What is THCa?

THCa, or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, is the non-psychoactive precursor to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) found in fresh, raw cannabis. The plant naturally produces THCa, which only converts into THC when it’s heated through a process called decarboxylation. This occurs during smoking, vaping, or cooking, when heat removes a carboxyl group from the THCa molecule, transforming it into the intoxicating THC we know and love.

This means that if you were to eat raw cannabis flower, you wouldn’t get high—because you’d be consuming THCa, not THC.