Delta 8 THC Facts (& Myths)
Delta 8 THC is making noise in the hemp industry like DJ Khaled summoned it there. And where there is hype, there is always overhype. So! Delta 8 THC: facts and myths coming your way.
What is Delta 8?
Facts:
We can thank our homie Roger Adams and his colleagues at the University of Illinois for achieving the first synthesis of D8 in 1941. Delta 8 THC is a cannabinoid found in cannabis. Although it occurs naturally in smaller quantities, the commercial Delta 8 THC is usually the result of converted CBD. It sounds like a whole bunch of chemistry stuff, but it’s not too different from extracting other organic oils and is done naturally.
People report that the effects of Delta 8 are a close experience to his troublemaker cousin (Delta 9 THC), without the negative side effects. Just think about the smoothest ride ever! That’s it.
Is Delta 8 legal?
Depends?
The debate about the legality of D8 relies on whether or not the state you live in considers it a Hemp Product or a Controlled Substance. As we explained, Delta 8 is usually extracted from CBD, which makes it a Hemp Product and therefore federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill.
Contrary to Delta 9 THC, which some states have chosen to decriminalize but remains illegal federally, Delta 8 is federally legal but some states are issuing bans on its products. Here is an exhaustive list of what states Delta 8 is legal in.
Why you ask? They seem to consider D8 under the Federal Analogue Act of 1986, which stipulates that analog versions of a controlled substance are automatically considered a Schedule 1 narcotic. That’s fair, but it begs the question of what is and isn’t an analog. If Delta 8 comes from CBD, is CBD an analog as well?
Before we all get a headache, it is legal on the federal level until declared otherwise by your local state laws. Also remember, the vendors, if outlawed in their states, are always more at risk of prosecution than you.
In short, our state is cool with it, we hope yours is too ✌️
Delta 8 is so low-key, I can drive and take a drug test after taking it?
Myth!!!
Delta 8 is definitely not Delta 9, but it’s not CBD either. People experience and body and slight mental highs while using Delta 8. This should be enough to dissuade anybody to drive before all effects have worn off. You should also refrain from using delta 8 if you operate heavy machinery.
Furthermore, cannabis drug tests do not test only for Delta 9 THC, which is illegal. Our bodies break down THC into other compounds called THC metabolites. This is what drug tests search for. All THC breaks down the same way, and since the drug test doesn’t differentiate what came in the system, but what comes out: ya test positive.
Remember that D8 stays in your system for about 3–4 weeks.
D8 has all the good of cannabis and no bad at all?
Myth
Nothing is all unicorns and sunshine. Except for unicorns and sunshine.
Delta 8 does have a lot of potential not only as a recreational supplement but also as a medicinal resource. This isn’t an invitation to self-medicate with delta 8, we firmly believe that any treatment needs to be researched and approved by a healthcare professional trained to do so.
That said it won’t be a surprise if confirmed research and studies show that D8 is prescription material.
As of right, not preliminary studies suggest that:
- Delta 8 THC has potential antineoplastic qualities, which means that it might help with cancer. In 2020, this older research was followed up by a new study of the potential benefits of delta 8 for breast cancer.
- Other preliminary studies have shown that Delta 8 THC fights chemotherapy-induced nausea better than other drugs, and increased the appetite better than Delta 9 THC, but those have need yet been followed up by other studies that would confirm those effects.
Now for the bad: while reports on Delta 8’s side effects are far and few apart, they are similar to Delta 9 THC with some dry mouth and dizziness.
Let us know about what other assumptions you’ve heard (or have) about Delta 8 THC facts and myths!
