California enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a cannabis-friendly state. In 1996, it became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. California went on to legalize marijuana for recreational use in 2016. In 2020, California had $4.4 billion in cannabis sales, a 57% increase from the previous year. Californians now have their pick of cannabis products. Marijuana and THC isomers, such as Delta 8 THC, are widely available across the state.
Delta 8 THC in California
If you haven’t heard about the latest cannabis trend, Delta 8 is a milder version of THC that has about half the potency of marijuana (Delta 9 THC). This naturally occurring form of THC is sold in the state because of California Industrial Hemp Law Division 24, Title 3, Division 4, Chapter 8. Although it occurs naturally in cannabis plants, harvesting it is cost-prohibitive, so manufacturers extract it from CBD. People seek out Delta 8 because of its mellow high coupled with minimal adverse effects.
California is again leading the cannabis industry by legalizing Delta 8 and other THC isomers. Unfortunately, residents of other states are not as lucky. Delta 8 has been restricted or banned in at least 18 states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and Washington.
Los Angeles and Delta 8 Production
Los Angeles is the world’s largest legal cannabis market in the world. As you might expect, this major city is embracing Delta 8. Several Delta 8 brands are based in L.A. Smoke shops, dispensaries, convenience stores, and gas stations around the city sell Delta 8 products. Los Angelenos have many options to choose from for Delta 8 products. It can be challenging to discern which Delta 8 products are best.
Where Should You Look for High-Grade Delta 8 THC?
There is minimal regulation of Delta 8 products, meaning that there are no established industry standards for manufacturing, testing, and labeling. That means that you need to take extra steps to get safe Delta 8 products.
Delta 8 is widely available in Los Angeles and throughout California. It may be tempting to purchase a Delta 8 product as an impulse buy, but you still need to do your research before buying a product for your safety.
Due to the lack of regulation, plenty of brands on the market offer poor quality or even unsafe products. They may contain harmful byproducts from the synthetic process by which Delta 8 is created, or they may not be as potent as advertised. You can purchase safe Delta 8 products by looking for brands that have every product batch tested by a third-party lab to ensure that the product contents match the ingredients listed on the label.
Avoid purchasing from head shops, gas stations, and smoke shops. If you do purchase in-store, buy from a licensed cannabis store. These stores must comply with manufacturing requirements and lab testing that all licensed cannabis products must pass. However, the selection is more limited in stores than online.
When you purchase online, you can take your time to research the brand’s manufacturing practices and view Certificates of Analysis (COA) from third-party lab tests to verify potency and purity. You can take advantage of the more extensive selection available online. Additionally, you can comparison shop to find the best price, though you should never compromise on safety just to save a few extra bucks. You can also take some time to track down any promo codes the brand might offer via social media or in exchange for signing up for their email list. Did we mention that you won’t have to deal with L.A. traffic when you shop online?
Choosing the Right Delta 8 Brand
If you live in L.A., you’re used to having lots of options for everything you buy. You’ll be happy to know you can choose from a wide variety of Delta 8 products online. Finding a high-quality Delta 8 brand is easy if you know what to look for. Choose brands that:
- Use top-quality hemp plants grown on farms in the U.S.
- Do third-party lab testing
- Use current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) approved by the FDA
- Craft their products in FDA-registered facilities
Brands that follow these practices can offer you safe, potent, and pure Delta 8 products. When you buy online, you can take the time to verify that the brand takes these extra steps to ensure a premium product.
Help Keep Delta 8 Legal in California
If you are concerned that California might get on the bandwagon with states that are banning Delta 8, you can take action to support its continued legalization by:
- Thanking California lawmakers for legalizing Delta 8.
- Contacting state lawmakers who want to make Delta 8 illegal and tell them that you are a voter who wants it to remain legal.
- Not purchasing from dispensaries that support banning Delta 8.
- Supporting responsible regulation of Delta 8 products to ensure public safety in this young industry.
- Buy directly from reputable Delta 8 brands that are good actors in the industry.
- Tell other people about your experiences if you enjoy Delta 8.
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