Until recent times, THCA was used by few brands to make products intended for topical or ingestion use.
While both medical and recreational dispensaries may legally sell THCA-based, or infused, products you will most likely find in a store that has a stronger focus on the medicinal side. Also, keep in mind you can’t burn them. Read more?
Is THCA a drug?
Legality is a controversial topic. While THCA does not produce psychoactive effects, the substance is part of cannabis plants and it will eventually convert into THC if heated. Also, it can degrade into the semiintoxicating CBN substance which is considered to be a cannabis-derived product. Some US outlets are now selling THCA-based products without a prescription. But this depends on state and city laws.
THCA may not be listed in federal or local law, but possession of a THCA-rich product, such as weeds and concentrates, still falls under the jurisdiction of both. In other words, even if you have a pound worth of cannabis in your possession, police officers are not going to consider the fact that raw marijuana is not necessarily intoxicating.
Is THCA the Same as Delta-8?
THCA is a form of delta-9 THC that contains a high level of intoxication.
Delta-8 THC also has the exact same number atoms but is arranged differently. The arrangement affects how it works. Companies have used this method to create delta-8-containing products that are legal, since hemp plants must only contain 0.3% or less delta-9 THC.
Delta-8 is also derived from THCA, called delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, but little research exists to understand how it measures up against THCA.
When consumed, both delta-8- and delta-9-THC have a mild intoxicating effect. They aren’t in the acidic form like THCA.