Is THCA just cannabis in disguise?
Hemp-derived legal highs, such as Delta 8 and HHC, continue to explode in popularity, but many people are unaware that can now buy cannabis legally online through yet another legal loophole.
It’s called THCA flower and it will get you as high as a kite, just like regular high-THC cannabis.
So, what is high THCA hemp flower and how is it that you can buy THCA flower online? In this article, we’re going to explain what high THCA flower is and then tell you where you can buy the best THCA strains.
What is high THCA flower?
If you see THCA flower for sale, what you’re essentially looking at are cannabis buds marketed as hemp. To be classified as hemp, the flower only needs to contain 0.3% or less of the compound Delta 9 THC, so as long as the actual D9 THC level is compliant, vendors can technically sell THCA flower as hemp.
This cannabis-ish distinction gets especially murky for hemp flower with THCA flower with percentages of +15%. Flower is high percentages of THCA could easily be sold in cannabis dispensaries and pass for weed.
THCA vs THC
THCA stands for tetrahydrocannabinolic acid. It is the acidic precursor to THC, meaning that it’s produced in the resinous glands of cannabis flowers before THC, so THC cannot physically exist without THCA. CBD also comes from an acidic precursor CBDA, CBG comes from CBGA, and so on.
These acidic compounds haven’t had a lot of research carried out on them just yet, so we know very little about their potential therapeutic benefits, but the little we do know is already very promising. Preclinical studies have shown that CBDA and CBGA may be able to prevent the Covid-19 virus from entering and infecting human cells (more on that here).
THCA has already demonstrated potent antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties, but the vast majority of people who are buying THCA flower are not looking to benefit from the effects of anti-inflammatory effects of THCA. Instead, they’re usually buying it for the intoxicating effects of THC.
Does THCA flower get you high?
If you consume this flower raw (unheated) then you’ll be ingesting THCA which won’t get you high. But THCA hemp flower will get you high if you smoke it or vape it or decarboxylate it before consumption.
You see, THCA turns into THC when you apply heat, through a process called decarboxylation. Current estimations say that around 87.7% of the THCA in THCA hemp flower will be converted into Delta 9 THC when you heat it, which of course happens automatically when you smoke or vape it in a dry herb vaporizer, like the Airvape Legacy PRO.
THC vs THCA in flower
So, you may be wondering what the difference is between THC flower and THCA flower?
And the answer is that there really is no difference. What we know and refer to as high-THC flower is in fact high-THCA flower. They are one and the same, but in order to be classified as hemp the flower it must contain no more than 0.3% Delta 9 THC, whereas true cannabis flower could have slightly more than this.
When you see high THCA flower for sale online, you’re basically looking at cannabis that is being marketed as hemp in yet another legal loophole.
Cannabis labelling
Take a look at the sticker below that comes on cannabis flower from a dispensary. This sticker is known as the “variable data sticker” and it contains the necessary variable information that changes from harvest to harvest.
This sticker is printed out and put on top of the branded cannabis packaging to show consumers exactly what they are getting when they purchases the product.
Notice how the THC percentage is 0.80% which puts the product under the cannabis classification. The THCA percentage on the other hand is 25.91% meaning that smoking the flower will get the consumer super stoned.
Now let’s take a look at the lab results of a high THCA hemp strain. Notice how the Δ9 THC is below .3% which legally classifies the flower as hemp. The THCA on the other hand is over 21% which translates into a seriously psychoactive high.
Is THCA flower legal?
Yes, that’s the crazy thing. As long as the Delta 9 THC level remains compliant (under 0.3% dry weight), then THCA flower does technically fall under the hemp category, making it fully legal at the federal level.
In a letter sent earlier this year (January 2022), Terrence L Boos from the DEA said “material that is derived or extracted from the cannabis plant such as tissue culture and any other genetic material that has a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of no more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis meets the legal definition of “hemp” and is thus not controlled under the CSA [Controlled Substances Act].”
Pretty crazy, right?
Best high THCA hemp flower strains
If you’re looking to get legally high from smoking your hemp flower then I recommend ditching the Delta 8 flower (which I’ve always thought was harsh to smoke) and instead, look for hemp flower strains high in THCA.
