In other words, all cannabinoids are naturally produced in their acidic forms. The topic of this issue is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), which occurs naturally in the plant. THCA needs to be heated to transform into THC, the active form that causes you to get high. All cannabinoids are naturally produced in their acid forms, which is how their enzymes produce them.
The difference between THCA and THC is a carboxy group. When smoking, cooking or vaping, heat eliminates carboxyls, so THCA produces CO2, losing approximately 12% of its weight in the process. Why is this important for laboratory testing? Because THCA is heavier than THC and laboratory results are shown in mass percentages. Isolated THCA is created by removing all impurities through a special refining process, leaving an impeccable THCA powder in its purest and most potent form.
When heated, isolated THCA converts to THC and produces a (very) powerful effect with a potency of 95 to 100%. While THC forms from THCA when heated or burned, THCA itself has no psychoactive effects. In the next section, we'll discuss how THCA is infused into pre-rolls and the benefits of using THCA in this way. To obtain a real potency value, you must consider both THCA and THC, but with a correction factor for THCA before adding THC.
