What is THC-O acetate?

What is THCO?

Tetrahydrocannabinol-O-acetate, or THC-O acetate, has recently climbed the ranks in popularity among THC isomers because of its extremely strong effects. While these isomers (such as THCV, HHC, D8, D9, and D10) are naturally found in the hemp plant, THCO is not.

THCO is a synthetic compound that is derived from hemp, which means the requirements to recreate it involve expensive equipment and a detailed knowledge of chemistry. The process of creating THCO is inherently dangerous and should only be performed by professionals. The first step is to extract CBD from raw hemp. The second step is to extract D8 THC from CBD. The following steps to make THCO involve marrying the D8 THC molecules and acetic anhydride, a high-inflammable and colorless liquid used to make fibers, plastics, pharmaceuticals, dyes, and explosives.

There is no confirmed data on how potent THCO is. However, several sources report that THCO can be up to three times more potent than traditional THC, so users should tread carefully. It has also been reported that consuming THCO will likely lead to psychedelic effects. THCO takes about 20-30 minutes to kick in because the compound isn’t activated until it has been metabolized.

Before 2021, there was little discussion of THCO. However, there has been research on the compound as far back as 1949 when U.S. military scientists started studying THCO in the Edgewood Arsenal experiments. It pops up again briefly in the 70s when the DEA discovered an illegal lab in Florida in 1978. Since THCO was not entering the drug market at that time, the DEA didn’t investigate further.

As a consumer, you want to be sure you know what you’re putting into your body. The unfortunate truth is that some manufacturers in the cannabis industry are comfortable with 10-15% unknowns in their test results. Here at Root Source CBD, we ensure that all products sold in our store are fully tested with accessible information from each brand.

While there is no data to suggest that THCO itself is especially hazardous, there’s none to suggest it’s as safe as other cannabis isomers either, so anyone intent on incorporating THCO into their lifestyle should proceed with caution.