Delta 8 is the new hot thing on the market and rumor has it, it’s pretty much like marijuana! So, how is Delta 8 legal?
Direct Delta 8 Shop is THE marketplace to get all the Delta 8 products you might need! The shop provides high-quality delta 8 products and aims to be a resource on health and wellness subjects, especially related to cannabis.
You could say they have become experts at discerning the good, the bad, and the ugly of the hemp industry. Here is what they have to say about the legal status of Delta 8, and more!
What is delta 8 thc?
First, let’s learn a little more about the product that has completely disrupted the hemp market in less than a year. Delta 8 is a cannabinoid that comes from Cannabis Sativa or the cannabis and hemp plant. A cannabinoid is simply one of the compounds occurring in the hemp and cannabis plant. Formally called Delta 8 THC, it is usually found in very small quantities.
Is it a form of THC?
As the THC in its name suggests, Delta 8 is a Tetrahydrocannabinol, more precisely delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol. This often leads to confusion and might make it sound like Delta 8 and what we vulgarly call cannabis, or delta 9 thc, are the same. Contrary to this assumption, delta 8 is not derived from delta 9.
Delta 8 and delta 9 are two isomers of the same plant but are actually different at the molecular level. This means they have similar formulas but have different properties. This similarity to delta 9 is what has made delta 8 so popular.
How is it made?
Delta 8 THC occurs naturally in the cannabis and hemp plant. It is present in very small quantities. For this reason, the commercial Delta 8 THC is usually the result of converted CBD. Indeed, delta 8 is present in full-spectrum CBD and can be extracted from it.
Hemp growers have developed techniques to increase the quantity of delta 8 found in the plant. Nonetheless, the extraction of delta 8 remains strenuous.
What are the effects of Delta 8?
Delta 8 can create a psychoactive effect similar to delta 9 but is less potent. Users have reported that the high provided by delta 8 is milder but also comes with fewer negative side effects.
Their experience with delta 8 resulted in less paranoia and “couch-lock” than they had experienced with delta 9.
The effects of delta 8 are described as follows:
- Clear-headed high
- Better focus and concentration
- Feelings of relaxation, comfort, and calmness
- Improved appetite
For now, user experience is the only data available for reference on delta 8 effects and benefits.
What the research says
While the cannabinoid was discovered in 1965 by Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, nicknamed “The Father of Cannabis”, the research is still in its infancy.
Delta 8 THC’s success has indeed proceeded the research. While there is some available, more studies are needed to confirm the early findings. If those are confirmed, we can expect pharmaceutical companies and laboratories to start working on its potential for treatment plans. Before then, no one can say with real assurance what its value is in the medical field.
Here is what the preliminary research shows:
- One study found that delta 8 has great potential antineoplastic qualities Which means that it may be able to help cancer patients. In 2020, it was followed up by a new study into the potential benefits of delta 8 for breast cancer. The study concluded that some parts of delta 8 could be used to craft a novel drug for cancer patients. Conforming to the scientific method, this potential drug itself will need to be thoroughly tested and studied.
- Other preliminary studies have shown that Delta 8 THC fights chemotherapy-induced nausea better than other drugs, and increased the appetite better than Delta 9 THC, but those have not yet been confirmed by the following research.
The medical potential of delta 8 is therefore still extremely unclear, but as hemp is demystified and reaches a wider public we can expect this to change rather quickly.
For now, the way we think about how delta 8 interacts with our brain and our body, and the effects it might have ( positive or negative), is directly transposed to what is known and hypothesized about delta 9.
The endocannabinoid system
The Entourage Effect is the synergistic effect of multiple cannabis compounds working together at once. In other words, all compounds found in hemp have their specialty. Therefore, when those compounds work together, they produce a greater overall effect (energy/focus or relaxation/sleep).
This is why terpenes in the different strains of Delta 8 THC are very important. They are the miracle workers behind it all and they help you manage the effects you want.
Is Delta 8 Legal?
That is when things get a little confusing. The legality of Delta 8 relies on whether or not it is considered to be a hemp product, and whether or not the psychoactivity of a product makes it a controlled substance.
When is a product considered hemp or hemp-derived?
Hemp and cannabis are the same plants. Hemp is simply a plant that contains less than 0.3% of THC.
Hemp was made fully legal at the federal level by the 2018 Farm Bill.
According to this bill, as long as delta 8 is extracted from CBD or from hemp plants, it is federally legal.
That being said, states have the right to outlaw some products as they wish. Therefore, the legality of delta 8 relies heavily on how states’ legislature chooses to handle it.
Psychoactivity and controlled substance
Delta 8, like delta 9, is a psychoactive cannabinoid. This is part of what makes it appealing and trendy.
It is also important to note that coffee, alcohol, nicotine, and prescription drugs are all psychoactive substances. Psychoactive is a term applied to chemical substances that change a person’s mental state by affecting the way the brain and nervous system work.
But this has put delta 8 on the radar for lawmakers and some have decided to restrict its sale and consumption, or even ban it.
