Wondering about the differences between THC and THCA? You’re not alone.

While THC is familiar to anyone in the cannabis world, THCA may be news to you. THCA, or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid if we’re being fancy, is yet another cannabis compound that is already proving its impressive therapeutic abilities.

And while it may sound similar to the well-known THC, THCA is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in raw and live cannabis.

Here’s where things get interesting. As cannabis dries, THCA makes a gradual conversion to THC. You can speed things up with heat in what’s called decarboxylation, which is exactly what’s happening when you smoke or vape flower.

This means that a flower that has yet to be decarboxylated would be rich in THCA, right up until you smoke or vape it. At that point, this particular cannabinoid converts to the more familiar THC. There are, however, newly discovered benefits to THCA.

Research is still preliminary, but studies are already beginning to show that this cannabinoid has:

• Powerful anti-inflammatory properties for conditions like lupus and arthritis
• Neuroprotective properties suitable for treatment neurodegenerative diseases
• Anti-emetic properties for treating appetite loss and nausea.

Anecdotally, THCA has also been lauded for reducing insomnia, pain and muscle spasms.

Strains high in THC that have yet to be decarboxylated contain THCA, with exceptionally high levels in live and freshly harvested plants.

Kynd offers THCA in several products, including our tincture, balm and capsules. These are wonderfully effective entry-level cannabis products for anyone looking for specific benefits without the traditional high associated with THC.