You want to smoke pressure, and sometimes that is hard to do. In states like Texas, THCA flower is the only legal option when it comes to getting cannabis flowers. Unfortunately, there are some things wrong in the hemp industry. The biggest one is low-end buds are in high circulation.
- THCA Flower is being heavily inflated on the lab tests. Labels boast percentages like 43% THCA, which is not a common thing, not even in medical marijuana. If you want to see if it makes sense, take the advertised THCA content and multiply it by 0.877 (example: 43 x 0.877 = 37.711%)
- The flower is almost always sprayed with terps, making it more attractive to most customers.
- Many flowers are low-end dirt weed that have been dusted in THCA crystalline
Symptoms/Signs of Smoking THCA Flower that has been sprayed
- Itchy throat / Irritated throat
- Irritated lungs
- Fast Onset Headache
- Harsh taste / harsh inhalation
- Consistent coughing
- Taste mismatch – The flavor of the flower does not match it’s smell
How to Identify a Spray Pack
First, the spray packs are everywhere. Out of the 4 smoke shops visited in the metro Katy, Houston area, every single shop had an abundance of spray packs on deck. So you need to be ready to check everything.
♠ PRO-TIP: Scan the QR code and check for the COA (Certificate of Analysis) on the pack. If the COA doesn’t exist, OR, if it is different than the package, you have an increased chance of a spray pack AND/OR a re-rock pack, which is a pack that has the branding or resemblance of another brand or strain, that does not match what is in the package itself.
Spray pack buds look darker green, and are usually looking like they are aged and browning/blackening. This is usually due to the spray process.
Spray packs are often colorful in presentation for the packaging, and very affordable.
When you smell it, it smells either way too good, like candy, or some flavor you really only expect to smell in something like a slushy, or Kool-aid.
The scent is more over-powering than that of the common flower that is clean.
If it smells sweet a lot, chances are, you should not.
A Look At Spray Packs In Texas – October 2024
These were bought in the same day. The first pack is by Puro. The pack smelled heavy, and when I smoked the first one to try it. No high. Caught an itchy throat, but figured that was from the hemp wrap. When I broke it open, the stems, sticks, THCA dust fragments, and rock, proved there was no way in hell this was even close to supposed to be smelling that way. When you zoom in, you can see the way the flower looks. The taste was no better than a CBD cigarette.
Puro – Cannarillo – THCA Blunt – Sprayed + Dirty Shake
Creme THC – King Loui OG – Spray Pack x Mold
This bud was sealed, so there was no chance to smell it, but once I opened it and took a wiff, I knew that smell all too well. It was cheap terp spray, all day, hay weed, with mold starting to spore. Not a good look when you put it in a jar resembling meds.
Smelling a Spray Pack – Sprayed THCA Flower
The smell is synthetic, every time. If it smells too good to be true, it probably is. An example of a spray pack I recently picked up was Jet Fuel. They were terped out pre-rolled cannagars. The smell was powerful. Having filled vape cartridges before, I recognized the smell immediately.
If you have ever had the opportunity to smell terpenes fresh from a source like TrueTerpenes (amazing source for terps btw), and you have smelled botanical, live resin/rosin terps, then you understand that very specific, powerful smell.
The problem with Spray Packs / Sprayed THCA Flowers
You know just as well as anyone, that if you have to do anything extra to a cannabis flower, you don’t have a good cannabis flower. There is no good reason to take a good, clean, potent cannabis flower and add terpenes to it. None at all. Good cannabis flower will have ideal amounts of terpenes, in tune with its mass.
When you add a human into the equation, and that human wants to make money, we’ve got a whole new issue.
Most companies don’t smoke what they sell.
They are in it for the money, and they do not care if you get sick from anything they sell you. They ONLY care about the profit margins at the end of the day. On a general scale, the fact of the matter is that if they can’t sell you a $35 3.5g at 400% markup, they aren’t into it.
That is why spray packs exist. Profit margins.
They don’t get quality cannabis products. They buy pounds for pennies on the dollar of what a normal pound would cost, and they are spraying it with far too much terpenes.
The customer doesn’t know what they have is highly toxic and dangerous to smoke.
When a person smells something that tells their brain”This will taste amazing”, they are upfront with the cash, ready to rock and roll.
They have no idea that the heavy terps are synthetically derived 9 times out of 10, because the cost for cannabis-derived terpenes is too high for profit margins, and even when it’s not, you’re still getting a bud that’s been put through a spraying and drying session, sometimes left out to the open air.
Shipping, Handling, and Environmental Impacts on Sprayed THCA Flower
The environment that creates sickness is transportation and general storage. Mold thrives in unclean and moist situations. Seal up some older, lower-end sprayed buds in mylar bag or a glass jar, that will enhance the moisture. Introduce it into a smoke shop that may or may not have a consistently cool temperature and several factors might be introduced, you’ve got every opportunity in the world for that flower to grow mold and start becoming toxic.
That’s not even the worst of it.
Before you start growing mold, you’ve already ruined the flower by soaking it in terps. Depending on the terpene source and how cheaply it’s made, it can be an alcohol-based solvent, which, when heated, is highly toxic to inhale.
Effects of Inhaling Sprayed THCA Flower / Terped THCA Buds
While if done correctly, spraying your flowers with terpenes can be fine, you’re still putting yourself at risk. Some risks include terpene toxicity and lung injuries. You will note that these are primarily detailing concentrates. However, consider that the heating temperature of a standard Bic lighter is nearly 2000° F. That is significantly beyond that of the boiling points of each terpene. While in natural situations, this won’t cause nearly as much of an issue, in a flower that has been sprayed, you’re looking at some different burn rates, and much higher concentrations of these terpenes than are typically naturally present in the flower.
How Hot Is a Lighter: Understanding Flame Temperatures and Types | Explee
Terpene Boiling Points
A Guide to Terpene Temperature Chart | Medical Terpenes
Terpene Boiling Points (And Why It Matters) – Finest Labs
Myrcene: Myrcene reaches its boiling point between 166ºC and 168ºC (roughly 330ºF).
Myrcene is one of the most common terpenes found in cannabis. it has musky aromas and flavors. Myrcene can also be found in plants such as eucalyptus, thyme, and hops.
Linalool: Linalool begins to boil off at 198°C (or 388.4°F).
Linalool is also known for its relaxing effects, although it is usually less abundant than terpenes like myrcene. It is well known for its floral scent and is commonly found in lavender.
Pinene: Alpha pinene reaches its boiling point at 156°C (or about 312°F).
Pinene is also found in pine trees and is thought to offer an uplifting experience.
Beta-Caryophyllene: Beta-caryophyllene reaches its boiling point at a lower level than many other terpenes, starting to evaporate at 119°C (about 246°F).
It is a unique terpene in that it influences the endocannabinoid system (ECS) much like a phytocannabinoid might. Beta-caryophyllene is also found in black pepper, producing a smokey, peppery aroma and spiced flavor.
Limonene: Limonene boils off at about 177°C (just over 350°F).
Limonene is found widely in citrus. Its flavors and aromas are much like that of a lemon, and the terpene is thought to add an energetic boost to the consumption experience.
Toxicant Formation in Dabbing: The Terpene Story – PMC (nih.gov)
Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with the Use of E-Cigarette, or Vaping, Products | CDC Archive
