If you live in the state of North Carolina, knowing what the legal status of various cannabinoids is can be quite confusing. As you probably know, cannabis itself has not been legalized in North Carolina, but this does not mean that hemp and other related products are also illegal.
If we are talking about a variety of hemp-derived cannabinoids, such as THCa, just like at the federal level, it should also be legal at the state level. Let's take a closer look at whether or not THCa is legal in the state of North Carolina.
What is THCa?
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid or THCa, is known as a precursor cannabinoid, the acidic version or acidic precursor to THC, specifically Delta-9 THC (not to be confused with THCv).
This is a cannabinoid that can be found in both hemp and cannabis plants. It is known as the precursor to THC because through the application of heat (which here is known as decarboxylation) THCa turns into Delta-9 THC.
Interestingly enough, THCa by itself is not intoxicating or psychoactive, but once you decarboxylate it and turn it into Delta-9 THC, it becomes very intoxicating and psychoactive.
The legal status of THCa is very interesting, seeing as it turns into Delta-9 THC, which is generally considered illegal at the federal level, but the legal status of THCa may not be the same; it’s similar to CBD, but not the same.
THCa and Federal Law
Officially, according to federal law, THCa should be legal. The 2018 Farm Bill, signed during the Donald Trump administration, states that any cannabinoid product which is derived from the hemp plant should be considered legal so long as it does not contain levels of Delta-9 THC exceeding 0.3% by dry weight concentration.
This means that by definition, because THCa does not contain Delta-9 THC, and because it can be harvested from the hemp plant, it is considered legal at the federal level. This is of course very interesting to note because in the grand scheme of things, cannabis, and Delta-9 THC are not considered legal, but all it takes to turn THCa into Delta-9 THC is a bit of heat.
North Carolina THCa Laws
North Carolina recently signed laws that removed industrial hemp from the controlled substances list in the state.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 455 which officially removed hemp from the state’s controlled substances act.
This means that hemp has the same legal status in North Carolina as it does at a federal level, as laid out by the 2018 Farm Bill.
Once again, this means that cannabinoid products are legal as long as they are derived from the hemp plant and do not contain levels of Delta-9 THC exceeding 0.3% by dry weight concentration.
Is THCa a Controlled Substance in North Carolina?
Although cannabis itself is considered a controlled substance in the state of North Carolina, as long as the THCa product falls in line with the laws as set out by both the 2018 Farm Bill and Senate Bill 455, it is not considered a controlled substance.
Hemp-derived THCa that does not contain levels of Delta-9 THC over 0.3% is not a controlled substance in the state of North Carolina.
THCa Possession Limits in NC
Because THCa is not a controlled substance in North Carolina, there are also no possession limits. As long as it falls within the legal limitations as discussed above, you can possess as much as you want.
Is THCa Legal in NC?
According to both North Carolina Senate Bill 455 and the federal 2018 Farm Bill, there is no reason to believe that THCa is illegal in North Carolina.
Is THCa Safe?
This time, there are no studies or evidence to indicate that THCa is unsafe. It may produce extremely minor side effects at times, mainly related to gastrointestinal upset and possible fatigue, although there are no serious side effects that have been recorded with moderate dosage at this time.
Where to Buy THCa in North Carolina
We’ll have some great THCa products here at Botany Farms soon, but for now, check out some of our best-selling Delta-9 THC products, such as these nano Delta-9 Microdose Gummies and our Botany Farms Mixed Variety Delta-9 Gummies. Keep reading here to find out what some of the best high THCa hemp strains are.
