Cannabis 101: Clearing Up the Most Common Myths

If you’ve ever felt confused by cannabis terminology, you’re not alone. Cannabis education has been inconsistent for decades, and misinformation spreads fast. This blog is here to clear things up—plainly, honestly, and without the hype.

What Cannabis Actually Is

Cannabis is a plant. It’s not synthetic, not lab-created, and not "fake." Like many plants, cannabis produces a variety of natural compounds called cannabinoids.

The two most talked-about cannabinoids are:

• THCa (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid)

• Delta-9 THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol)

Here’s the key thing most people don’t know:

Cannabis grows naturally as THCa, not Delta-9 THC.

THCa vs Delta-9 THC (This Is the Big One)

THCa: The Natural Starting Point

Fresh cannabis flower contains THCa. THCa is non-intoxicating on its own. You could technically eat raw cannabis and not feel high.

Delta-9 THC: Activated THC

When THCa is exposed to heat, it changes chemically into Delta-9 THC. This process is called decarboxylation (or “decarb” for short).

Heat can come from:

• Smoking

• Vaping

• Baking cannabis in the oven (for edibles)

That’s why:

• You smoke flower → you get high

• You bake cannabis before making edibles → you get high

No heat = no Delta-9 THC = no intoxication.

THCa and Delta-9 THC are not different Drugs.They are two forms of the same compound at different stages.

Top Myths: Debunked

“THCa Flower Is Sprayed” — False

This is one of the most common myths.

THCa flower is not sprayed by default.

High-THCa flower is simply cannabis bred and grown to retain THCa while staying within legal Delta-9 limits before heat is applied. The cannabinoids already exist in the plant.

Just like dispensary flower:

• It’s grown

• Dried

• Cured

• Trimmed

Nothing magical. Nothing fake.

(Yes, sprayed products exist in the market—but they are not the standard, and reputable retailers don’t carry them.)

“Delta-9 THC Is Fake” — Also False

Delta-9 THC is what people have always meant when they said “THC.”

Back in the day, most consumers just said “THC” because:

• There was no need to distinguish it

• Other THC variants weren’t commonly discussed

But chemically speaking, THC must have a type:

• Delta-9 THC

• Delta-8 THC

• Delta-10 THC

When someone says “normal THC,” they are almost always referring to Delta-9 THC.

So no—Delta-9 is not fake.It’s the original.

“Dispensaries Don’t Sell Delta-9” — Yes, They Do

Dispensaries absolutely sell Delta-9 THC.

What they don’t sell is raw Delta-9 flower, because:

• Cannabis doesn’t grow that way

• Delta-9 forms after heat is applied

Dispensary flower is almost completely THCa until you smoke it.

The experience comes from combustion—not from some mysterious difference in the plant.

The plant is the same. The chemistry is the same. The effects are the same when used the same way.

The differences people notice usually come from:

• Strain genetics

• Terpene profiles

• Freshness

• Quality of curing

• How it’s consumed

Not because one is “real” and the other is “fake.”

Why This Gets So Confusing

Cannabis prohibition created a massive education gap.

For decades:

• Science was ignored

• Consumers weren’t informed

• Terminology wasn’t standardized

Now that cannabis is being openly discussed, people are hearing chemical names for the first time—and it feels overwhelming.

That’s okay.

Learning is part of the process.

The Bottom Line

• Cannabis naturally grows as THCa

• Heat converts THCa into Delta-9 THC

• Delta-9 THC is the same THC people have always used

• THCa flower is not fake or sprayed by default

• Education matters more than myths

If you ever have questions, ask. We’d much rather explain the plant than let misinformation do the talking.

Because knowing what you’re consuming makes for a better, safer, and more enjoyable experience.

Cannabis isn’t fake. The confusion is.

Visual Analogies:

1️⃣ How Cannabis Grows vs How It Gets You High

CANNABIS PLANT (RAW)
        ↓
      THCa
 (non‑intoxicating)
        ↓  🔥 heat (smoking, vaping, baking)
   DELTA‑9 THC
   (this gets you high)

Think of THCa like raw cookie dough.

• You can eat it, but it won’t hit the same

• Heat turns it into a cookie

THCa isn’t fake — it’s just unfinished.

2️⃣ Why Smoking Works but Eating Raw Flower Doesn’t

RAW FLOWER → NO HEAT → NO HIGH

RAW FLOWER → HEAT → DELTA‑9 THC → HIGH

It’s like lighting a candle.

• Wick + wax = nothing

• Add flame = candle works

Cannabis needs activation.

THCa is like sugar in fruit.It’s grown there — not injected after.

People were taught slang, not science.Now the science finally has names — and it feels new.

Summary: Cannabis grows as THCa. Heat turns it into Delta‑9 THC. Same plant, same chemistry, same effect.