A lot of people are jumping on the bandwagon with THCa. It offers a bit of a legal loophole for people who want access to potent THC but want to do it legally.
The thing is, THCa is federally legal because it has none of the psychoactive compounds in it. However, when THCa is heated, it converts to THC and that is where the loophole comes into play.
On that note, people are readily looking for the best THCa vapes on the market. The good news is there is a lot to choose from. The bad news is that not all of them are great.
It’s important to get to know what makes a vape good quality before you settle on one to meet your needs. Check out our guide below to finding the best THCa vapes on the market.
How does THCa work with vaping?
We’re glad you asked! First of all, there is the hemp product and then there is the vape device. What you need to know as a cannabis consumer is that using a vape is going to change the THCa. Let’s break it down and talk about THCa and then about how vaping affects it.
THCa
THCa is formally known as tetrahydrocannabinolic acid. It is a nonpsychoactive cannabinoid that is found in the raw form of cannabis plants. This is considered the precursor to THC because it has nonpsychoactive effects. THC, on the other hand, is known for its psychoactive effects.
People who want a potent alternative to THC or need medicinal potential benefits will use THCa diamonds. Again, it’s federally legal because it provides therapeutic benefits without making the consumer high.
However, if you are using it as an anti-inflammatory, antiemetic, or something else it’s known for, you need to be careful how you use it.
When THCa goes through a process called decarboxylation, it is converted into THC. Decarboxylation is basically a process of exposing the material to heat and changing the chemical structures.
The heat will remove a specific carbon atom of the cannabinoid from the total carbon chain. The result? THCa loses the element that makes it nonpsychoactive and it becomes THC.
Vaping THCa
Vaping is the act of exposing a cannabis concentrate or distillate to heat high enough to turn it into a vapor. The vaping device usually has a mouthpiece, a place for the vape cartridge, and the heating element.
Heating elements can work in different ways, but they all do the same thing. They heat the concentrate so you can inhale the vapor from the device.
As a cannabis user, you might get excited about the possibility of vaping THCa because you know it converts it to Delta-9 THC.
However, there are also people out there who see vaping as a convenient tool to use THCa for medicinal purposes and they could be blind-sided if they are not aware.
What your preferences are is none of our business. We just want to make sure you know that if you vape THCa, it will activate it and convert it to Delta-9 THC, stimulating a spectrum of cannabinoids that cause psychoactive effects.
It may not be as strong as some decarboxylation processes out there, but it will happen on some scale.
Cannabis enthusiasts say that converting THCa into Delta-9 THC makes for a very potent experience. It’s just important to be aware so you don’t use a vape and experience side effects you weren’t planning for.
choosing the best THCa vapes
Now, if you still want to vape THCa, that is great! The rest of this guide is designed to help you figure out the best options on the market so you can choose what works for you. These are some elements to consider before you purchase a vape for THCa.
Cannabis concentrate quality and purity
Type of vape
User features
User preferences
Price
Alright, let’s take a closer look at these details.
cannabis concentrate purity and quality
The THCa vape products that you choose may only be compatible with concentrate or vape cartridges that come from that brand. Some of them are universal, but not all of them are.
This will be a detail to keep in mind as well. It’s ok to choose a brand that isn’t universal, just know you will be limited to what they have available. That may not be a problem for you and that’s quite alright!
One thing that every person who vapes should be familiar with is the quality of the cannabis concentrate. The vape juice in the cartridge should be high quality. If it isn’t great quality or if there are unknown chemicals, heavy metals, and substances in there, it’s simply not worth using most of the time.
You should be mindful of what is in the vape cartridge and whether any of it is harmful, like heavy metals. You can look for sourcing methods as well as third-party testing for purity and potency.
These details will make a difference and it impacts what you are inhaling into your lungs.
type of vape
Next up, there are several different types of THCa vape products to choose from. For this guide, we’re going to focus on the most convenient and portable options.
However, some choices are meant to be used in one place rather than carried around.
Here is a quick overview:
Disposable vape pens: designed to be used until the prefilled vape cartridge is empty. Then, you dispose of the device and get a new THCa disposable.
Rechargeable vape pens: similar to the disposable vape pen in that it is compact and sleek. This one has rechargeable batteries and has some added flexibility.
Pod system: a rechargeable vape pen that comes apart to rest in a small pod case. Makes the vape even more compact and keeps it charged in the pod.
Portable vaporizers: larger than a vape pen and can be used with substances like dry herbs, wax, or oil. They are considered premium but not quite as discreet.
Desktop vaporizers: designed to permanently sit on a desk or table. Has advanced features and can hold a large amount of product.
In general, people typically opt for the pod system, a rechargeable vape pen, or a disposable vape pen. These are the most discreet and most convenient, making them a top choice.
They have different levels of compatibility, but most of them are versatile.