Indeed, while most products indicate that delta 8 users should not drive or operate heavy machinery, most new buyers may be too ill-informed to make educated decisions while under the influence of delta 8. From that perspective, lawmakers argue that bans and restrictions on delta 8 are a safe way to approach the new cannabinoid until the public is ready to safely use it.
Additionally, the Federal Analogue Act of 1986, stipulates that analog versions of a controlled substance are automatically considered a Schedule 1 narcotic. By this reasoning, delta 8, if considered as an analog of delta 9 and therefore lose its status as a hemp product, and therefore make the 2018 Farm Bill inadequate to rule on its legality.
This is another argument used by lawmakers who act in favor of the delta 8 restrictions.
While this argument makes a lot of sense, some may ask what is and isn’t an analog, and this could stand as a threat to the 2018 Farm Bill itself.
Where is Delta 8 legal?
Delta 8 is legal in 34 states.
In the following 18 states, delta 8 is subject to restrictions or is banned from sale and consumption:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New York
- North Dakota
- Rhode Island
- Utah
- Vermont
- Washington
Note: Delta 8 is under review in Alabama, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Oregon.
Always check your local legislation before buying a hemp-based product.
Does Delta 8 show up on a drug test?
Delta 8 is definitely not Delta 9, but it’s not CBD either. People experience a body and a slight mental high while using Delta 8. This should be enough to dissuade anybody to drive before all effects have worn off. You should also refrain from using delta 8 if you operate heavy machinery.
Furthermore, cannabis drug tests do not differentiate between delta 8 and delta 9. Our bodies break down THC into other compounds called THC metabolites. This is what drug tests search for. All THC breaks down the same way. Delta 8 may be completely legal to purchase in some states, but that does not render its consumption free of consequences.
Remember that D8 stays in your system for about 3–4 weeks.
Is Delta 8 safe?
Buying Delta 8: best practices
The attractiveness of delta 8 has unfortunately attracted the attention of ill-intentioned retailers. While shopping for delta 8 products, it is essential to keep an eye out for red flags and know how to spot reliable products.
COAs
COAs are the very minimum a hemp producer or vendor can provide to ensure the composition and safety of a product. When they are readily available, it is always a good sign. If no COA is readily available, you may want to reach to the vendor to request it.
State and federal laws
Always make sure that the website and the products offered are in compliance with state and federal regulations. It may be thrilling to break some rules here and there, but how much trust can really be put into a product sold by a website operating outside of the law?
Watch out for fake brands
If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, looks like a duck… The same goes for counterfeit products. For example, it could like its Canna River but says CannaLiver. Or, if it says MoonWLKR on the packaging but doesn’t look like it is described on the website, the product may be counterfeit. Delta 8 products are consumable. Therefore, they can be detrimental to the physical and mental health of the consumer if not produced by reputable and reliable manufacturers.
Check the Reviews
Reviews, especially on social media, google, and platforms that the website has less control over, are a good way to get real feedback about the company’s practices.
By following those steps, you should ensure that you are buying delta 8 in the safest way possible.
Is Delta 8 safe to consume?
Delta 8 does have a lot of potentials not only as a recreational supplement but also as a medicinal resource.
This isn’t an invitation to self-medicate with delta 8, Direct Delta 8 Shop firmly believes that any treatment needs to be researched and approved by a healthcare professional trained to do so.
But, for cannabis connoisseurs, and if bought responsibly, the risks to the consumer are minimal and amount to side effects.
To prevent any negative experience consumers should always consult their doctor before introducing delta 8 to their routine, or recreational activities.
Where can you buy delta 8?
Buying Delta 8 at smoke shops and dispensaries
Depending on your local laws on hemp and cannabis, you may be able to get delta 8 products at your local smoke shop, dispensary, even some gas stations.
This is a great way to support your local community and get real-time help while you shop.
When shopping for Delta 8 at a local store, make sure the shop is authorized to sell delta 8 products by the brand. Unfortunately, while shopping in person, obtaining reliable COAs can be hard. But exclusively shopping at an authorized reseller guarantees that the product is authentic and reliable.
Buying Delta 8 online
You can also buy delta 8 online! Lots of already established brands of the hemp industry are now offering delta 8 products and selling them on their website and authorized marketplaces.
While shopping online, it can sometimes be easier to spot a quality product.
DD8shop.com knows all the novelties of the cannabis and hemp industry can open the door to unscrupulous people. That’s why they carefully vet every product and brand offered on the website. They help take the guesswork out of your day by only providing the highest delta 8 quality on the market. Plus, you can conveniently shop for multiple brands and get your order delivered to your door without ever leaving your home.
On dd8shop.com you will always find the products’ COA to attest to the potency and quality. Furthermore, you can rely on our Customer Service for questions or concerns.
Delta 8 is a high-interest product right now and attracts all kinds of practices, but thankfully, legit actors of the hemp industry do not want to let this happen. Dailycbd.com, Hemp Industry Daily, and Leafreport are great places to inform you on the latest scam trends in the industry, to better avoid them.
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