THCa

While THC is by far the most famous and well researched cannabinoid due to its psychoactive properties, it wouldn’t exist without its progenitor THCA . So what is the difference between THC and THCa?

What is THCa?

THCa and THC are different cannabinoids. One can get you high and the other can’t.

When THCa is heated, smoked, or vaped, it turns into THC. THC is the main ingredient in cannabis that can give you that high, euphoric feeling. THCa stands for tetrahydrocannabinolic acid and it is the precursor to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). When cannabis is growing it makes cannabinoids as carboxylic acids that most often convert into non-acidic compounds through a process called decarboxylation. Almost all cannabinoids start off in their acidic form which have differing structures and effects than that of their non-acidic versions.

What does THCa do?

THCa is considered non-psychoactive meaning you do not experience a “high” when imbibing it. This is due to the fact that THCa does not bind to CB1 receptors, the receptors that have a high binding affinity for THC. In fact, THCa research has shown that THCa does not seem to bind much to either of the two major cannabinoid receptors.