When you hear the term “THCa”, what comes to mind?
Is it “synthetic”? How about “hemp”? Or perhaps even, “not the real thing”?
Considering how THCa is the star of the Cloud Hempistry show, it is our distinct honor and privilege to introduce you to the noble and venerable THCa.
🥳 Enter 🎉 THCa 👏
The world’s most famous cannabinoid, Delta-9 THC, needs no introduction. Loved and revered by many, Delta-9 THC is the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis.
But, did you know, that all Delta-9 THC begins its life as THCa?
Yes, THCa is the biological precursor to Delta-9 THC. During the growing stage, all cannabis plants are naturally high in THCa, and low in Delta-9 THC.
It is only after harvesting, and during the curing process, that the THCa converts into Delta-9 THC. This conversion process is called decarboxylation (or, decarb, for short).
Note: We’ll refer to “Delta-9 THC” as simply “THC” from this point onward.
Do you know what else decarbs THCa into THC? Heat. (Put down the rolling papers, we’ll get there in a minute chief!)
Enter the Feds
Enter the Feds into the show. Our self-appointed lords and masters woke up one fine day and arbitrarily decided to redefine the word “hemp” to mean “cannabis with less than 0.3% active THC”.
This so-called “hemp”, they said, is no longer a controlled substance; and can now be safely traded as a commodity.
Now, contrary to common misconceptions, our beloved cannabis industry is filled with lots of very smart people 🤓; and after the Feds handed down their “hemp” pronouncement from on high, we got together, and talked it over; and then … it dawned on us…
The Magical Cannabis Curing Methodology™
Let’s recap what we know so far:
- All THC is brought into existence only after it first converts from THCa.
- During the grow stage, all cannabis is naturally high in THCa, and low in THC.
- THCa converts into THC during the post-harvest curing process (a transition commonly referred to as “decarbing”).
- THCa, therefore, to use the fed lingo, can be thought of as “inactive THC”.
Hmmmm 🧐 what if…
Considering that we can easily decarb / activate THCa by heating it, what if there were some way to still cure the plant, but not decarb it? (So that we can skirt the Feds!)
Not only is that possible, that’s exactly what we did.
Outdated cannabis curing methods do not regulate light exposure, oxygen levels, humidity levels, or temperature levels. The old‑heads just hang it up, and let it cure.
“Outdated cannabis curing methods”; as in the ones which were used to cure the flower at your local dispensary.
Thing is, those 4 environment parameters are precisely what facilitate the decarb process.
So once the federales had their epiphany, we got to testing out tweaking those environment parameters; until … eventually … we got it juuust right.
Not only can we tweak light, oxygen, humidity, and temp to effectively stop decarb in its tracks; doing so results in an optimally cured product with all cannabinoids and terpenes perfectly preserved and highly bio‑available.
What this means to you
As fate would have it, what started off as a quest to find a way to beat the “fed hemp game”; ended in discovering the Magical Cannabis Curing Methodology™; a curing process that is objectively superior to traditional curing in every measurable metric.
To foster conditions for optimal terpene and cannabinoid preservation (including, especially, THCa), the unique Cloud Hempistry MCCM™ curing process prescribes that, immediately upon harvesting, the cannabis plant is cured in a low oxygen environment, at extremely low temperatures, in complete darkness, and at precise humidity levels.
It is this curing process which naturally inhibits decarboxylation; i.e. it naturally inhibits the conversion of THCa into active THC.
All cannabinoids and terpenes remain stable and intact; and, once the user is ready to use the product, they can easily facilitate the decarb process by heating the product using their preferred method.
Once you heat it (via smoking, vaporizing, etc.), decarb happens instantaneously; and you are greeted with an effect that is not merely as potent as traditionally cured marijuana; it is objectively superior on every conceivable level.
Sound like a tall-tale? Ask anyone who’s tried it; and they’ll tell you the same thing; ’cause it’s the truth.
God bless THCa; and God bless the MCCM™. (As He indeed does; because He made it that way.)