about labeling regulations. I have personally seen discrepancies between hemp-derived product’s labels and their affiliated test results. And that’s just with the brands that bother testing at all. 

If you want to buy THCa safely, look for reputable brands with good reviews that aren’t associated with their website. Don’t buy from brands that refuse to test their products and make those test results publicly available. Don’t just trust that they have test results available; verify the test results against what the label says to make sure the brand is accurately portraying their products. And for the love of weed, don’t buy random gas station cannabis products. 

Should the impending hemp ban take place as planned, THCa products will basically all disappear. We can say goodbye to most hemp-derived products and hundreds of thousands of jobs. But it’s probably not going to take place as planned, at least according to recent developments. 

First, we heard from Congress’ think tank, which revealed that “it remains unclear if and how federal law enforcement will enforce the new prohibitions when the new definition goes into effect.” 

Since then, we’ve also seen the introduction of a bipartisan bill that would create a framework for federal hemp regulation. Other proposed legislation include delays to rule changes for federal hemp production, allowing cultivators to finish out the 2026 hemp planting season. 

We’ll keep an eye out and report on future developments regarding the hemp ban. 

Hemp-derived THCa products are much more common in states without legal cannabis markets. But I’ve seen plenty of weed beverages in places with legal weed, too. Most recently, I saw lots of THC beverages at Oregon liquor stores, despite the state having its own regulated cannabis market. 

Buying THCa products online is a good way to go, especially if you want to do your research and make sure you are buying a safe, tested product. Many brands can ship to all 50 states, making it easy to get your hands on some weed-infused goodness, even if you live in the middle of nowhere. 

Here are some products to get you started…

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