If you’ve recently discovered the joys of trying THC, you should meet its non-psychoactive precursor—THCA. Tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THCA) turns into THC through heat. Although THCA and THC are closely related, each has distinct characteristics crucial for medical and recreational users.

This guide breaks down the differences between THCA and THC in terms of chemical structures, effects, legal statuses, and more. Learn more about these distinctions to guide your decision-making when purchasing cannabis products. 

Understanding the Key Differences Between THC and THCA

Delta 9 THC and THCA are better known for their contrasting psychoactive effects. If Delta 9 THC gives off feelings of euphoria and high, THCA doesn’t produce any feelings of psychoactivity because of its acidic nature. Aside from that, both compounds differ in their physical properties, interaction with the human body, and legal statuses. 

Explore these key differences in this section. 

Chemical Structure And Properties

As a precursor of THC, THCA shares a slightly similar chemical structure to that of Delta 9 with a difference in atom arrangement. Specifically, THCA has a carboxylic acid group (COOH) attached to its molecular structure, whereas THC has none. This tiny variation in molecular structure makes THCA non-psychotropic and sets it apart from THC regarding properties. 

Interaction with the Human Body

Like many cannabinoids, THCA is said to exert its effects through the human endocannabinoid system (ECS)—an intricate homeostasis network that controls several crucial physiological processes, such as sleep. Some studies challenge this thought. 

Psychoactive compounds like Delta 9 strongly bind to the ECS’s CB1 receptors, which is largely responsible for the high you feel after consuming weed. However, acidic compounds like THCA, in raw cannabis form, don’t bind to CB1 and CB2 receptors as seamlessly as THC.

Studies suggest that when THCA is consumed raw (achieved through juicing or manufactured as gummies), the compound mainly interacts with CB1‐independent mechanisms such as TRP channels, other non-cannabinoid receptors, and enzymes. This suggests that THCA is also a potent agonist for an entirely different set of potential benefits.

Legality

The federal status of THCA is unclear, as only a few legal instruments discuss provisions and stipulations specific to the compound. The general consensus is that THCA is legal at the federal level through a loophole created by the 2018 Farm Bill. 

Following the passage of the bill in 2018, minor cannabinoids, except Delta 9 THC, have soared in popularity because of a federal law gap, excluding hemp-derived cannabinoids like THCA from the “marijuana” definition. 

If THCA’s legal standing at the federal level is murky, some states have drafted clear laws about its commercial movements, usage, and possession within their jurisdictions. 

Delta 9 THC’s legal status, on the other hand, is clear at federal and state lines. If a cannabis product maxes out the 0.3% Delta 9 THC limit, the product, by definition, is marijuana and is, therefore, illegal at the federal level. 

Meanwhile, states that have legalized recreational and medical marijuana products have regulated the compound when it comes to possession limits, appropriate places to consume, qualifications, etc. 

Consumption

The available hemp-derived Delta 9 THC products nowadays range from cannabis flowers,  edibles, vaping distillates, tinctures, and topical solutions. Mainly sold as buds, Delta 9 THC is mainly used for adult-use purposes due to its delicious buzz and euphoric high. 

The industry has taken liberty with THCA products, making good use of its lenient legal status. It’s basically a sleeping THC in legal form. As a result, the available THCA products today revolve around satisfying two consumer intents: recreational and lifestyle. 

For adult-use THCA products, the online and in-store market offers them in flowers, pre-rolls, diamonds, edibles, and vaping distillates. On the other hand, when you see THCA-labelled products of creams, lotions, and tinctures, it’s marketed for physical benefits and elevating one’s lifestyle.

🍬 Is it possible for THCA edibles to get you high? It depends on the manufacturing process. If heat was applied and the THCA distillated experienced proper decarboxylation, then yes, edibles like that can get you high. Get deeper expert insights on the subject from this Cannacare episode—Do THCA Gummies Actually Work?

How is THCA Converted to THC?

Decarboxylation is the process of transforming THCA to THC. It’s a chemical reaction triggered by heat introduced by a vaping device or the action of lighting a joint. Through decarboxylation, THCA loses its carboxyl group and releases CO2.

Heat is not the only factor here. Time also plays a role in kickstarting decarboxylation. Even without heat, storing THCA for a very long time converts the compound to THC. 

The specific time it requires for THCA to transform into THC is not absolute. It’s dependent on factors like temperature, moisture level, the plant state, and even room humidity. The lower the temperature, the longer it would take to disintegrate THCA. 

Another important fact to remember is that not all THCA will be converted to THC during the decarboxylation process. Only about 87.7% of the THCA will transform into THC, and that’s the industry standard. 

