By: Laine Hammer

So, if you’re reading this, it’s likely you’ve heard of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) – the primary cannabinoid in cannabis responsible for providing a “high” – but did you know about THC’s cousin, THCa? THCa (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) is the non-intoxicating acid form of THC found in the cannabis plant when it’s raw. THC starts off as THCa, and only becomes THC when the plant is heated, burned, or vaporized, a process known as decarboxylation. Unlike THC, THCa doesn’t induce any intoxicating effects – you can even eat a cannabis flower fresh off the plant and not feel high. I bet you’re wondering, “What’s the point of THCa if it doesn’t get me high?” Hey, THCa is so much more than that, and I’ll tell you why.

In case you were hoping the answer had changed – sorry folks, THCa will not get you high – but it does some pretty cool stuff instead. Let me break it down for you. Since THCa is the raw form of THC, it interacts with the body differently and does not deliver intoxicating effects. The reason? It’s shape! The three-dimensional shape of the THCa molecule makes it larger, and therefore, it doesn’t fit into our cannabinoid receptors – more specifically, the CB1 receptor. A cannabinoid must fit into a body’s CB1 receptor in order to deliver an intoxicating effect. Now if that isn’t a party anecdote, I don’t know what is. Now that you know why THCa doesn’t get you high, here’s the 411 on how it works, the difference between THC and THCa, how to experiment with it, and why it might just become your new favorite tincture (FYI, it’s mine!).

What is THCa

While we’ve established that THCa doesn’t get you high (it’s not all about the high!), it does some pretty cool stuff. Like when you’ve been sitting at your desk all day staring at your computer, trying to write an interesting yet informative article but your eyes are glazing over and your brain is turning into mush? That’s when I use it. Around 3pm, I’ve been putting 0.25ml of our raw, THCa Living Tincture under my tongue, letting it sit for 15-20 seconds, and waiting for the magic to happen. The magic comes in the form of a little more pep in my proverbial step – feeling more awake, alert, and focused on the task at hand. And hey, it’s a way better option than that 3pm espresso, cup of coffee, or sugary snack! Not just a quick 15-30 minute jolt, but several hours of feeling ready for anything. Plus, no headaches! THCa is a true game changer. Not only is it great for getting out of that afternoon slump, but lends its powers to other amazing benefits as well.