DELTA 8, Delta 9 + DELTA 10 THC

ABOUT Delta 8 THC

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Delta-8 is a cannabis compound that has become popular because of its similarity to delta-9 THC, the main compound in cannabis that gets you high, causing euphoria, happiness, sedation, symptom relief, and much more. Large amounts of THC are found in a majority of cannabis strains.

The similarities between the two cannabinoids lie in their chemical structures and their names. THC’s scientific name is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or delta-9 THC, or just delta-9. Delta-8 is short for delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, or delta-8 THC. Delta-8 THC can cause effects similar to regular delta-9 THC—but they will be much less potent. 

Delta-8 and delta-9 are both forms of THC. In common usage, when people refer to THC they are talking about delta-9 THC. (In this article, when we use the term “THC” without a modifier, we are referring to delta-9 THC.) 

Currently, the legality of delta-8 is hazy. It can be extracted from either hemp or cannabis. Because of the 2018 farm bill, hemp can be legally grown and used for extractions all over the United States, making delta-8 legal in states where delta-9 THC is illegal—sometimes. 

Nearly all delta-8 THC on the market today is manufactured from hemp-derived CBD, which makes it, in theory at least, part of a federally legal chain of origin. 

People in states where THC is illegal crave cannabis products and are now looking to delta-8 because it may be legal in their state, even though it is less potent than regular THC. 

Delta-8, like delta-9 (regular THC), binds to the body’s endocannabinoid system, which causes you to feel high. Chemically, delta-8 and delta-9 are similar in that they both have a double bond in their structures. This double bond is thought to produce the intoxicating effects that make you feel high. 

The two THCs are chemically different in the placement of the double bond. Both cannabinoids have a chain of carbon atoms, but delta-8 has the double bond on the eighth carbon, whereas delta-9 has it on the ninth. 

Delta-8 binds to the endocannabinoid system in a slightly different fashion because of the location of its double bond. This is what is thought to make delta-8 much less potent than regular THC. However, more research needs to be done on delta-8 and how it interacts with the body.

About the Delta 8 THC High….

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW….

As you’re probably already aware of, cannabis is a flower that has grown naturally in the wild for thousands of years. It’s packed full of chemical constituents, known as cannabinoids, that mesh with the receptors throughout our bodies, that lend a hand to a spectrum of mental and physical effects. THC or Delta-9-THC is by far the most well knows of the cannabinoids, but it isn’t the only powerful compound native to the cannabis flower. Delta-8-THC, one of four most common cannabinoids, is similar to it’s psychoactive counterpart of THC-9, but with several huge key differences. 

Delta-8-THC has only a few atomic bonds that are different from Delta-9 and it still offers a potent and effective “high” of it’s own. While Delta 8 only exists only as a fraction of a percent to Delta-9, companies are finding a huge amount of value in concentrating around the Delta-8 cannabinoid due to it’s unique effects and multiple applications. From Delta-8 THC cartridges like the ones we carry from 3Chi, to tinctures and edibles, the value of Delta-8 is a rising star in the world of cannabinoids and the benefits they provide. 

WHAT ARE THE PHYSICAL/MENTAL EFFECTS OF DELTA-8-THC

Delta-8 delivers a semi-sedative physical sensation without the “paranoid” or “whimsical” mental stimulation. The distillate has a strong  physical effect that cascades over the body while giving the body a feeling similar to the classic “stoned” contentment. In terms of increasing the appetite, you get a sense of it, but it never fully reaches the same level as most of the Delta-9 Counterparts. 

SO WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DELTA-8 AND DELTA-9?

First off, Delta-8 has a lower psychotropic potency that the “pot” everyone is familiar with. Again, it’s one of the four major cannabinoids in Cannabis but is only a fraction compared to the psychoactive Delta-9-THC cannabinoid.

Secondly, Delta-8-THC is known to connect to both the CB1 and CB2 receptors in our bodies unlike Delta-9.  

The differences between Delta-8 and Delta-9 is subtle: Both will get you stoned, but the former is about half as potent as the latter. Many people claim that Delta-8 is a smoother, less anxious psychoactive experience than the more familiar Delta-9. They also report that Delta-8 is less anxiety-provoking, less sedating, and a little more clear-headed than Delta-9-THC. It also seems to have additional medicinal effects than regular THC, such as better pain relief, but these claims have yet to be weighed out in clinical trials, so you’ll have to try for yourself. 

The main difference between Delta-8 and Delta-9 comes down to the location of a specific bond between two of the atoms that make up each THC molecule. Delta-8 has the double bond on the 8th carbon in the chain, while Delta-9 has the double bond on the 9th carbon in the chain.

SO THAT’S IT? COULD THE SHIFT IN A SINGLE CARBON BOND REALLY CAUSE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN EXPERIENCE?

Based on the limited science available, the answer seems to be yes.

The efficacy of Delta-8-THC make it an extremely valuable cannabis-derived chemical compound. The benefits and the effects serve both medical and recreational consumers alike and it just goes to show the power of individual compounds within the cannabis flower. As science continues to define, and refine, the applications for Delta-8-THC and other cannabinoids within the cannabis collection, you, the user, keep benefiting, one puff, drop, or bite at a time. 

SO WHAT DELTA 8 IS RIGHT FOR ME?

Now, here comes the fun part. We’re all about recommendations and getting to know our customers. Browse our shop online, shoot us an email, give us a call (317) 384-1296, or stop on in our shop to learn more. We’ll discuss your best options, you can get to know who we are at East Tree, and we’ll explain more on why using locally sourced, high quality hemp (and our outstanding customer service) in our CBD products has quickly made us the highest ranked CBD shop in Downtown Indianapolis.