Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol: what you need to know

If you’re just starting out, learning about cannabis can seem daunting. The sheer amount of information can confuse those who don’t understand much about this plant yet. Here at DharmaD8, we want to make things as easy as possible for you. So, we thought we would break down one of the latest trends in the world of cannabis, delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta 8 or D8 THC). We’ll go over everything you need to know about it so that you can head into the world of cannabis feeling confident. Ready to get started?

Some Delta 8 basics

Of course, to make it all easier to understand, we should start with the basic information about D8 THC.

Cannabis plants are chock-full of a group of chemical compounds that are called cannabinoids. These compounds are pretty amazing due to the fact that they are able to interact with the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). If you’ve never heard of the ECS, that’s okay. It is a series of receptors that help your body control certain reactions and functions, like mood and memory. Since cannabinoids can interact with the ECS, they are able to have different effects on these reactions and functions. D8 THC is one of over 100 cannabinoids found in each cannabis plant.

You might be, correctly, thinking that with over 100 different cannabinoids, it’s pretty unlikely that delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol is the only one that you would have heard of. There is another cannabinoid whose name will sound familiar for a few reasons. It is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta 9 THC). As you can tell, it has almost the exact same name as Delta 8, with just a small difference. That’s because the two cannabinoids are built in almost the exact same way, but with one small difference in their structure. We’ll go into more detail about what that means for the effects that they cause later. For now, just know that Delta 9 THC and D8 THC are almost the same, only differing in a few ways.

The next thing that we need to cover about delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol is its legal status. After all, it is found in cannabis, which has a pretty confusing legal status itself. So, how does Delta 8 fit into all of this? As it turns out, pretty well. There are two major kinds of cannabis. They are hemp and marijuana. We’re going to skip over marijuana because it’s not very relevant to D8 THC (although it is found in marijuana). Back in late 2018, the newest version of the Farm Bill was passed. This bill helps determine what is legal to grow in the United States (among other things). That version of the bill federally legalized industrial hemp and all the cannabinoids in it, including delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol.

Before you run off to buy all the Delta 8 products you can get your hands on, there’s something you need to remember. Just because something is federally legal doesn’t mean that it is legal in every state. While hemp is legal in most states, there are still plenty that have either kept hemp illegal or made sure that D8 THC stayed illegal. That’s why it’s so important that you pay attention to your local laws on all things cannabis.

Now that we have the basics out of the way, we can get on to the fascinating part of delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol; the effects that it could produce.

The potential effects of D8 THC

Delta 8 is an interesting cannabinoid. There are a lot of different effects that it could have, all of which are pretty exciting. However, there is still so much left to learn about it. Therefore, while we will be talking about some very promising studies, you should also bear in mind that we’re still trying to understand D8 THC fully. And like with anything new, you should be a little cautious. Now, with that covered, let’s get into it!

A feeling of euphoria

To begin with, let's talk about the effect that most likely popped into your mind first. We have already talked about Delta 9 THC. The reason that you’ve likely heard of this cannabinoid is that it causes the feeling of euphoria that has made cannabis so famous. It grabs on to the ECS receptors nice and tight, which causes the high that you may already be familiar with. 

As we mentioned above, Delta 8 is really similar to Delta 9 THC, with one small difference in the way it is built. This divergence means that when D8 THC comes into contact with the ECS receptors, it grabs on, tightly, but not as aggressively as Delta 9 THC. A feeling of euphoria is caused, but it is usually described as more bodily and not quite as intense as Delta 9 THC. Some people say that the high that delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol gives them makes them calm and sleepy. Others say that it’s a little boost of energy that makes them more productive. It just depends on each individual person. 

Help with anxiety

There’s a good chance that you’ve heard a story or two about people using THC of any kind and having a small freak-out. Due to this, it may seem a little counterintuitive. However, there is a lot more evidence behind this than you first think. For example, this study found that the ECS helps the body regulate feelings of fear and anxiety. All on its own, this is fascinating, because (as we talked about before) Delta 8 interacts with the ECS. 

Additionally, this study has found that it is the ECS receptor called CB1 that has a particular effect on anxiety. This is the ECS receptor that D8 THC works with the most. This means it may be able to help regulate anxiety. However, it’s likely that these effects primarily happen when Delta 8 is taken at the right levels. If you take too much, there’s a chance that it may cause you to freak out a little. So, if you’re susceptible to paranoia caused by THC, it may be best to start out small with your dosing to discover how you react to it. 