As always, we’ve done the research for you, so here are the six best hemp strains to get you high:
1. Death Star
With 23% THCA (over 20% THC after decarb), Death Star is my favorite THCA strain at the moment. It smells and tastes amazing and as an indica dominant hybrid, I was surprised to find that this strain is strangely energizing for me.
I really love the way it makes me feel – which is incredibly high, but super motivated and positive. The dense nugs weigh pretty heavy though so the 3.5 gram baggy feels a bit on the small side when you open it up.
2. Green Crack
I haven’t personally tried Green Crack yet, but I’ve heard seriously great things about this sativa dominant strain, so I had to include it in this list. At 21% THCA (18% THC after decarb), it’s not as strong as Death Star on paper, but I don’t think you’ll notice the 2% difference as I’ve heard this is a super heavy hitter with a pungent gassy nose.
3. Hippie Crippler
Hippie Crippler’s buds are smaller and stickier than many other strains you’ll come across, making it a little trickier to roll with, but once you inhale that amazing aroma you’ll realize it’s worth it. At just under 20% THCA, the sativa dominant Hippie Crippler delivers over 17% THC.
Contrary to what the numbers say, I found this strain to be too debilitating for daytime use (perhaps I took bigger puffs? I don’t know) but it sure was fun.
5. Blueberry
Not to be confused with Blueberry Muffin, which is a CBD flower strain, there are two different versions of this high THCA Blueberry strain making the rounds at the moment, pheno #1 (or green pheno) and pheno #2 (purple hue pheno). If you’re attracted to this strain from the name then you should choose pheno #1 as pheno #2 is more gassy and creamy rather than blueberry.
With 22% THCA (20% THC), this indica dominant strain will have most experienced cannabis users on their ass after one joint.
6. Gorilla Glue #4
Gorilla Glue is another THCA strain that I haven’t had the pleasure of trying just yet, but with 23.5% THCA (nearly 21% THC) it is the highest THCA hemp flower strain on this list. I have tried other Gorilla Glue cannabis strains though, and if they’re anything to go by, then this #4 strain is going to be hugely popular, delicious, and highly effective, for recreation and medicinal users.
More experienced cannabis smokers will know that the most potent THC/THCA levels don’t always produce the best or strongest high, so if you’ve tried this strain I’d love to hear what you think of it in the comments below!
High THCA flower for symptom relief
It’s worth noting that the six strains listed above are hemp flower strains with THCA, not CBD flower strains with THCA. They’re not classed as CBD flower strains because none of the strains above actually contain detectable levels of CBD.
We all know by now that THC has a number of therapeutic uses, but it also helps to enhance the medicinal benefits of CBD in a phenomenon called the entourage effect.
So, if you’re interested in using high THCA flower for symptom relief, then you might want to combine it with CBD for the best effects. Some medicinal users don’t appreciate the level of intoxication that’s caused by THC and CBD can help reduce this too.
One option is to buy some high THCA flower online and mix it with some CBD flower before you smoke or vape it. If it’s your first time experimenting with THCA flower, then I recommend you start with a very small amount and gradually increase it as you get used to how it makes you feel.
The other option is to look for CBD flower with high THCA levels. A strain like Unicorn Butter (available from WNC CBD) has 12% CBD and nearly 2% THCA so it’s not designed to get you super high but instead offer more enhanced symptom relief.
Where can I buy THCA hemp flower?
If you’re looking for high THCA hemp flower for sale, I highly recommend you check out WNC CBD and Arete Hemp. Both brands are highly respected in the hemp flower space and have sought legal advice before selling their high THCA flower strains (published online).
At the time of writing, both companies had all six of these high THCA flower strains in stock, but several of them are limited edition strains and are bound to sell out quickly (so get them while you can!).
Both of these vendors also sell THCA diamonds (aka crystals), which are highly potent concentrates. I would only recommend these for the more experienced THC users out there. If Delta 8 isn’t strong enough for you and you enjoy getting as high as possible, then you’re going to fall in love with these bad boys.
Buy THCA flower while you still can
No-one knows what the future of high THCA hemp flower holds, so if you love getting high, are curious about it, or are seeking more effective symptom relief, then I seriously recommend you buy some THCA flower now while you still can.
WNC CBD and Arete Hemp are allowing you to buy premium quality, legal hemp flower that will get you high af – at least a high as any self-respecting THC cannabis flower from a dispensary might. I’ve tried both, so I speak from experience 🙂
Good luck and enjoy.
