Word is spreading like wildfire about Delta-8 THC, a naturally-existing cannabinoid found in hemp and cannabis.
Unlike CBD, which only produces the mildest, if any, buzz, depending on your tolerance level, Delta-8 gets you high. High enough to not follow the complex plot of an action flick or talk to your boss on the phone. High enough to fall asleep and wake up the next day feeling a residual, pleasant “hangover.”
If you don’t have a medical marijuana card and aren’t in a legalized, adult-use state, Delta 8 is your best bet for staying compliant (for now) while enjoying the best effects that cannabinoids currently have to offer.
Because of its similarity to Delta-9 THC, the main compound in cannabis that gets you high and usually causes euphoria, creativity, sedation, symptom relief, or the munchies and paranoia in some users, Delta-8 is quickly catching on.
The similarities between the two cannabinoids lie in their numerical sequence and chemical structures. THC’s scientific name is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or delta-9 THC, or just delta-9, like the hardcore, gabber techno band. Delta-8 is short for delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, or delta-8 THC. Delta-8 THC can cause effects similar to regular delta-9 THC.
While the current media narrative espouses that the effects of Delta-8 are much less potent than Delta-9, that is not everyone’s experience. The broad-sweeping generalization is similar to the description that “CBD doesn’t get you high” when some people feel a buzz from it, especially when consumed in large quantities.
The same way decaffeinated coffee probably won’t have the same effects as regular coffee to a two-cappuccino-or-espresso-a-day drinker decaf still gives enough of a perky or chatty buzz to consumers who are sensitive to caffeine or don’t drink coffee daily or often. Ultimately, the effect is up to the unique make-up and tolerance of the individual consumer.
Why do people think it’s legal?
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp with a low THC threshold (.03%). This law accelerated the ubiquitous CBD market and created a market opening for novelties like hemp cigarettes.
The structure of the law—everything hemp is legal except THC—created what is interpreted by many producers as a legal loophole that allows the production and sale of Delta-8 THC because it’s ever-so-slightly chemically distinct Delta-9 THC, which is permissible for adult-use in 16 states and Washington, D.C.
Unfortunately, the more people catch on; the less likely the legal grey area will last. A few states have already opted to ban it—including North Dakota—and the federal government is still deciding what to do with it. Currently, Delta 8 is easy to procure online and by mail in many places.
The problem with unregulated products is that no one checks to see if the vape carts are filled with thinners that might cause VAPI or the flower used to make extracts is moldy. But, if you’ve been smoking off-the-grid bud for years, the risk is probably pretty much the same.
Moonwlkr 8 gummies are an option to check out, for starters. The orange, sugar-coated gumdrop implies an orange flavor, but that flavor tastes much less Tropicana OJ than it does Sunkist orange soda. I consumed 50mg –2 gummies– before bedtime thinking it was similar to CBD, and got hizzzigh. I mean, buzzed to the point where a Netflix movie with John Travolta was watchable, and I even thought to myself that it was somewhat interesting, despite the complete lack of a sensical plot.
Once I fell asleep, I had lucid dreams about hanging out with Nancy Reagan and telling her that the press gave her a hard time about her wardrobe because her sequined, red dress was dynamite for her frame.
When I woke up the following day, I was still mildly high and remained so for most of the morning. Next time, I would probably consume only one gummy, just like Delta-9, because it works just as well.
