Delta 8 & hemp: all you need to know

When it comes to anything related to cannabis, it tends to feel like there is so much that you have to know and remember. You may feel overwhelmed just thinking about it. But stress no longer! We, here at DharmaD8, are here to help! We want to make sure that you are fully educated on industrial hemp. Specifically, we want to educate you on delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta 8 or D8 THC) and hemp. So, let’s dive in.

What to know about hemp

Let’s start with hemp. After all, it is the source of Delta8 (or one of them, anyway).

Hemp is a member of the cannabis family of plants. This family also includes another plant that tends to get more attention. You’ll know it as marijuana. Each of these plants has chemical compounds in them that are called cannabinoids. These compounds help define the difference between hemp and marijuana, as they tend to have different concentrations of certain cannabinoids. For example, hemp regularly has a lot of cannabidiol (which you may know as CBD, as it has seen a pretty big jump in popularity recently). Marijuana, on the other hand, tends to have CBD levels that vary pretty widely from plant to plant. We’ll talk about why certain cannabinoids could make a difference in a moment. For now, just remember that they help define hemp and marijuana.

One thing that makes hemp stand out from other cannabis plants is its legal status. Marijuana is still federally illegal, though that is slowly changing as more and more states legalize it on one level or another at the time of this publication. But because of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp and the majority of the cannabinoids found in it have been federally legalized. 

Before you get too excited, it’s good to know that when something is federally legalized, it isn’t automatically legalized in every state. It simply makes it easier for each state to decide on its own whether or not something can be legal in their state. So, when hemp was federally legalized, most states legalized it as well. Some legalized it with certain restrictions. Others didn’t legalize it at all. But it is much more likely that hemp is legal in your state than marijuana.

Those are the main things to know about hemp at the moment. Now, let’s talk about Delta 8.

What to know about Delta 8

When talking about hemp, it’s hard not to talk about Delta 8 THC. There is a lot about it that is really exciting and worth knowing about, so let’s dive in.

Delta 8 is one of the over 100 different cannabinoids that can be found in cannabis plants, especially hemp. It is considered a variation of another cannabinoid that you’ve likely heard of a few times before, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta 9 THC). It’s pretty clear from the names that they have the same base. The difference lies in one small part of their structures and the placement of a double bond. This difference isn’t enough for them to be considered different. Here's an example of D9's structure for you to look through and one for D8. The difference in structure also changes the way that each of these cannabinoids functions. 

Cannabinoids are pretty interesting because they are able to interact with something called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). This is a group of receptors that help your body control particular functions, like memory and appetite. There are a few different ways that cannabinoids can interact with ECS receptors, each depending on the structure of the cannabinoid. This is how D8 THC has a slightly different effect from Delta 9 THC. Delta 9 THC binds with the ECS receptors tightly. This is what causes that feeling of euphoria that has made cannabis so famous. Because Delta 8 has a similar structure as Delta 9 THC, it also binds with the receptors, but its bind isn’t quite as tight. This means that it still causes a feeling of euphoria, but it is a slightly different experience. Usually, it's described as less intense and more bodily than the feeling you get from Delta 9 THC.

Now that we’ve covered some of the basics of D8 THC let’s move on to what kinds of products you can find hemp and Delta 8 in.

Different kinds of hemp and Delta 8 products

There are a lot of different ways that you can use D8 THC and hemp. So, picking a product may be kind of hard at first. But don’t worry! We’re here to help guide you. The first thing that you need to do when picking a Delta 8 product is to decide what kind of D8 THC product you would want. Let’s go over the broader categories to help you narrow it all down.

Smoke/vape

This is one of the most common ways to use cannabis of any kind. You can find vape cartridges, cigarettes, and dried hemp so that you can roll your own. This is the fastest and easiest way to feel any effects from the Delta 8. 

Edibles

These are some of the more popular options for using hemp since hemp extract is often in an accessible food or drink format familiar to many. This way, they taste great and are easy to take. The upside is that while they take the longest to give you any effects (because the food or drink needs to break down in the stomach a bit before the D8 THC can be released and start working.), it also is touted as the sort of product that lasts the longest in effects. This does, however, offer some wise advice; be patient with the edibles to find the right amount for you.

Oils

Recently, more and more people have started turning to oils for their hemp. There are a few reasons for this, but one of the biggest is the fact that oils are very versatile in how they can be used. Adding to your morning kale smoothie or placing it directly underneath your tongue makes it very easy to use.

Now that you know all you need to know about Delta 8 and hemp, are you ready to give some a try? Here at DharmaD8, we have a bunch of different D8 THC products for you to pick from. You can check them out on our shop page here check out this article about Delta 8 CBD!