THCA vs CBD
Aside from THC, CBD is probably the most well known cannabinoid. You may remember when it first started making waves about five years ago- it seemed to be everywhere. Lately, more and more cannabinoids have been making their way onto the scene. THCA is one of the latest to make a splash. But what exactly is THCA? How does it compare to CBD? Find out everything you need to know about THCA vs CBD below.
In the meantime, shop our selection of THCA products. Choose from blunts or prerolls. Our blunts are available in indica, sativa, and hybrid to give you the ideal experience no matter what the day throws at you. The Pink Lemonade Sativa prerolls are fire as well (and in my opinion the best flavor we have). Breathe a sigh of relief because all of our products are lab tested. No need to stress this holiday season; simply shop our store and stay lit.
Where do they come from?
THCA and CBD are both naturally occurring cannabinoids. They are found in both hemp and cannabis. Legally, hemp is defined as cannabis containing .3% or less delta 9 THC. Both cannabinoids occur in measurable quantities, so it’s not always necessary to alter the chemistry in order to extract them in usable amounts. Whether you’ve realized it or not, you have likely consumed both of these cannabinoids if you’ve ever smoked weed.
Why are we just hearing about them now?
What is responsible for this recent boom in cannabinoid knowledge? This is all thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill. This bill legalized hemp on a federal level. The intent of this bill was to increase hemp production for things like rope, clothing, and food. What lawmakers didn’t realize at the time is that cannabinoids can be extracted from hemp for human consumption. The first of these to really take off was CBD. Since then, many others have followed, both psychoactive and nonpsychoactive. Recently, individual states have taken matters into their own hands by implementing their own legislation. Definitely check out what the laws are in your state before purchasing THCA.
THCA vs CBD psychoactivity
In their true forms, CBD and THCA are pretty similar. Both cannabinoids are not psychoactive, meaning they won’t produce a high. There is a bit of a catch here though. See, no matter what you do to CBD, this doesn’t change. You can smoke it, eat it raw in a smoothie, make edibles with it; however you consume CBD, you can expect to remain sober (provided you don’t combine it with other psychoactive cannabinoids).
THCA, on the other hand, converts to THC as soon as you add heat. Smoking a THCA blunt? By the time you inhale, it’s no longer THCA, but THC. Making edibles? The entire reason you decarb your flower first is to convert the THCA into THC. If you want to enjoy THCA in its pure form, you would have to grind some into your food, or enjoy a special tincture. Absolutely any form of heat will chemically alter it into THC, and render it psychoactive.
THCA vs CBD effects
In its raw form, THCA does not attach to the receptors in our endocannabinoid system. However, there is still an interaction. More research is needed, but THCA may potentially provide the same benefits as THC, without the high. Once you add heat, THCA becomes THC, and you can expect to feel all the classic effects associated with smoking weed. In case you don’t know what these are by now, this would include dopamine release (aka feeling great), slowed reaction time, impaired judgment, and potential medical benefits as well. If you’ve been high, you know what to expect.
In contrast to THCA, CBD has a very special interaction with our ECS. CBD extends the life of the cannabinoids produced in our own bodies, making their effects more beneficial. CBD can also reduce the effects felt by THC by essentially “toning them down”. I have experienced this firsthand, and let me tell you, it’s an excellent life hack for if you’re ever feeling too high. Additionally, CBD amplifies the signaling from the CB2 receptors, which translates to an anti-inflammatory response. This is why you see CBD marketed so much for pain relief. For people who don’t want to get high, this is really an excellent cannabinoid to have on hand.
The bottom line
In its raw form, there isn’t a huge difference between THCA vs CBD. Neither are psychoactive, and it may provide the same benefits as THC without the high. This all changes when you add heat. THCA becomes THC, and you can expect to feel high, just as you would when smoking weed. In contrast, no matter what you do to CBD, it will not get you high. Light it on fire, decarb it in the oven, CBD will remain purely CBD and not turn psychoactive. Both cannabinoids are naturally occurring in hemp and cannabis. We have the 2018 Farm Bill to thank for the presence of CBD and THCA on our radar; both are federally legal, provided they are derived from hemp. If you’re interested in experiencing what happens when you light THCA on fire, be sure to check out our selection of THCA blunts and prerolls.