What is Delta 8 THC?

Delta 8 THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is a naturally occurring cannabinoid in cannabis (hemp and marijuana) and is commonly abbreviated as Delta 8 THC, Δ8THC, Δ8, D8, D8 THC, and D8THC. It’s an isomer of both cannabidiol (“CBD”) and Delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (“D9THC”), sharing a chemical formula of C21H30O2 and a molar mass of 314.464 g/mol.

It exists naturally and can also be produced by converting CBD or Delta 9 THC via a chemical reaction typically using heat, catalysts, altered pH environments, and/or solvents.

Delta 8 THC is an extremely viscous oil and exists in an “activated” state similar to Delta 9 THC, meaning it does not need to be decarboxylated to feel its effects.

Delta 8 THC is an extremely important cannabinoid specifically due to its ability to serve as a more functional substitute for Delta 9 THC.

Delta 9 THC has a fair amount of negative side effects: addiction, sleep issues, paranoia, anxiety, laziness, etc. However, Delta 8 THC seems to have none, or at least far less severe side effects in comparison. This is an enormous benefit for the many individuals who we are helped medicinally by Delta 9 THC, but do not enjoy the side effects.

And what may be the most medicinally and societally beneficial feature of all is Delta 8 THC may have incredibly reduced chance of addiction, as well as a built-in protection against abuse. Those who consume excessive amounts of D8 THC can build a tolerance to the mental “high” very quickly. So individuals wanting to consume D8 THC consistently in a recreational manner are forced to do so responsibly. This effect doubles as a benefit for those who use THC medicinally daily and need to be functional as they may be able to completely remove the “high” feeling altogether while still getting the relief they need.

While it is still early, from a medicinal standpoint, Delta 8 THC seems handidly surpass both CBD and Delta 9 THC combined. As shown in the video above, the effects can be both lifechanging and lifesaving. In the years we have been a part of the cannabis community, we have never seen anything come even remotely close to receiving the same amount of positive reviews.

Legalities of D8 THC

Delta 8 THC was made legal by H.R. 2: The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, commonly referred to as the 2018 Farm Bill. It was specifically made legal when hemp allowed for all derivatives, isomers, and cannabinoids of hemp that were not Delta 9 THC.

Up to that point, D8 THC had been illegal and was specifically named in the Controlled Substances Act. However, in addition to making all hemp cannabinoids, isomers, and derivatives legal, H.R. 2 specifically includes text to remove all confusion between laws by amending the Controlled Substances Act to exclude Delta 8 THC from hemp.

Delta 8 THC is federally legal and legal in most states, but it is not legal in all states. D8 THC is legal in most states that have hemp laws mirroring H.R. 2, however not all states do this. Some states specifically exclude D8 THC or have laws that do not specifically make all cannabinoids, isomers, and derivatives of hemp legal, creating a grey area for the compound.

Creation of Delta 8 THC

Delta 8 THC exists naturally in cannabis (hemp & marijuana), but in such small quantities that it cannot be extracted and put into products at prices many people can afford. Luckily, one of the great things about cannabinoids is how closely many of them are structurally.

These structural similarities allow cannabinoids to be changed from one to another fairly simply via chemical reactions. While many people want to call these cannabinoids “synthetics” that’s not an appropriate name for them. “Conversions” or “derivatives” is the more appropriate name, as not only do these compounds exist naturally, but many of these cannabinoids will change into each other naturally with the application of heat, time, and light. In fact, all cannabinoids start as CBGA and naturally synthesize into other cannabinoids during the maturation of the cannabis plant. And a conversion of THCA to Delta 9 THC with the application of heat is a conversion performed at home by anyone who smokes marijuana.

This is all to tell you that conversions are an integral part of the cannabis industry and should not be feared in a general sense.

These reactions are done to create other rare cannabinoids like cannabichromene (CBC), cannabinol (CBN), Delta 8 THC, and can even be done to create abundant cannabinoids like Delta 9 THC more cheaply than straightforward extraction.

However, because D8 THC is created in a lab there does need to be some concern over the safety of the extract. Mainly that it is being created safely with all solvents, reagents, and acids or bases being properly removed from the end product.

Delta 8 THC Effects

• Mood boost/Happier
• Calm/relaxed
• Soothes aches & pains
• Motivating
• Better sleep
• Increased sex drive
• Less nauseous
• Increased appetite

The effects of Delta 8 THC vary per person, but the average experience could best be explained by imagining combining the best parts of CBD and Delta 9 THC. It is relaxing, mood-boosting, pleasantly euphoric yet clearheaded and not overwhelmingly intoxicating. It’s motivating/energizing to some, especially at lower doses, and sleep-inducing to others, especially at higher doses.

With appropriate dosing, users report feeling far more functional and active on Delta 8 THC versus Delta 9 THC. D8 THC also appears to be more medicinal than both CBD and Delta 9 THC.

