At Passion Farms, we are passionate about providing our community the knowledge it needs to understand cannabis and its many compounds. Today, we will be discussing Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid, a newly discovered cannabinoid present in raw cannabis plants. Unlike its figurative brother THC, It is non-psychoactive when in raw form. Through the heating process that occurs when smoking, vaping, or cooking THCA flower, THCA undergoes a chemical process called decarboxylation and becomes psychoactive THC. Understanding the concept of decarboxylation and how it works is essential to grasping the greater ideas surrounding the full spectrum of this.
What is THCA Flower?
THCA flower is just that ratio, unheated buds of the cannabis plant where the THCA is present. When you smoke this, you are converting what would be THCA into THC that can then interact with CB1 receptors in the endocannabinoid system to create effects. For this reason, many users who know and love cannabis use it for the same experience that they know, while others are able to realize whatever therapeutic effect they may be seeking.
Effects of smoking THCA flower
When you smoke this, once again you heat it up, burning a portion of the THCA in the flower and primarily heating it to convert it into THC. What you will experience is similar to traditional THC high cannabis effects. Those can include:
- Euphoria and relaxation: A lot of users report feeling happy, uplifted and experiencing deep relaxation.
- Altered perception: Senses may be heightened or altered such as heightening sound, sight, and taste.
- Pain and nausea relief: THC has the ability to relieve pain and nausea from many types of body ailments.
- Increased appetite: Or more famously known as the “munchies.”
Again, the onset of effects will usually happen quickly when smoking this because it is absorbed rapidly and directly into your bloodstream through your lungs. The duration will be different for everyone based on their metabolism, how much was consumed, and tolerance. The effects usually last a few hours.
Possible Advantages of THCA Flower
While the psychoactive effects are primarily due to the THC once it is decarbbed, THCA itself, pre-decarboxylation, is being studied for its own potential therapeutic uses. Potential benefits of this include:
- Anti-inflammatory properties: Studies show that they may inhibit certain inflammatory pathways, so it shows promise in inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis.
- Neuroprotective effects: Emerging studies suggest they may protect brain cells. This may be useful in neurodegenerative diseases.
- Anti-emetic: means it might help nausea and vomiting, which is potentially useful in some medical treatments.
- Antioxidant activity: Like other cannabinoids, these will have antioxidant properties which can assist in protecting cells from oxidative stress.
Most of the research on raw THCA has been preliminary or at the start stages, so additional studies are warranted before conclusions can be made about their therapeutic uses. That being said, the potential is exciting!
Risks of Smoking THCA
- Smoking this can create effects that may be desirable; however, it is important to understand some risks, like smoking all plant materials:
- Respiratory Issues: Smoking can irritate your lungs, and over time it can complicate matters. So, if you are concerned about your respiratory health, there are other ways to ingest this if you want. Eating and tinctures can preserve this in its raw form.
- Psychoactivity: When this is heated, it converts to THC, and you will have psychoactivity. If you are new to cannabis or if you have a low tolerance, I would suggest using very small amounts and wait until you see how your body reacts before consuming more amounts where you could experience anxiety or paranoia if you have too much.
- Purity and Contamination: Since cannabis is not regulated in some markets, cannabis products can be contaminated with pesticides, heavy metals, or otherwise. You should always purchase these products from the dispensaries you trust, or providers such as Passion Farms that offer and prioritize third-party lab testing for purity and potency.
- Legal Status:  The legal status of this can be sometimes complicated and is different depending on where you are in the world. The non-psychoactive nature of this may itself be legal in some locations, yet once heated, it turns to THC which may have its own legal limitations against it. It is important to always stay up to speed with your local laws and regulations.Â
Making the Right Decisions with Passion Farms
Being informed of smoking THCA flower and the effects and benefits and risks it can produce is necessary in order to have a responsible and enjoyable experience. Meanwhile at Passion Farms, we guarantee you the quality of this and other cannabis products that are thoroughly tested for purity and potency.
Please check out our product category and premium quality THCa cannabis product pages to find out more about what we have to offer and what we might have that you would like. Or, if you would like more information about cannabis and the benefits, then look through our other blog posts. If you are ready to give us a try then we can book you online or you can touch base with us to see more cannabis products we curated for you or your experience.
