The 7 Best THCa Flower Brands and Strains That Are Totally Legal (Almost) Everywhere

The cultural image of the stoner would’ve always been the kid skipping chemistry class to go get high behind the gym, but if the stoner really wanted to indulge their hobby, they’d have gone to class and taken notes. Every time you light up, there’s a world of chemical wizardry happening.

THCa stands for tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, and it’s basically the mama (or daddy) of THC. On its own, it doesn’t have the psychoactive properties that get you high. But when it’s heated up or smoked, it undergoes a chemical change into THC, which does get you high.

“All I have to do is heat it up and it activates the psychoactive properties?” you ask. Yeah, basically. There’s a specific process of how hot and for how long, but THCa is basically cannabis in a pre-activated state. So why does anyone buy THCa instead of THC?

Aside from having some reported anti-inflammatory properties when consumed, the real reason is this: it’s legal in places that straight-up THC products aren’t. (But not necessarily everywhere. So make sure to check.) If you have to (or would just like to) activate your own THC, we’ve rounded up the best THCa flower for you.

For more guides on the top ways to get buzzed at least semi-legally, check out best THC drinks, best Delta 9 gummies, best Delta 8 gummies, and an explainer on Delta 8 vs Delta 9.

quick look at the best thca flower

• For real psychonauts – Cheef Botanicals Space Junkie
• Diamonds are for… well, a while – Exhale Skunk Candy
• Breakfast for dessert – Elevate Blueberry Muffin
• Energy burst – Diamond CBD Durban Poison
• Like a summertime treat – Budpop Grape Frosty
• Sleepy time – Diamond CBD Hammerhead Flower
• Snifter of rosé – Elevate Frozen Rosé

how we evaluated

We combed through customer reviews to see how folks felt after using the products and how closely the result matched what the brand promised. Were too many folks supposed to nod off to sleep on indica but ended up buzzed? Not good, man, not good. But if they fell into relaxation, then that’s the kind of mood we were looking for.

On the flip side, if they took a hit of sativa before a friendly get-together for an energetic boost of chattiness, but ended up nodding off with their face in the beer cooler, then that’s no good. For sativa strains, we were looking for testimonials that lined up with the expectations of a more energetic boost than indica.

Then there was THC content. Somewhere in the range of 18 to 23 percent is the moderate THC content I was looking for. Less and it’s kind of lightweight. More and it might knock people flatter on their backs than they’d want. Hewing to a consistent range of THC content makes it easier for folks to compare experiences across various brands and hone in on a dosage amount that feels right to them.

Lastly, uniqueness won points from us. There are so, so many versions of THCa flower out there that it’s easy to get tunnel vision after a while. Unique products of, say, interesting aromas got our attention. THC diamonds? Yes, please. Flower that looks like muffin batter? You betcha. It’s a wild, weird world out there.

For real psychonauts – Cheef Botanicals Space Junkie

Depending on whether you just want to kiss the edge of space or go all the way to Mars, Space Junkie comes in 4g, 7g, or 28g sizes. This is a blend of 40 percent sativa and 60 percent indica, which imbue Space Junkie with a mix of stimulating and sedative properties, respectively.

Cheef Botanicals says its THC content of 18 to 22 percent “offers a perfect blend of uplifting cerebral effects and soothing body relaxation, making it ideal for various activities and moods.”

They also state that “All of our THCa products contain 100 percent Farm Bill compliant THCa Hemp Flower grown and cultivated in the USA and bred by growers with decades of experience crafting iconic and potent strains.” Cheef offers a 30-day, money-back guarantee, so if you find Space Junkie isn’t your thing, you aren’t out a bunch of money. Nice touch.

Expect “earthy, woody, and sweet aromas (that) might remind you of a walk through a pine forest, with hints of spice adding a unique twist,” according to Cheef. “You’ll experience a rich, earthy taste that brings to mind the freshness of a forest floor.”

That sounds awfully “Pacific Northwest, out for a hike,” rather than the type of aromas you’d expect from flower named Space Junkie. But then again, when space smells like welding fumes, maybe it’s for the best that Cheef didn’t imbue Space Junkie will the aromas of outer space.

diamonds are for… well, a while – Exhale Skunk Candy

Yeah, we know it looks like weed that was turned into one of those freaky, White Walker, “not zombies” from Game of Thrones, but this THCa flower is actually coated in THC diamonds. These are a concentrated form of THC on this indica-dominant hybrid.

As Exhale puts it, “As soon as you light up some of this flower, the coating of THCa rapidly turns into Delta-9 THC, swiftly delivering its invigorating effects.”

These diamonds might not be forever, because what kind of Willy Wonka shit would that be if you consumed THCa flower and never came down? Terrifying, but then maybe that explains Wonka’s antics.

Breakfast for dessert – Elevate Blueberry Muffin

Organically grown with non-GMO ingredients, it won’t take you but a moment to wonder how it got its name and then notice the beautiful, blue-studded clumps of flower. As Elevate puts it, Blueberry Muffin is an “indica-dominant hybrid cannabis strain.”

Indicia is a sedative type of cannabis that people enjoy for sinking into the couch to watch the tube or before bed as a helping hand toward relaxation.

Elevate says “this strain offers a flavor profile reminiscent of freshly baked muffins” when smoked. You can order it in 4g or 7g jars, depending on how much THCa flower you think you’ll go through.

Energy burst – Diamond CBD Durban Poison

What a name. Don’t let it scare you off, though. I’m guessing it refers to the kick of stimulation this sativa flower offers its consumer. Sativa is a type of cannabis that is more energizing than the indica weed that people are familiar with for its sedative effects.

Rather than a blend, it goes all-in on sativa. There’s 22.7 percent of THCa in this flower, which is on the high end of moderate, but still within moderate. Personally, I love that they say the aroma is “dank, sweet licorice, pungent, skunky.”

Like a summertime treat – Budpop Grape Frosty

Its name reminiscent of a summertime treat fresh out of a convenience store or an ice cream truck, Grape Frosty is an indica-strain flower that contains 19.8% THCa, and it’s 100% natural and USA-grown.

You’ve got your selection of 4g, 7g, or 28g, depending on how big of an appetite you think you might have. Whether it’s broiling hot outside or if there’s wintery snowflakes on the sidewalks, this is a treat you can enjoy year-round whenever you need a kick of calm.

Sleepy time – DIamond cbd hammerhead flower

I know, I know. I said earlier that 18 to 23 percent THCa content was the sweet spot we were looking for, but for suffering insomniacs, I wanted to highlight this indica-dominant flower with its 26.19 percent THCa content.

Diamond CBD says it cultivates sleepiness and is one of their stronger products. The blend of 80 percent indica and 20 percent sativa means it’s designed to be more of a cuddler than an up-around-the-room buzzer.

Snifter of rosé – Elevate Frozen Rosé

If Instagram is anything to go by, it’s always a good time for a frozen rosé. “The flavor of Frozen Rosé features sweet notes including fruity grapes, fresh apples, spicy anise, and berry-flavored candies,” says Elevate.

This 100 percent natural THCa flower is a sativa-dominant blend, which means it’s more energizing than the type to knock you out for a nap. It’s also organically grown without any GMO ingredients.