One of the most recent cannabis trends is the popular THCA. This compound, one of the six biggest cannabinoids found in hemp, has taken the industry by a spin thanks to its potency and how easy it is to use.
However, it might come as a surprise that this cannabinoid is actually not psychoactive. As a precursor of delta 9 THC, it needs to be heated up to turn into the “real” THC and actually hit. This is why you need to “decarboxylate” buds before using them for cooking or other concoctions.
Nowadays, dispensaries have found a way to concentrate this cannabinoid acid through a product called THCA diamonds. If you want to smoke this powerful concentrate and learn more about how it works, you can keep exploring with us in the following article.
Key Takeaways
- THCA (Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) is a naturally occurring cannabinoid that is not psychoactive on its own but is a precursor of THC (Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol).
- THCA is one of the six major cannabinoids found in hemp and can be concentrated through a product called THCA diamonds. To get the best out of THCA, it needs to be heated, making smoking and dabbing the best method of consumption.
- This compound has gained popularity due to its potency and pure extraction, but it may not have as much flavor as other cannabis products.
- Users can try THCA in its inert state by adding it to food or drinks, but heating it is necessary to have a psychoactive experience.
- Different forms of THCA concentrate, such as crystals and diamonds, have different smoking methods, with diamonds recommended for smoking in flower or dabbing and crystals recommended mostly for dabbing.
What is THCA
So, what is THCA? Unlike delta 9 THC, this naturally found cannabinoid is not psychoactive on its own. Instead, this compound is somewhat of a precursor of the widely known THC.
Let us explain this a little bit further. THCA can be found as one of the six major cannabinoids in hemp, as it plays a major role in several functions of the plant. The most important one is transforming itself from acid to THC inside the plant.
This happens when heat or light is applied to THCA. When a certain temperature is reached, the “A” part (acid) is consumed. That changes the compound’s structure and turns it into Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, known as delta 9 or THC.
So, why would I try this cannabinoid? Well, THCA has been raving with users due to the purity of its extraction and overall potency. Thanks to this process, smoking THCA can give a much stronger high than other products and can provide a cleaner experience than other distillates.
Best Way to Smoke THCA
Here comes the tricky part, THCA is actually not psychoactive on its own. This is partly because of the molecule’s characteristics and sizing. Due to the compound’s size, the receptors in our brain will not let the proteins bind to this compound.
So, the best way to consume THCA is to smoke it. Some people like to heat it and quickly inhale it (known as dabbing), add it to a flower to let it burn, or even use it with a dedicated vaporizer or electronic device.
Your favorite method depends on what you have on hand and your general rituals. Some people like the feeling of harsher smoke with a quick onset like dabbing, while others prefer to pack their bubbler’s bowl with crystals and weed to make each toke extra potent.
Now, as a super strong concentrate, most of the time, you won’t get as much flavor as you would with live resin or rosin. The general extraction process for THCA uses separation, meaning it lets the crystals form while the terpenes of the extraction float in what we call terpene juice.
That said, as a clean-hitting concentrate, you might get mainly skunky and herby flavors but mostly that pure weed flavor without many distinctive notes or aromas. This is why we usually recommend trying extracts once you’ve tried flower before or you’ve grown accustomed to herb aromatics.
You could also, in theory, try THCA in its inert state, meaning adding it to food or drinks without heating it up. Users have used this cannabinoid thanks to its potential antiemetic and anti-inflammatory effects, which can be beneficial if you don’t want to get high but are interested in these benefits.
How to Smoke THCA
Depending on the THCA concentrate, you can dab it, sprinkle it, or even add it to flower in a pipe or joint. Since THCA needs to be heated, smoking and dabbing THCA will get you high and is still the best method to get the best out of your concentrate.
Now, THCA can be smoked through different extracts. While crystals and diamonds are the most common, you can also try a dryer extract called sand. Let’s check what’s the best method to smoke these different extracts.
Best Way to Smoke THCA Crystals
Not everything that shines is gold, and not all shiny stones are diamonds. This old saying also applies to THCA crystals and diamonds, as they are two entirely different concentrates that use different extraction methods.
Crystals are usually refined through the use of acetic acid and hexane, which dissolves all other compounds like terpenes, fats, and lipids. Then, it basically separates THCA from all the organic mass. Then, THCA is concentrated through a vessel which creates crystals.
These can be smoked like other solid and semi-solid concentrates by dabbing or vaporizing them. Some of even the best THCA vapes share a common issue however. Since crystals are not as easily heatable as diamonds, we don’t actually recommend putting them in flower as they could not fully melt before you have a toke.
So unless you are using a nail dabber for your bong or pipe bowl, we’d stay with dabbing with this extract.
Best Way to Smoke THCA Diamonds
Let’s now talk about diamonds. These concentrates are made by mechanical and chemical extraction that keeps the cannabinoids from other organic masses of the buds. After that, the solution is concentrated through several loops until the THCA sediments at the bottom and terpene juice form.
The main difference between crystals and diamonds besides the process is the quality. Diamonds can have a range of colors, but most of them will be transparent enough to see through them.
Much like crystals, this concentrate can be dabbed through a dedicated e-rig or pipe. However, due to its lower heating point, diamonds can be added to flowers and will heat enough to spice up your favorite joint.
Best Way to Smoke THCA Sand
Now let’s talk about THCA sand. Unlike diamonds or crystals, this concentrate is basically THCA residue milled up. So it has a fine consistency that almost resembles a sugar mix. Think of it as a high-end version of kief.
Sadly, since THCA sand gets heated up quickly, you won’t get to enjoy as much of the product before it evaporates if you are dabbing it. We recommend adding it to other concentrates so it can stick to it or just adding it to your regular flower-packed bowl.
You can also sprinkle it to a joint or pre roll, but it can get messy if you don’t have the right tools to avoid contamination and ruining the fine powder. And since the price point is usually higher than diamonds or crystals, sneezing and blowing your extract away can be a little infuriating.
Otherwise, even handling such a fine powder can be a hassle, especially if you don’t have a dedicated electronic vaporizer or e-rig that can have lower heating settings. Unless you want to really try this version of THCA, both diamonds and crystals are actually easier and cheaper to smoke.
Where to Buy THCA Pre Rolls Online
Having explored throughout this article how you can smoke THCA in its different forms, you might want to try something a little easier. This is why the Delta Munchies lab is cooking the perfect THCA Diamond Infused Pre Rolls and our new THCA Diamond Sauce Dabs!
With THCA, the potential is high, and the effects can be much stronger than your typical joints. And if you’ve already tried our infused pre rolls, these pre-made jays full of delicious concentrate will elevate that experience even further.
By using THCA diamonds instead of other concentrates, you won’t have to worry about getting your hands sticky due to liquid paper or spillage if you take your jay around. Best of all, since THCA doesn’t activate until burnt, this product has no delta 9 THC until you light up.
Since things are still in progress, you can check out our favorite vape products at the Delta Munchies store over here or try a new strain with the hemp-derived HHC cannabinoid.
**(Disclaimer reminder: This article is not medical advice. It is based on anecdotal user experience alone. If you are thinking about incorporating cannabis (delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, CBD, etc) into your medicinal routine, please consult a healthcare professional. Do not stop taking any prescribed medications without first consulting your doctor.)
Disclaimer: This article reflects the laws of the United States at the time it was written. Because cannabis laws in the United States laws are subject to change at any time, please make sure that you are always staying up to date on your federal, state, and local county’s cannabis laws. Additionally, we are NOT encouraging anyone to break the law––we are simply showing people ways to legally and discreetly bring their cannabis products along with them on their travels so that they may have access to those products when they reach their intended destination.
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