Simply put, it’s just weed.

All natural weed has always contained high amounts of THCa, and very small amounts of THC. The thing is, both THCa and THC were lumped together in a larger, general number called ‘Total THC.” THCa, or Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, is the raw form of THC that is inside natural cannabis flower. When heated by vaping, smoking or decarboxylating in the oven, the THCa converts to THC.

What brought THCa to the current scene was the 2018 farm bill. Included in this bill were measures to make CBD, a non psychoactive cannabinoid naturally found in cannabis flower, more accessible. To do so, all flower under .3% THC was made legal, not understanding the details of total THC.

So, while a flower may contain 22% THC, it can instead be labeled as containing 21.71% THCa, and 0.29% THC. Both labels may be true. These are example numbers, but pretty standard for all flower. Dispensaries in legal states around the US are selling flower that could be sold as hemp in this current market. That’s how this whole loophole works.

So.. it’s legal?

Federally, yes. Just 5 states have outlawed it already: Idaho, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas & West Virginia.

HOWEVER: Once THCa is in your possession, it is going to look, smell, and act exactly like weed, because that’s exactly what it is. This also means if you get pulled over or otherwise detained by law enforcement with this product, you very well may face legal consequences if weed is illegal in your state. When law enforcement tests it, they will see it is just regular weed.

Think of it as legal to buy, and legal to have shipped to you, but still illegal to own. But you know, cops need a warrant to enter your house 😉

I tried it one time and it wasn’t very good 😡

Due to the fact that this is a loophole market, there are no regulations on these products. As a result, many companies, especially brick and mortar smoke shops and gas stations, offer bad quality product and call it THCa.

For example, one company may take some year old CBD flower, dust it with some extracted THCa isolate, and sell this unnatural product as THCa flower.

On the other hand, there are plenty of online vendors that care about their customers and their product, and sell the natural flower we love, also calling it THCa. This is partially why people can have such different results with THCa products. A quality source is everything.

Research vendors on sites like reddit for best results. After spending 2 years comparing different vendors, my favorite is LIT Farms.

Why is it so expensive?

Same as the last one, you just need to find a better vendor. Many are actively price gouging, many are not.

Is it even worth it?

It 100% can be! As with any shopping, be an informed consumer and you’ll have a great experience. Many reputable vendors are selling very high quality, highly potent, 100% natural cannabis on this market. If you live in a state that has yet to legalize, if you’re overpaying at your dispensary, if you’re sick of dealing with plugs, this market will help you out immensely.

If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help introduce people to this market. Feel free to reach out!