Once THC-O is metabolized, what's left is a highly bioavailable variation of delta-9 THC, meaning that the variation is absorbed and circulated well by the body. Bioavailability speculatively increases potency. THC-O (also known as THCO) is a THC prodrug. This means that the body converts THC-O into THC through the same metabolic pathways used to break down other cannabinoids.
This is an excellent example of a case where metabolism actually strengthens a drug rather than neutralizing it. THC-O is the acetate ester form of THC, sometimes called THC acetate ester or O-acetyl-Δ9-THC. Experts generally know it as THC-O acetate (or ATHC or THC-OA), but almost everyone has abbreviated it as THC-O. Sometimes people drop the hyphen and call it THCO or THC O.
No matter how you spell it, it's pronounced “THC-oh”, it's the letter O, not a zero. Urine tests are the most commonly used type of drug tests, and they are also the ones that offer the most uncertainty as to how long THC-O can be detected in the body. Meanwhile, people who use THC-O daily or even several times a week may need a few weeks to completely clean their system. We do not recommend using any type of THC product before a drug test or in any situation where the use of THC-O is illegal.
In addition to its unregulated nature, the real dangers of THC-O have not yet been investigated, so its use remains dangerous. Even with experienced processors, there is a chance that traces of the chemicals used to create THC-O will remain in the final product. THC-O is federally legal and has very potent psychotropic effects, which is why its popularity is slowly spreading among users of THC for therapeutic and recreational purposes. In a nutshell, people who consumed THC-O once may have a clean system after just a few days, while regular users may need to stay away from THC-containing products for 30 to 90 days, depending on the detection method used to detect THC metabolites in the body.
THC-O vape carts and disposable vaporizers are sold with unflavored distillate or with terpenes added for flavor. THC-O can be synthesized from any cannabis plant (strains of marijuana or hemp, sativa and indica) through laboratory processes that use highly toxic synthetic chemicals, such as acetic anhydride. The actual amount of time it takes to eliminate THC-O from the body depends on several lifestyle and well-being factors, but mainly on the detection period for certain drug tests. Tetrahydrocannabinol-O-acetate (THC-O-acetate, also known as THC-O) is a non-natural or “semi-synthetic” cannabinoid.
Although the acetate ester of Δ9-THC is the best studied, acetate esters of other isomers are also known, especially Δ8-THC, but also Δ10-THC, as are other esters such as THC-O-phosphate, THC hemisuccinate and THC morpholinylbutyrate. THC-O may have different functional effects than THC, including differential physical and chemical properties, which have not yet been investigated despite their relative chemical similarity. The legal question of whether purified THC-O acetate is considered legal in jurisdictions where cannabis is legal is also complex and varies from one jurisdiction to another. However, since it is THC in the form of an acetate ester, it seems almost certain that drug testing will detect THC metabolites in the blood, urine, or hair of a THC-O user.
Psychedelics, such as mescaline, act on different receptor systems, in particular the 5HT2A serotonin receptor, so the effects may vary significantly from what some have stated about THC-O...