So, let’s say you have a flower strain that contains about 36% THCA. When heated, it would produce about 31.57% THC. Using the standard conversion ratio of 87.7%, here’s how the computation will look like:

36 x 0.877 = 31.57

Comparatively, if a flower strain has 36% THC in the first place, more or less, the THC percentage remains at 36%, assuming it has been decarbed already.

Smoking THCA vs. THC: Which is Stronger?

Following the natural line of thinking, smoking THCA and THC flower produces the same effect as THCA in fresh flowers, as it would naturally dissolve into THC once heated. However, it should be pointed out that what’s considered a “THCA flower” in the industry is synonymous with “freshly harvested cannabis.” 

THC flowers sold in dispensaries may not necessarily be from young cannabis plants. Some may need to reach a certain level of maturity, at which point most of the THCA will have transformed already. 

With that said, younger cannabis buds would have a different set of cannabinoids in them compared to older buds, reinforcing the thought that THCA flowers yield a different experience in contrast to THC flowers. 

The experience will be entirely different for individuals because of our unique physicality and perspectives. However, according to Leafly, in purchasing hemp flowers with potency in mind, it’s better to look for higher THCA numbers than THC. This makes sense as smoking THC directly evaporates THC at a faster rate, leaving you wanting more. 

Furthermore, THCA flowers offer more flexibility in terms of higher THCA percentages. You can buy a THCA flower strain with up to 40% THCA, and when smoked, 87.7% of that will convert into THC. In contrast, it is challenging to find THC buds with more than 0.3% THC content.

THCA vs. THC: Which is More Potent?

THC, which has activated intoxicating effects, has superior potency. Depending on the type of consumption method used, THC’s head high happens as fast as 15 minutes to 90 minutes. Some people report feelings of heightened sensory perception, altered time perception, increased appetite, and relaxation.

Decarboxylated THCA is as superior in potency as THC. The conversion process from THCA to THC doesn’t increase nor decrease the cannabinoid’s potency; heat simply activates it. 

Unheated THCA, on the other hand, has little to zero psychoactive effects. Its effects are more attributed to drowsiness and gentle feelings of productivity. Its effects can be a little inconsistent across its users. 

THCA vs. THC: Side Effects

Delta 9 THC side effects can be a combination of cognitive-related or physical-related effects. In terms of cognitive-related effects, overconsumption of THC can trigger anxiety and short-term memory impairment. Alternatively, THC’s physical effects include red eyes, dry mouth, fast heart rate, drowsiness, and increased appetite.  

Decarboxylated THCA is the same as THC, so expect the same side effects from smoking or vaping THCA. When eaten raw, however, THCA side effects can be categorized as non-cognitive, but they can vary from person to person. Some notable THCA side effects include stomach ache, inhibiting the potent effects of some drugs, and sleepiness. 

THCA vs. THC: Which Stays in Your System Longer?

The length of THCA’s stay inside the human body depends on several factors: dosage, frequency of consumption, metabolism, etc. However, as long as THCA remains pure and retains its acidic nature (unheated) in the digestive tract, there is little risk of it being detected as a marijuana metabolite (THC-COOH). 

Still, there is that slight chance, so you better err on the side of caution and temporarily abstain from the compound if you have an upcoming routine drug test. 

Once decarboxylated, however, it is always possible that THCA will be metabolized as a THC metabolite or THC-COOH. This is the same metabolite that Delta 9 THC breaks down into once your body processes it and which most of the available drug testing methods are designed to detect. 

Regardless of the method of consumption, Delta-9-THC will always break down into THC-COOH. As a fat-soluble, THC has a long half-life—a period it takes for THC concentration to be reduced by half.  

How long the residual THC metabolites stay in the body depends on a user’s weed consumption habits. For example, according to a study, consumers who infrequently smoke weed only need two and a half days to completely eliminate THC from their system. Frequent users need somewhere between 13 days and more. 

Additionally, the detection window in drug tests depends on the sample tested. Here’s a chart providing the maximum period to detect THC per specimen:

Sample	Period of Detection
Blood	12 hours
Hair	90 days
Saliva	24 hours
Urine	30 days

Since decarboxylated THCA primarily breaks down as THC-COOH in the body, it will have the same length of stay as Delta 9’s. 

Final Thoughts: Is THCA Better Than THC?

It’s challenging to determine a clear winner between THCA and THC, as both have tight-knit similarities in almost all aspects. Deciding which is preferable depends on individual taste, body chemistry, and accessibility. 

Undoubtedly, there is more attention to Delta 9 THC as the primary psychoactive compound of cannabis, both in the breadth of research and product availability. However, when it comes to legality, THCA circumvents the restriction placed on Delta 9, making it a popular cannabis variant across dispensaries.  

Are you ready to give THCA flower a try? Go with the industry’s best THCA buds provider—The Hemp Doctor. With a variety of THCA flower strains, you can always trust that quality and safety are at the forefront of whatever variant you choose. 

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