Top 5 Ways to Smoke THCA Flower

THCA is special and different from THC, so you might think that you have to smoke it a different way too. That’s not the case, though — the act of smoking converts THCA into THC, meaning that any way you want to smoke THCA flower works just the same as it does when smoking THC weed.

Still, there are a variety of different factors to weigh as you decide which way you want to smoke THCA flower. We’ll cover five of the most popular methods of smoking THCA flower in this guide, and we’ll also answer plenty of related questions along the way.

What is THCA flower?

THCA flower is cannabis flower with high levels of THCA and low levels of THC. That’s it — unlike delta 8 flower, THCA flower has not been sprayed, and it’s exactly like THC flower as long as you heat it using a method such as smoking.

Due to the intricacies of US cannabis law, THCA flower is generally considered to be industrial hemp given it contains less than 0.3% THC. Despite offering the same effects as THC cannabis, therefore, THCA flower can be sold online and shipped to all 50 states.

5 best methods for smoking THCA flower

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the five most popular ways you can smoke THCA flower. Whether you’re new to cannabis or have been smoking for years, some of these THCA use methods may never have occurred to you until now:

1. Put THCA in your bong and smoke it

Cannabis may have changed substantially over the last decade, but the bong remains the preferred smoking implement of cannabis users everywhere. Bongs can be incredibly simple — you can even make one out of a water bottle — or they can have tons of accessories like ash catchers, hemp wick, and bong mats.

Using a bong to smoke THCA flower is just the same as smoking normal weed with a bong. Here are the steps you’ll need to take:

- Grind up around half a gram of THCA flower
- Fill your bong to its fill line with water
- Lightly pack the bong bowl with ground THCA flower
- Insert the filled bowl into the bong downstem
- Apply a flame to the tip of the THCA flower while inhaling gently
- Once the THCA flower has turned to ash, remove the bowl from the downstem
- Inhale the smoke remaining in your bong
- Hold for a moment before billowing out a cloud

Using a bong allows you to fill your lungs with greater volumes of THCA smoke. Bongs also filter out a lot of the nasty stuff that gets in your mouth and lungs when hitting dry pipes.

2. THCA smoke on the water pipe

Also known as “bubblers,” water pipes are like miniature bongs with fewer parts. Usually not much larger than a dry pipe, bubblers are equipped with a protruding, bulbous sections that hold water.

The bowl of the pipe has a short downstem, just long enough to reach the bottom of this water-filled section. Remember to pour the dirty water out afterward, but never forget that a water pipe offers most of the benefits of a bong in a portable form, filtering your smoke and making a pleasant bubbling sound when you hit it on the go. Here’s how to use one:

- Clean your water pipe thoroughly before use
- Pour a small amount of water into the basin of the pipe through the carb (not the bowl)
- Fill the bowl with ground-up THCA cannabis (a disaster if the bowl is wet)
- Apply a flame to the flower and begin inhaling with your thumb covering the carb hole
- Remove your thumb from the carb, and finish inhaling your water-filtered THCA hit

3. Roll your own THCA blunt

The blunt has long been considered the king of cannabis smoking methods. Now, you can roll weed you bought online into an epic blunt that will absolutely get you high. Whether you enjoyed CBD and CBG cannabis or not, the advent of THCA weed undeniably marks the first time you can roll a fatty blunt with truly legal herb you bought on the internet.

Blunt-rolling is an art that everyone does differently. Some of you might head down to the local corner store for a cigarillo you can empty, saving the paper to use as a blunt wrap.

Others might choose loose-leaf blunt wraps or even a tobacco-free option like tea leaf blunt wraps. Once your blunt is ready to go, simply light the tip, and enjoy at your leisure. Many smokers choose to savor their blunts over the course of a few sessions instead of smoking the whole thing at once.

4. Take a THCA pre-roll for a whirl

You might lose control over customization, but choosing to smoke THCA in a pre-roll takes almost all the headache out of the process. True, you could misplace your lighter, but that’s about the only foible that can slow your roll — or lack thereof.

THCA pre-rolls are rolled to perfection in mass quantities using industrial equipment. No rolling or other forms of finickiness are needed on arrival: Just pull a pre-roll out of its package, light the tip, and inhale. Even if you like rolling your own, it can be nice to take a break once in a while and let a pre-rolled THCA joint take the wheel for a session or two. 

5. Plain & simple: Hit a THCA pipe

We saved the simplest option for last because it’s also usually the least satisfying. Scooby snacks, harsh hits, even embers in your throat — these are the risks you take when choosing to smoke THCA in a dry pipe instead of using any of the other methods we’ve covered so far.

For both the very intrepid and those who can’t seem to find anything aside from an apple or a soda can lying around, here’s how you hit THCA weed with a dry pipe:

- Grind up around half a gram of THCA cannabis
- Fill the bowl of your pipe with ground up weed
- With your thumb on the carb, light the bowl and begin inhaling
- Remove your thumb from the carb hole for the second half of the hit
- Consider putting a screen in the pipe’s bowl to avoid getting ash in your mouth

You smoke THCA weed in the exact same way you smoke THC weed. THCA and THC cannabis are essentially identical — the only difference is that in THCA weed, it’s necessary to keep converted THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) levels below 0.3%.

Even THC weed starts off as high in THCA and low in THC, though. It’s during smoking or when another form of heat is applied that the THCA in cannabis sold in dispensaries becomes THC. The same process occurs in THCA weed, meaning there’s no need to treat it any differently from the cannabis to which you’ve already become accustomed.

