plant-based wellness
Looking Beyond CBD and THC
An Introduction to the Hemp Derivative Delta-8 by Meredith Montgomery
A
s a seemingly endless supply of cannabidiol (CBD) products have flooded the U.S. market in recent years, many experts in the industry are looking beyond CBD to the many other beneficial components of the cannabis plant. More than 480 chemical entities (including over 100 canna-binoids and over 100 terpenes) occur naturally in this complex plant, and when they interact with various receptors within our body, a wide gamut of psychoactive and medicinal effects are elicit-ed. “Of the 489 chemicals in cannabis, delta-9-THC is the only one listed as a federally controlled substance,” says Jennifer Boozer, owner of CannaBama (CannaBama.com), in Mobile, Alabama. “Everyone knows it as the one that gets you in trouble—the one that gets you high.”
Get to Know Delta-8-THC
While many consumers are familiar with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as the plant’s primary psy-choactive component, most are not aware that there are several forms of THC in cannabis. Delta-8-THC is an analog of the well-known delta-9-THC, and a slight molecular difference between the two makes delta-8 significantly less potent. Users report a smoother, less anxious psychoac-tive experience that leaves them functional, plus it seems to have more medicinal effects. “Even in low quantities, people love it for anxiety and pain relief, and it’s very effective for nau-sea and as an appetite stimulant,” says Boozer, who’s experienced a higher demand for delta-8 than CBD this year. “It can energize you or relax you depending on the terpene profile, but it’s more of a body high—it makes you feel good and helps you focus, and there’s no paranoia.” A well-known study on delta-8-THC involved eight children, ages 8 to 13, who were being treated with various drugs and chemotherapy for hematologic cancers in Jerusalem. The patients were given delta-8-THC two hours before each session of chemotherapy and then every six hours for 24 hours. With this treatment, “vomiting was completely prevented” and “side effects ob-served were negligible.” Boozer witnessed the medicinal effects of delta-8 when a friend was diagnosed with terminal stomach, lung and brain cancer. “The delta-8 gummies I gave him kept him from losing his mind. It was the only comfort he had to manage his pain and keep him from getting sick from the treatment,” she says.
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APRIL 2021
Ensuring Quality and Legality
Like the CBD market, there isn’t much quality control of delta-8 and the scientific research, while promising, is limited. The legality of it can also be murky when products are not sourced from a reputable retailer. While delta-8 derived from hemp—a cannabis variety that is high in CBD and low in THC—is federally legal, synthetically altering CBD into delta-8-THC or sourc-ing it from a THC-potent cannabis plant, is illegal. Additionally, some states have more restrictive laws about hemp products, including Mississippi. Boozer also warns that many delta-8 vape cartridges being sold have illegal amounts of delta-9-THC and that researching brands to ensure transparency and quality is paramount. “You have to check the certificate of analysis (COA) and make sure the company is transparent by testing aggressively for purity and residuals like pesticides, heavy metals or solvents,” says Jon Bonds, the Sales Director of the delta-8 product line Hii Stick (HiiStick.com). He notes that a lot of brands from the tobacco industry are entering the market and trying to make quick money. “If a product is only 70 percent pure and nothing else is listed on the package, what is that other 30 percent?” Price points can also be a quick indication of quality. Hii Stick Marketing Director Ian Bush says, “Because the CBD conversion process is expensive and time consuming, the price [for delta-8] shouldn’t be too low—you get what you pay for.”
Comparing Delta-8 to Other Cannabinoids
Unlike spice or other synthetic cannabinoids, delta-8 naturally occurs in hemp. It has been around as long as cannabis, but only recently has it been identified and isolated from other compounds. It’s growing in popularity partly because it can serve both medicinal and recreational consumers. “People think of CBD as the nonalcoholic beer of the cannabis world because they can’t feel its effects as significantly as they can feel THC. The long-term effects of THC consumption is that it’s a part of the entourage effect—including it in a full-spectrum oil is great,” says Boozer. “But THC alone, in any form, is not going to get rid of inflammation and reverse symptoms like CBD can.” For many people, taking delta-8 at the end of the day is like drinking a glass of wine, but when combined with CBD, it helps bring the body into balance for overall well-being. Delta-8 can also be used to prolong the therapeutic effects of CBD, especially in cases involving pain or anxiety.
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