If vaporized and inhaled the effects of Delta 8 THC appear within 20 minutes and can last as long as 5 hours with peak effects typically starting to decrease after 30 minutes to 2.5 hours depending on the individual. The higher the purity of D8 THC and the fewer cannabinoids like CBD and CBG, the quicker the onset and higher the intensity of effects.

If consumed orally, Delta 8 THC can take anywhere between 45 minutes and 4 hours to peak, with effects lasting as long as 12 hours. This is much longer than typically observed with Delta 9 THC and has the potential to be exceptional and convenient as a cannabis treatment with the possibility of as little as 2 doses being necessary for a full 24 hour treatment.

The lack or reduction of “mental fogginess” and paranoia is also a unique and beneficial trait of D8 THC as it allows many users the ability to take it while still accomplishing daily tasks.

Negative effects can include drowsiness, upset stomach, dry mouth, red eyes, and headache.

Dosing Delta 8 THC

Due to the delayed onset of Delta 8 THC, a user may need a few uses or days to find their perfect dose. Doses are highly individualized and don’t completely seem tied to any specific physical feature (age, sex, weight, etc) so, regardless of size, it’s best to start with a lower dose and work your way up. You can always take more, but you can’t untake Delta 8 THC.

A typical oral dose for Delta 8 THC is between 10-40 mg. Those that need above 40mg tend to be heavy recreational users of Delta 9 THC. 10 mg can make a big difference in effects for some people so we generally recommend to not exceed 10 mg’s when stepping up in dosage.

A typical vape dosage is 1-3 three second puffs. It is typically not necessary to take more than this unless the user is a heavy user of Delta 9 THC.

If you’re a consistent user of Delta 9 THC, we typically recommend starting with it in a 1:1 manner. Many report Delta 8 THC being about 75% as potent as Delta 9 THC, but we aren’t ready to concede that figure as the different effects between the molecules aren’t directly comparable. We’ve found that potency varies per person and the expectation for, and ultimate lack of, a mental fog when using D8 THC is the main reason people find Delta 9 THC to be less potent, disregarding it’s increased potency in calming anxieties and body feel for many. We’ve had individuals report D8 THC being more potent than Delta 9 THC, especially with edibles. For this reason, we typically recommend taking a similar dose to what you would take with Delta 9 THC and work your dose up or down based on that initial response.

How Long Do D8 THC Effects Last?

The length of Delta 8 THC’s effects are very unique to the individual. As an average, we see high purity vapes lasting 1-5 hours and tinctures and edibles lasting 5-12 hours. Larger doses generally create longer lasting effects, especially with tinctures and edibles.

A difficulty of judging the length of effects is that Delta 8 THC has a fairly natural onset and come down, so that it is sometimes hard for an individual to truly grasp where their “baseline” is/was before and after taking D8 THC.

This is especially true for individuals who do not feel “high” from DTHC but just get a boost in mood. This mood change is sometimes unnoticeable to the individual themselves because of the natural onset and the user will think D8 THC had no effect. We’ve seen this many times in sampling sessions where the individual says they feel nothing, but someone they are with will then inform them how much more pleasant they’ve become in the last few minutes.

Another difficulty in judging the length of effects is that many reports are given based on the “peak” and thus disregards a substantial amount of time spent above baseline after the peak effects are felt. D8 THC effects do not peak and then disappear. There is a gradual phase-out of effects.

In general, the effects of vaporized D8 THC will be shorter than D8 THC that is eaten.

Will I Pass A Drug Test on Delta 8 THC?

No, as Delta 8 THC’s metabolites are either that same or too similar to Delta 9 THC’s and will trigger a positive test for Delta 9 THC.

We tested this by using at home drug testing kits on 3Chi employees who only used D8 THC and sending one employee to the same lab our local police go to for their drug testing. All tests were positive for THC.

While we’ve heard of others passing while using D8 THC, we have not personally verified these reports, and our firsthand data suggest that’s, at best, not common.

Where to buy Delta 8 THC in Texas?

If you live in the Dallas - Fort Worth are you can stop at our CBD store"
Seed 2 Harvest CBD
8415 Davis Blvd Ste #315
North Richland Hills, TX 76182

or

You can order Delta 8 online on our secured website: https://www.seed2harvestcbd.net
We offer free shipping on orders of $150 and up.
We do our best to ship your order within 24hrs after ordering except on weekends and holidays.
We carry over 31 strains of 3CHI delta 8 vape cartridges. 
You can also buy Delta 8 Gummies and Delta 8 Tinctures.
You must be 21 years or older to purchase Delta 8 products.
When you buy Delta 8 products in our Texas website our staff will make sure to treat your order with the care of making sure you get your order as fast as possible and that your items are protected from the bumpy ride to your mail box.

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