It’s not true that eating raw cannabis will get you high, despite what you may have seen in slapstick comedies. Raw, newly harvested cannabis may have a lot of untapped potential, but it lacks the plant’s most well-known and psychoactive ingredient, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), an inert molecule present in cannabis trichomes, is, however, abundant. For a high-quality selection of THCA flower, you can find here.
Although THCA and THC are both cannabinoids, it is now commonly understood that THCA acts as a precursor to THC. Despite their similar names, the two have completely different effects on the body after ingestion. Some people consider raw cannabis to be a superfood, and you’re at the right place if you want to learn about the difference between THC and THCA, how cannabinoid acids transform into cannabinoids, and why humans get high on THC and not THCA. There is much that has to be unpacked.
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The Mechanism of THCA
THC is initially present in cannabis in an acidic state termed THCA before it is decarboxylated. Once cannabis has been cooked and “decarbed,” the components in the plant no longer exist in their raw form and go through a series of chemical transformations.
During this change, THCA loses its acidity. Rather, THCA is converted into the chemically inert cannabinoid THC through the release of carbon dioxide (CO2). However, when THCA is converted to THC, an intoxicating molecule is produced that may cause inebriation. Here, THC is not “neutral,” but rather highly potent and capable of producing temporary changes in mood and behaviour.
The Advantages and Applications
Multiple possible medical benefits and applications exist for THCA. According to studies, there are a few frequent applications for this acidic cannabinoid:
- Inflammation-reducers for persistent discomfort
- Drugs that stimulate hunger; chemotherapy and eating problems
- Insomnia treatment
- Tumor-killing cancer
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) and epilepsy benefit from this antispasmodic property.
Few studies have been conducted on the possible health advantages of THCA; additional research, including clinical trials, is necessary.
Where to Obtain THCA?
raw cannabis is the only source of THCA. You shouldn’t put it in your baked goods, vape it, or smoke it.
In case you’d rather not incorporate raw cannabis into your diet, you might try finding edibles or ingestibles that use cold processing methods instead of heat. You can get advice and inspiration on how to use them at your local High Profile cannabis dispensary.
Leaves, buds, and flowers can be used as a garnish for a wide variety of drinks and foods, including smoothies and juices, salads (either as greens or as a dressing), and prepared sauces and condiments.
You can acquire the possible medicinal properties of marijuana by ingesting or juicing fresh leaves, buds, and flowers, but you won’t feel any of the psychoactive effects, like the trademark euphoric high.
Optimal THCA Content for Your Goods
Potency and packaging must be considered while discussing cannabis goods. According to federal regulations, businesses selling these products must be forthright about their policies and procedures. This is primarily because of how each individual state decides whether or not to legalise marijuana.
The potential therapeutic advantages of a product are affected by the concentration of cannabinoids in the product. Products with lower THCA and THC concentrations will be less effective than those with higher concentrations.
There are two methods for determining efficacy. In contrast to gas chromatography (GC), liquid chromatography (LC) is a more common analytical technique (GC). There is a little but noticeable variation in outcomes between the two methods due of the differences in how they are executed.
Liquid chromatography, or LC, test findings are preferable when determining the THCA concentration. This is due to the high temperatures required for gas or GC. This results in the majority of the THCA being converted into THC.
Raw marijuana buds, leaves, and flowers may have the highest THCA level. Many manufactured items, however, have both THCA and THC in their ingredient lists. We suggest consulting with any member of the High Profile dispensary staff if you’re interested in or in need of more potent THCA or have any queries about the strength of the products they sell, so you can buy premium cannabis flower.
Could you get high from THCA?
For intoxication to occur, THCA must undergo decarboxylation, a chemical heating reaction. The major psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, THC, is actually THCA after it has been decarboxylated.
Benefit from THCA and other cannabinoids in a legal setting by obtaining a medical marijuana card. Getting your medical marijuana card is easy with the guidance of Leafwell’s medical staff.
The relationship between THCA and effectiveness
Although it does not produce intoxication on its own, THCA is an essential cannabinoid to consider when determining the overall strength of a cannabis strain because of its role as a precursor to THC.
Gas chromatography is frequently used to evaluate the strength of cannabis. In order to properly decarboxylate the THCA present and produce THC, sufficient heat must be given to the cannabis sample being analysed. Theoretically, this method should be able to immediately determine the strength of a substance, as potency is typically defined in terms of percentage THC.
But as the THCA molecules lose their carbonyl groups en masse during heating and decarboxylation, the cannabis material will lose a substantial amount of weight. This needs to be factored in when calculating the overall THC content of raw cannabis strains so that correct results can be obtained.
Advantages of THCA
THCA is a weaker agonist of the CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the body than THC is, which explains why it does not cause intoxication. But that doesn’t mean THCA doesn’t do anything useful.
Fewer research have been conducted on the therapeutic benefits of THCA than THC. However, early studies and anecdotal evidence show the precursor may possibly have a wide range of medicinal applications.
THCA has been associated in preliminary investigations to:
- effectiveness as an anti-inflammatory drug for arthritis and lupus
- Positive benefits on neuroprotection, which can be used to treat neurodegenerative disorders
- Inhibition of vomiting and/or nausea; restoration of appetite
- proven anti-proliferative properties, especially in prostate cancer research
Although no high-quality scientific research supports these claims, anecdotal data suggests that THCA may be beneficial in controlling sleeplessness, muscular spasms, pain, and other related symptoms.