Does THCA Get You High?

TL;DR: THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) is the non-psychoactive form of THC found in raw cannabis. By itself, THCA will not get you high. Only when heated (through smoking, vaping, or cooking) does THCA convert into THC, the compound that causes the classic cannabis high. THCA may offer health benefits without intoxication, but once it’s decarboxylated into THC, it delivers the same potent high as regular cannabis. Always be mindful of local laws and drug tests, as using THCA can still produce THC in your body.

Ever wondered why chewing on raw cannabis leaves doesn’t make you feel high? If you’re curious about THCA and its effects, you’re not alone. In this post, we break down everything you need to know about THCA.

What Is THCA?

THCA stands for tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in fresh cannabis plants. It is essentially the “precursor” to THC. In raw or live cannabis, most of the “THC” is actually in the form of THCA. Importantly, THCA is non-psychoactive in its natural state. That means if you consume cannabis without heating it (for example, blending raw cannabis into a smoothie or eating an uncooked cannabis bud), you won’t experience the mind-altering high. Cannabis produces THCA instead of THC as it grows; the “A” in THCA denotes the acid group that keeps it from directly affecting our brain’s receptors. Think of THCA as THC that hasn’t yet been activated.

Does THCA Get You High?

Does THCA get you high? This is the big question – and the answer is no, not on its own. THCA in its pure form will not cause the euphoric “high” feeling typically associated with cannabis. Why not? The reason is all about chemistry: THCA’s molecular structure prevents it from fitting into the brain’s CB1 cannabinoid receptors that trigger psychoactive effects. In plain language, THCA can’t latch onto the receptors in your brain that THC can. So by itself, you could ingest a lot of THCA and feel little to no intoxication. 

However, once you add heat, it’s a different story. When you smoke, vape, or cook cannabis, you expose THCA to high temperatures. This process, called decarboxylation, causes THCA to convert into THC. The heat breaks off the acid part (the carboxyl group) of the molecule – essentially removing the “A” – and transforms non-psychoactive THCA into psychoactive THC. THC is the compound that does bind to your brain’s receptors and gets you high. So indirectly, THCA can get you high once it becomes THC. That’s why activities like smoking a joint, vaporizing cannabis oil, or baking marijuana into edibles all produce a high – these actions decarboxylate THCA into THC.

 In summary: raw THCA = no high, but heated THCA = THC = high. If you’ve ever gotten “stoned” from cannabis, it’s because THCA was converted to THC. On its own, though, THCA won’t make you feel high or impaired. It’s an important distinction that answers a lot of confusion around raw cannabis products.

THCA vs. THC: What’s the Difference?

It’s easy to mix up THCA and THC since they’re closely related. Here’s how they differ:

• Psychoactivity: THCA is non-intoxicating, whereas THC is psychoactive. This means THCA does not cause a high until it’s converted into THC. THC is responsible for the classic cannabis high, the relaxation, euphoria, altered perception, and so on. THCA in its pre-decarb form won’t cause these effects.

• Chemical Form: THCA has an extra carboxylic acid group attached. THC is basically THCA with that group removed after heating. This chemical change is why THC can bind to brain receptors and THCA cannot (until it’s converted).

• Natural Occurrence: Fresh cannabis plants are rich in THCA, not THC. THC appears as the plant dries or is heated. In fact, lab reports for cannabis often list a high THCA percentage, indicating how much THC will be present once the product is used.

• Use and Effects: Many medicinal or raw cannabis products contain THCA for those who want potential therapeutic benefits without the high. Traditional recreational use, on the other hand, seeks the THC high (which is achieved by burning or heating the plant). Essentially, THC is what gets you high, and THCA is what THC starts out as.

By understanding these differences, you can better appreciate why a raw cannabis juice won’t make you feel stoned, while a lit cannabis flower will. THCA is the young form of THC, give it some heat, and it matures into the psychoactive compound we know.

What Are the Benefits of THCA?

If THCA doesn’t get you high, you might wonder: why bother with it at all? It turns out that THCA is more than just THC’s precursor – it’s being studied for potential health and wellness benefits in its own right. Early research and consumer reports suggest THCA may have several promising effects.

Can You Consume THCA Without Getting High?

Yes – in fact, people do it all the time! If you want to experience THCA’s potential benefits but absolutely want to avoid feeling high, the key is to consume it in its raw, unheated form. Here are a few ways this can be done:

• Raw Cannabis Juice or Smoothies: Just as you might juice kale or spinach, some users juice raw cannabis leaves or buds. Drinking raw cannabis means you’re ingesting THCA (and other cannabinoids) without converting them to THC. Since no heat is applied, you get THCA’s benefits without the buzz.

• THCA Tinctures or Capsules: There are products made from cannabis or hemp that are high in THCA and kept raw. As long as these tinctures or capsules haven’t been heated during processing, they remain rich in THCA and non-intoxicating. You can take them for wellness purposes and stay clear-headed.

