Is Delta 8 the same as CBD?

The "Green Rush", as it's become known, has brought all types of actors looking to cash-in on the legal cannabis market. One of the common questions people want to know, though, is whether Delta-8 is actually the same thing as CBD? It's a fair question as they both come from the hemp plant, and when CBD was rising in popularity, people also wondered if hemp oil is the same as CBD (which it is not).

In this post, we want to share why Delta 8 is not the same as CBD.

CBD vs. Delta-8

For starters, industrial hemp cannabis plants provide us with more than 100+ cannabinoids. Two of those cannabinoids are called: cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta 8). With both being derivatives of hemp, it can easily become confusing. At first-glance, you might wonder: since both CBD and Delta 8 come from the same plant, wouldn't they provide the exact same benefits?

Cannabinoids from hemp aren't all created equal. The effects on the user are different sometimes among the list of cannabinoids. You have famous cannabinoids such as CBD which provides a list of benefits, and the THC-varieties which provide the user with more psychoactive effects. CBD won't get you high; THC will get you high.

Interestingly, some types of cannabinoids will morph into the molecular structures of other cannabinoids. For example, a research study shows that cannabinol (CBN) is formed when the degradation of D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) occurs.Cannabigerol (CBG) degrades into CBD and CBC, for example.

The findings goes on for how some cannabinoids transform into other cannabinoids. In 2004, there was a patent for converting CBD to THC and discussion about the topic had been happening for years, but according to a study by Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research in 2019, they stated there is not an "interconversion of CBD to Δ8-THC (Delta-8 THC) within humans."

Delta-8 THC

Delta-8 (D8) THC is not like CBD. D8 is psychoactive-- it will get you "high". A sibling of the most devisive cannabinoid, Delta 9 THC (D9), D8 is about half as psychoactive as as D9, but D8 is probably the most remarkable cannabinoid of the 2020s.

Delta 8 Cannabinoid (D8)

Does delta-8 get you high? This particular cannabinoid, Delta 8, is not as famous as Delta 9 THC -- which is is known for getting you stoned-to-the-core, but unlike CBD: Delta 8 is for those who still want to get a little high.

Delta 8 is the type of THC that both can get you high, and is federally legal due to the 2018 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill made, both, Delta 8 and CBD legal at the federal level.

Delta 9 Cannabinoid (D9)

Unlike both CBD and Delta 8, Delta 9 is considered a Controlled Substance. Delta 9 is federally illegal, but it is legal in some states. In the US, we're federally mandated to not possess more than .3% Delta 9 THC-- where with Delta 8, the amount is limitless!

Delta 8 and CBD Together

We'll only focus on the part of the industrial hemp which is federally legal, Delta 8 and CBD, for the remaining of our analysis. CBD and Delta 8 are different, but they can work together to serve your goals.

Together, they can counteract Delta 8 THC effects and provide benefits to help the body.

The body's endocannabinoid system is made of many parts. You have the CB1 and CB2 receptors. Our bodies have a system designed already that works in conjunction to phytocannabinoids found in hemp which harmonize with the CB1 and CB2 receptors in our bodies.

Took too much Delta 8 that got you too high? The CBD Delta 8 combo will help you balance that out by force-feeding the endocannabinoid system with cannabidiol (CBD) so the body is essentially balancing you straight. CBD Delta 8 blend well together so you could start higher than you want, but level it down with the help of CBD.

By blending the two, you can receive the combined CBD Delta 8 benefits.

Cannabinoid Benefits

With all cannabinoids together, they provide the user with the Entourage Effect. Some users, however, want to receive specific benefits from certain cannabinoids such as CBD or Delta-8 THC. As the hemp industry evolves, more specific cannabinoid strains will surely progress in providing the benefits the user desires for aiding in relief and enjoyment.

In the meantime, it's important to know there are key differences between cannabinoids and not be trapped into the belief that CBD and Delta-8 are the same cannabinoid.