Helps with pain

The idea that THC could help with pain isn’t anything new. It’s often used as one of the arguments for legalizing cannabis in general. So, the idea that D8 THC could help with pain and inflammation probably isn’t very surprising. Moreover, there have been increasing amounts of research on this that has started popping up lately. One study found that, like with anxiety, pain is heavily affected by CB1. This suggests that delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol could help with pain quite a bit. Further, there have been studies, like this one, that have found that Delta 8 could help with pain in mice.

Helps with asthma

This is a particularly exciting idea. If D8 THC could help with asthma, there are a lot of people who would benefit. So far, the research has been pretty encouraging. This study wanted to see what kind of effect delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol could have on asthmatic symptoms. The study concluded that it was able to help the lungs in bronchodilation, which is when the muscles of the lungs relax enough to allow air to flow through more easily. Admittedly, this is an area that hasn’t been studied a ton. There is much more research that needs to be done. However, the research that has been completed so far has been very exciting. It’s likely that we’ll see more positive results in future studies.

Helps with neurologic deficits

Like with asthma, this is a new, but very exciting idea. There is a chance that Delta 8 could help reduce symptoms associated with neurologic deficits. This study tested that idea on mice. The researchers gave mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis D8 THC for 21 days. They found that there was a reduction of symptoms related to the condition after the mice had been given the delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol. Again, this is a new idea that needs more research. However, the research so far seems to be very promising!

These are some of the main effects that people tend to look for with Delta 8. But it’s important to remember that all cannabinoids, especially D8 THC, affect everyone in different ways. So, if you don’t experience one or more of these potential effects, just know that’s normal. It’s also good to know that some people need more delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol than others to feel an effect. If you don’t notice anything right away, give it some time (at least an hour), then take a little more.

How to find safe, high-quality delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol

Since the Delta 8 industry is so new, it can be rather difficult to be sure about the ton of information out there about it yet. This can make shopping for it a little difficult. We want to make sure that you can feel confident in the products that you're buying. So, let’s take a look at what you should look for in a good D8 THC product.

The very first thing that you should do is read reviews on the company and the products you’re interested in. This may seem obvious, but we mean it. Read the reviews, not just the star rating. If something has four out of five stars, find out why. It could be a reason that is a dealbreaker for you. You should also read reviews from third-party sites. Some delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol manufacturers will only allow positive reviews on their sites, creating a bias. Thus, when looking at third-party review sites, you can avoid a lot of bias.

Furthermore, it is important to keep an eye out for testing. Hemp products are required to be tested properly. A good Delta 8 company will do the testing, not just because they need to, but because they want to be sure that they are giving you the best product possible. The testing is generally looking at the quality of the D8 THC extract and the cannabinoid content. The results of the testing should be readily available to you. Some companies will bury the results in some out-of-the-way place on their site. This could be a sign that their products aren’t up to snuff. 

On the DharmaD8 website, we keep all of our test results on our lab reports page, which is easily accessible from the navigation bar. Plus, we put all of our test results for our products in each product description. We, at DharmaD8, are all about ensuring that you feel good, both about what you’re buying and just in general!

Another aspect of shopping for delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol that you should consider is the price. Not just trying to find the best deal, but considering what the price may say or may not say about the quality of the product. Due to the fact that people are still trying to figure out how to price Delta 8 products, the prices are pretty volatile. Some people are selling their D8 THC products for practically nothing. This could mean that they aren’t doing proper testing or that their products aren’t very good. On the flip side, super high prices don’t indicate amazing products either. They could just be selling at a high price because they feel like they can.

In general, you would do better with companies like us, DharmaD8. We sell high-quality delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol products at a reasonable price. We make great products that you know you can trust and enjoy!

To sum up

There you have it. All the principal things that you should know about D8 THC. If you feel like you’re ready to give some a try, check out what we carry here at DharmaD8 and check out this article about Delta 8 CBD. We have a wide range of products, so there’s something for everyone. Just head to our shop page to check it out! If there are any questions that weren’t answered in this article then please let us know. You can reach out to a member of our team through our contact page, or by emailing us at support@dharmad8.com. We are always here to help!