By: Jason Artman
Without a doubt, Delta-8 is one of the most popular hemp-derived herbal products on the market today. It’s sold both online and in local vape shops around the country, and Google keyword data shows that many hundreds of thousands of people search for information about it each month.
Whenever a new supplement becomes sufficiently popular, people take notice and try to learn more about it because they want to know if it can do anything for them. After all, surely anything that’s used daily by millions of happy people deserves a good look – and if that’s where you currently stand, this article is for you. In it, we’re going to give you an overview of where Delta-8 comes from, what it is and what you can expect when using it. When you’re done reading, you should have a much better idea of whether Delta-8 is right for you.
Delta-8 is more properly known as Delta-8 THC. It’s a single cannabinoid isolated from industrial hemp, which is also the source of a great many other useful things like hemp oil, hemp seeds, textile fibers, biodiesel and building materials. It’s also where CBD – another popular cannabinoid supplement – comes from. In fact, CBD is actually where all Delta-8 products come from.
Delta-8 does occur naturally in cannabis, but it occurs in such small amounts that extracting it directly would be wasteful. You’d have to throw the vast majority of the plant’s other cannabinoid content out just to extract the small amount of Delta-8 that exists. Since that’s not practical, hemp processors obtain Delta-8 in a different way. They start by extracting the CBD, which is plentiful in industrial hemp. Next, they isolate and purify the CBD before combining it with an acid that triggers a molecular conversion.
CBD and Delta-8 are very similar molecules, differing only in the location of the double bonds in their carbon chains. Exposing CBD to an acid moves the double bond, converting the molecule to Delta-8. The acid is then removed, and the final product is a nearly pure Delta-8 distillate.
Since CBD and Delta-8 are very close to one another in composition, you might assume that they have similar effects – but that isn’t the case at all. You’ve probably noticed the “THC” in “Delta-8 THC.” Delta-8 actually has much more in common with Delta-9 THC – the best-known cannabinoid of them all – than it does with CBD. Many people find CBD useful for various purposes and take it daily, but CBD generally doesn’t produce an effect that you can feel.
Delta-8, on the other hand, is definitely something that you can feel.
So, what does Delta-8 do? People tend to report that Delta-8 feels somewhat similar to Delta-9 THC. It’s much milder, though, with experts generally saying that Delta-8 is about half as strong as Delta-9. When taking small amounts of Delta-8, people report feeling energetic, uplifted, sociable and creative. When taking large amounts, on the other hand, you might feel a strong sense of full-body relaxation and might even feel ready to settle in for a nap.
Delta-8 is federally legal. The 2018 Farm Bill removed industrial hemp – defined as cannabis containing less than 0.3 percent Delta-9 THC by dry weight – from the schedule of controlled substances. In 2022, the 9th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals ruled that, under the current laws, all extracts of industrial hemp – including Delta-8 – are legal on a federal basis.
As you’re likely aware, though, states’ laws sometimes differ from federal laws where the regulation of cannabis is concerned. Delta-8 is legal in most states. However, there are some states that have explicitly banned Delta-8 and/or all isomers of THC. If that’s the case in your state, you will not be able to buy Delta-8 unless the laws are changed. A good seller will always remain abreast of changes to local laws so that they – and you – can remain in compliance.
The most common places to buy Delta-8 are vape shops, dispensaries and direct from the manufacturers. Of those three options, vape shops like VapeJuice.com are generally best because you’ll have access to the widest variety of products at the lowest possible prices. Manufacturers obviously only offer their own products, and a dispensary will usually charge higher prices for Delta-8 because they don’t want to undercut their main cannabis income stream.
Wherever you choose to buy Delta-8, it’s important to buy from a reliable seller that sources its products direct from the manufacturers because that ensures the quality and potency of the products. Converting CBD to Delta-8 is a complicated process – and after the conversion is performed, all residual acids and solvents must be removed in order to ensure that the final product will be safe to consume.
There is an enormous variety of Delta-8 products on the market today, so you’ll have no trouble finding something that fits your needs. Here are just a few examples of the products that you’ll find at a well-stocked store or you can click to find out more.
· Delta-8 Vaping Products: These products include disposable vapes, pre-filled cartridges and bottled e-liquids. A disposable vape is a self-contained product that’s ready for immediate use out of the package, whereas e-liquids and pre-filled cartridges require you to use your own equipment. All Delta-8 vaping products, however, work in the same way – you inhale the vapor and hold it in your lungs for a few seconds before exhaling it.
· Delta-8 Oral Products: These products include gummies and capsules. They’re convenient because they’re pre-measured, which means that you get exactly the same dose every time. They’re also good for people who aren’t interested in vaping. Oral products, however, take much longer to become active in the bloodstream compared to inhaled products.
· Delta-8 Sublingual Products: These products are oil-based tinctures. A Delta-8 tincture offers a fairly fast rate of absorption because you hold it under your tongue. After waiting for around 30 seconds, you’ll swallow the rest of the oil, and any remaining Delta-8 is processed by your digestive system. Sublingual Delta-8 products don’t absorb into the bloodstream as quickly as vaping products, but they’re faster acting than gummies or capsules.
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