THCA Cannabis Tincture: Our Toke of the Week!

Welcome to Cannabis 101! In anticipation of the passing of Prop. 64, which will legalize recreational marijuana in California, we will be discussing THCA Cannabis Tincture. So what is THCA? THCA is the most abundant cannabinoid in the cannabis plant, approximately 30 percent before it’s converted to THC. THCA is nonpsychoative like CBD but is considered even more therapeutic than CBD, especially in regards to pain reduction, inflammation and helping with insomnia.

While research is still in it’s early stages there are preliminary claims that THCA slows damage to the nervous system, suppresses muscle spasms, helps with nausea and slows the growth of cancer cells. The reason we are just learning about THCA is that is present in the living cannabis plant, and nobody smokes that! The drying and curing process of the plant is how THCA converts to THC, which up to now was the only reason anyone smoked a joint. Right?

So what is a tincture? According to the Urban Dictionary “tincture . . . is an amber to dark green liquid (alcohol) that has been used to melt the THC crystals off pot. Users put drops under their tongue or even take shots.”

OC3 dispensary had THCA in tincture form, I didn’t even know what THCA was so I did my research and purchased a small bottle of it. The budtender said she used it for muscle rejuvenation either by the under the tongue method or as a topical. I put three drops under my tongue per recommendation and it was way too much, I fell asleep for 4 hours, I needed a nap but not that bad!

I put one drop on my wrist and after a half hour I did feel a little groggy but I didn’t fall asleep. So I can say it works great for insomnia! One more test: a couple of drops on my bum knee. It not only made my knee feel better but I could feel it in my face—a relaxing feeling, similar to how CBD affects me. I highly recommend THCA, but it is very strong so use it sparingly or before bedtime. We are just learning about the healing benefits of both THCA and CBD, so expect to see more and different products are the first of the year.