Probably a stupid question. In very layman's terms you decarboxylate to convert the thc into a form that our bodies can absorb and get hi from. When we smoke, it happens through combustion of the material smoked. Is we want edibles we must decarboxylate it first in order to get hi from it. So, my question is, once the material has been decarboxylated, can you still get hi from it through combustion; can you smoke weed or hash that has been decarboxylated and achieve a buzz?
While smoking, decarboxylation happens during the combustion process, so to me it would be kind of silly to want to smoke what has already been decarboxylated. Sure you can smoke it and get high from it, but that makes no-sense, as smoked decarboxylated weed will always taste harsher, much less flavorful, than when smoking raw flower.
Decarbing simply changes thca to thc. This happens faster, the higher the temperature. Its important to decarb when ingesting if you want to get high, this takes about 20 minutes at 100°c. But burning it makes it happen almost instantly. If its decarbed before burning then it won't change because its already thc. So smoking thca or thc makes no difference because it will be all thc by the time you breathe it in anyway. When you cure bud, it's decarbing at room temperature, albeit slowly. Given enough time it will be completely decarbed and will still smoke perfectly fine
L'il clarification here. It does NOT happen through combustion. Combustion is about the worst thing you can do with weed as far as getting any benefit from it is concerned. That's why smoking (joints, bongs, dabs, etc.) are a poor choice for Cannabis consumption: Because combustion destroys the cannabanoids and creates harmful byproducts like carbon monoxide and various carcinogens. De-carb happens when heat separates a carbon chain - heat below the combustion point. But as mentioned by GoldGrower, vaping de-carbed weed is fine. It is even a bit better than vaping green weed, because you are going to get the most cannabanoid-rich vapor that way. This has been shown to be the case in a few recent studies. That's why I de-carb all my weed before use, whether it gets eaten or vaped. I've even de-carbed concentrates to make tinctures a couple times.