• Lightly Warmed Edibles (with caution): Most edibles are baked or cooked (which converts THCA to THC), but if a product is specifically made to preserve THCA (for example, by using a low-temperature process), it could be consumed without delivering a high. Always check how a cannabis edible or oil is prepared. Generally, if heat was involved, assume it’s carrying THC rather than THCA.

The bottom line is avoid heat if you want to keep THCA from turning into THC. Consuming raw cannabis or specially prepared THCA products allows you to experiment with cannabis’s potential health benefits without any psychoactive experience. Just remember, even if you don’t feel high, your body still metabolizes what you ingest – which leads us to considerations about legality and drug testing.

Is THCA Legal?

The legality of THCA is a bit hazy (no pun intended). In the United States, THCA occupies a legal gray area. Here’s why:

• Federal Law: Under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp and its derivatives are legal federally as long as they contain less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC. THCA itself is not Delta-9 THC. So if THCA is derived from hemp and the product stays within the 0.3% Delta-9 THC limit, it can be argued that it’s federally legal. This is why you might see “THCA hemp flower” being sold online or in shops – it’s cannabis that is high in THCA but technically low in Delta-9 THC at the point of sale.

• The Loophole and the Catch: The tricky part is that THCA turns into THC when heated. So a THCA product, while legal in chemistry terms on the shelf, can effectively deliver illegal amounts of THC when used. Lawmakers and law enforcement are aware of this loophole. Some states have explicitly banned THCA products, treating them like high-THC cannabis because of their potential to produce a high. Other states haven’t addressed it yet, meaning THCA products might be available even where recreational THC is illegal.

• State Laws: Always check your local state or country laws. Some U.S. states interpret any product that can yield THC as a THC product, regardless of its form on the shelf. Internationally, countries where cannabis (especially THC) is illegal would likely also prohibit THCA if they see it as related to THC. On the other hand, in places with legal medical or recreational cannabis, THCA products might be perfectly acceptable.

In summary, federally in the U.S., THCA from hemp is legal on paper, but using it to get THC could land you in a legal gray zone. Several states are moving to close this loophole. Always do your homework on current regulations in your area. When in doubt, assume that authorities may treat THCA just like THC once it’s consumed. It’s better to be safe (and legal) than sorry.

Does THCA Show Up on Drug Tests?

If you have to take a drug test for work or any other reason, you might be wondering whether using THCA will cause you to fail. The answer is generally yes, it can. Even though THCA itself is not intoxicating, most standard drug tests aren’t looking for the THCA molecule specifically – they look for THC and its metabolites (the substances your body breaks THC into after use). Here’s what happens:

• When you consume THCA in a way that converts it to THC (like smoking THCA-rich flower or dabbing THCA concentrates), you are introducing THC into your system. Any THC in your body can trigger a positive drug test just as if you had consumed regular marijuana.

• Even if you consume “raw” THCA (say, a raw THCA tincture or juice), there’s a risk. Your body might convert a small portion of it to THC through metabolic processes (or there could be trace D9-THC in the product). According to some experts, THCA use can lead to THC metabolites in your urine – meaning a drug test could pick it up. In fact, reports have shown that people have failed drug tests from THCA products, because those products delivered THC once ingested.

How long can THCA/THC be detected? 

Much like traditional cannabis, it depends on usage and your body: In urine, a one-time use might be detectable for a few days, whereas heavy frequent use could be detectable for several weeks. Blood tests typically detect THC for a day or two after use, saliva tests for a day or so, and hair tests can potentially register cannabis use for up to 90 days. These timelines vary, but the key point is THCA use should be treated like THC use when it comes to drug screenings. If you have an upcoming test, it’s safest to avoid THCA products entirely to ensure you don’t accidentally trigger a positive result. 

Bottom line: Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the fact that THCA is “not THC.” For drug testing purposes, the distinction can vanish once you use the product. If you know you’ll be tested, steer clear of THCA just as you would avoid THC, or at least understand the risks involved.

Final Thoughts

THCA is a fascinating cannabinoid, it’s basically THC before it becomes THC. In its raw form, it’s non-psychoactive and won’t get you high. This makes it an intriguing option for those seeking some of cannabis’s potential therapeutic benefits without the intoxication. You could drink a raw cannabis smoothie loaded with THCA and enjoy some possible health perks while staying clear-headed.

On the flip side, the moment THCA is exposed to heat, it transforms into the very thing that does get you high: THC. So in practice, THCA can deliver a high if you want it to (by smoking or cooking it), which is why it’s garnered attention as a “legal” way to access THC in places where only hemp is allowed. Just remember that this loophole is contentious and may not last forever as laws evolve.

For consumers, the takeaways are simple: Know what you’re using, and know what you want out of it. If you want to stay sober but curious about cannabis’s raw benefits, THCA might be worth a try in non-heated forms. If you’re looking to get high, THCA can certainly do that too once you fire it up – but then you’re essentially just getting THC. Always stay informed about the legal status in your region, and be cautious with drug tests and safety.

Cannabis science is ongoing, and THCA is a great example of how nuanced this plant can be. Psychoactive or not, legal or not – it ultimately depends on how you use it. Now you should feel more confident about what THCA is and what it isn’t. Stay safe and enjoy responsibly!