If you’ve been paying attention to the latest trends in the world of Hemp, you have probably been hearing about Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol. Like CBD, this is a compound that is derived from the Hemp plant (and also from the Marijuana plant). However, its properties are significantly different from CBD, and that is why it has carved out a whole new niche in the industry. Still, there is a lot of confusion about this stuff. What is it, exactly? Is it a psychoactive drug? Does it have medicinal benefits? Let’s discuss that issue in greater detail.
What Is Delta-8 THC?
Delta-8 is one of the many cannabinoid substances that can be found in the Hemp plant. Cannabinoid substances are the active ingredients of the Cannabis plant, and they are responsible for its unique effects. The human brain actually has two kinds of receptor cells that are specifically intended to bond with cannabinoids. So, how many different cannabinoids are contained in the Hemp plant? Estimates vary because some of them are undiscovered or poorly understood. However, about 113 specific cannabinoids have been identified.
Delta-8 THC is very similar to Delta-9 THC, with the major difference being that one is legal and the other is not. Their effects are very similar, so you might wonder why that is the case. We think it’s because of the fact that most Cannabis only contains trace amounts of Delta-8 THC. We’re talking about less than 1% here, so it wouldn’t be very practical to try and get this substance from normal Cannabis. Instead, Delta-8 is normally sold as a concentrated extract.
Is Delta-8 A Psychoactive Substance?
Delta-8, like its psychedelic cousin, is a psychoactive substance. That being said, all the research seems to indicate that it is far less psychoactive than Delta-9 THC. Thus, it has the potential to give people a little bit of that euphoria without affecting their motor skills, their ability to drive, or their ability to think clearly. Naturally, the prospect of a natural and legal “high” has aroused the curiosity of many.
Although Marijuana is not a particularly dangerous drug by any sane standard, Delta-8 THC seems to be safer than Delta-9. Many users of Marijuana experience paranoia and a certain “jittery” feeling. Although frequent smokers may enjoy this, medicinal users probably won’t. However, all accounts seem to indicate that Delta-8 does not produce the same kind of anxiety that has been observed from users of Delta-9 THC.
The Problems
There is still one problem with Delta-8 THC at the moment: It is far too expensive. As we said, the Hemp plant naturally contains less than 1% Delta-8, and that is a major problem. Over time, we expect that people will selectively breed new strains to have higher Delta-8 levels. However, until that happens, this product will remain somewhat expensive.
So, how expensive are we talking about here? Let’s check out this random sample. This person is selling it by the milliliter, and they appear to be charging nearly $40 for a single ml of this stuff! However, this product is a 60-70% distillate, meaning that it is a slightly more complex type of extract. Let’s look for a second example and see if we can establish a certain range.
This second example is a tincture, which is a simple extract made with a 50-50 mix of water and alcohol. It contains 30ml of liquid and costs about $20.00. This product is currently on sale, so let’s go with its standard price of $30.00. At this rate, you are paying a dollar per milliliter. This seems like a great deal until you realize that this stuff is nowhere near as pure as a distillate. Even the advertising admits that it only contains about 300 Mg of Delta-8 THC. Thus, this product is cheaper, but you are getting a relatively weak product.
Conclusion: Is Delta-8 THC Worth The Money?
When we consider all the facts given above, we would have to say that it is not worth the money to use Delta-8 THC on a regular basis. However, we do think that these Delta-8 distillates have a lot of potentials to change that fact. As these compounds become better-known, demand for them will become greater. In response, you can bet that the price will gradually come down. Until then, however, we would only recommend the use of Delta-8 as an occasional treat. Delta-8 THC from Mr Hemp Flower does seem to be both safe and effective, but its high cost is still prohibitive for many. You can buy cheaper, weaker solutions, of course, but those are unlikely to give the effect that you wanted. In the end, Delta-8 THC is worth the money to try, but it needs more development before it becomes financially viable for the masses.