Smoking THCA flower FAQ

Still curious about the art of smoking THCA? We’ll answer a variety of related questions in the FAQ section below:

What is the best way to use THCA?

If we had to choose, we would say smoking THCA in a bong or blunt are the best options. In addition to filtering your smoke, bongs also cool it, making it easier to take in enormous lungfuls of smoke.

Bongs are inconvenient on the go, though, so you might want to rely on THCA blunts here and there as well. Offering greater smoke volume and lasting longer than joints, THCA blunts are excellent for smoking to yourself over a few sessions or sharing with friends.

Does smoking activate THCA?

Yes, smoking THCA “activates” the compound, meaning it is turned into THC. The threshold at which THC turns into THCA is around 232° F, and smoking usually raises the temperature of cannabis flower to at least 500° F. So, all the THCA if your flower is guaranteed to transform into THC by the time it enters your lungs.

Methods that do not bring THCA to this temperature threshold, however, will leave the cannabinoid in its original state. While THCA appears to have a wide variety of impressive uses on its own, the cannabinoid is non-intoxicating unless heated, providing a disappointing experience if you were expecting otherwise.

Can you smoke THCA isolate?

It is technically possible to smoke THCA isolate, but this method is not recommended due to the strong flavor and the potential or simply inhaling powder instead of smoking it. In any case, you will be vaporizing — not smoking — your THCA isolate unless you use a method that makes it actually combust, such as sprinkling THCA isolate powder on top of a bong bowl. Generally speaking, powder is very difficult to smoke, so consider choosing THCA flower if you want to light something on fire and inhale it.

Can you smoke THCA in a nectar collector?

Using a nectar collector is one of the best ways to dab THCA isolate or distillate. In the case of THCA isolate powder, nectar collectors effectively melt all of the powdered particulate, resulting in a clean, intense hit. Just keep in mind that the flavor of THCA isolate leaves much to be desired both when vaped and used in other ways.

Does THCA dissolve in water?

No cannabinoids are fully water-soluble, but studies show that THCA is, indeed, more soluble in water than normal THC. Most CBD extracts will remain solid or viscous when immersed in water, though, with any dissolving that does occur happening over the course of hours or days, not minutes. As a result, dispersing THCA in water or another drink is not a very pleasant or effective way to consume this cannabinoid.

What does THCA turn into when heated?

When heated to relatively low temperatures, THCA turns into THC, making it THC’s direct chemical precursor. Insufficient heat is created during human digestion to transform THCA into THC, but most use methods — including smoking and vaping — involve the application of heat anyway. THCA has unique benefits on its own, so it should be seen as more than simply a step in THC’s developmental chain.

Does THCA turn into CBD?

No, THCA should not turn into CBD under any circumstances, even when it is heated. The two cannabinoids share a source substance — CBGA — but their developmental paths diverged long ago. THCA can turn into THC when exposed to heat, but it will never turn into CBD. That right is reserved for CBDA, CBD’s direct chemical precursor.

Can you hit THCA flower with a dry herb vaporizer?

One of the best alternatives to smoking THCA flower is hitting it using a dry herb vaporizer. This approach offers effects that are almost identical to smoking and produces a much larger cloud of vapor than what you might be used to with vaping in general. If you’ve never tried using cannabis with a dry herb vaporizer, THCA flower is a great place to start.

Does vaping THCA flower taste better than smoking?

It’s ultimately subjective, but some users do, indeed, indicate that vaping cannabis flower containing THCA or any other cannabinoid does, indeed, taste better than smoking. The major difference between the two approaches is that when you smoke cannabis, the terpenes burn — with vaporization, terpenes aren’t as damaged, potentially leading to a fuller flavor profile. Some users still prefer the authentic taste of smoking, though — and it’s ultimately up to you which approach you choose.

Can you smoke THCA flower with a hookah?

Sure, it’s technically possible to smoke THCA flower using a hookah. Either mixed with shisha or on its own, simply set up your hookah the way you normally do, but add ground-up THCA flower as well. Then, insert a fresh coal, and start puffing. Using a hookah could easily be considered one of the best ways to share THCA flower socially.

How is smoking THCA flower different from smoking THC?

Once you’ve started smoking, there’s no difference between smoking THC flower and smoking THCA flower. THCA converts into THC when heated, so any THCA flower you smoke becomes exactly the same as THC smoke right before it hits your lungs. From a logistical perspective, you’ll find smoking THCA flower to be much more convenient than the THC equivalent since you can buy THCA flower online.

What’s the most discreet way to smoke THCA?

If you’re looking for a way to smoke THCA flower without getting caught, you’ll want to start by choosing a smaller smoking implement such as a dry pipe, a handheld dry herb vape, or a joint (pre-roll). Then, make sure to keep in mind that location is key — select an outdoor area that’s off the beaten path. It’s ideal if you’re uphill from any populated areas since smoke rises. Keep the weather conditions in mind as well — smoke smells tend to linger in humid weather while they clear up quickly when it’s dry or windy

Is THCA safe to smoke?

Yes, there is no reason to believe that THCA is any more or less safe to smoke than cannabis in general. While there may be some associated risks to letting anything incinerated inside your lungs, organic and natural cannabis flower is not thought to pose much of a risk to lung health. Check lab reports to ensure your THCA flower is free of toxins, and consider vaping if you’re concerned about the potential health effects of THCA smoke.

How is THCA flower made?

THCA flower is all-natural and grown the same way as THC flower. It is not sprayed or altered in any way.