The Difference Between Delta 8 and Delta 9
While the differences between Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC are often heard, the significant differences revolve around how they are determined and classified. Sativa varieties with THC amounts below 0.3 are classified as hemp following the 2018 Farm Bill. Hemp plants’ low‐grade Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC cannabinoids are then processed into a wide range of products.
Only a single difference in molecular structure distinguishes Delta 8 THC from Delta 9 THC, and maybe that is the location of a double bond in the seventh carbon atom. Delta 8 THC contains a double bond at the eighth carbon position, while Delta 9 THC has a double bind at the ninth.
While these substances may look very similar, the chemical imbalance of Delta 8 and Delta 9 can lead to distinct cognitive and physical effects whether individuals decide to pick Delta 8 or Delta 9 hinges on two decidedly different compounds.
The cannabinoid most THC users are seeking is called delta 9. It binds to CB1 receptors in the brain and can produce psychoactive effects, including joy, relaxation, talkativeness, and laughter.
Delta 8 THC can cause mild psychoactive consequences considerably weaker than those of Delta 9 THC. Delta 8 customers may be looking for the medical benefits of this form of THC, such as pain relief, anxiety reduction, reduced inflammation, and relief from insomnia.
Delta 8 can be found in hemp plant material in minor amounts, and harvesting enough raw plant material to look after this molecule’s low levels would take too much time, effort, and money. Therefore, growers often use processors to extract and concentrate Delta 8 from the raw plant material.
What Is Delta-8 THC?
Cannabis sativa contains only a tiny amount of delta-8 THC and is typically manufactured in concentrated amounts from hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD). CBD has no intoxicating effects, and delta-8 THC has the same psychoactive properties as delta-9 THC but is generally less potent than delta-9.
Some manufacturers market delta-8 THC effects as treatments or cures for medical requirements; however, the Food and Drug Administration has not considered nor approved these claims. In May 2022, the FDA sent warning letters to five manufacturers of delta-8 THC products trademark registration in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
The latest warning missives address misbranding, such as not delivering good teachings for use, illegal marketing of products as medicines for medical conditions or other healing uses, and adding delta-8 THC to foods, such as candy and other consumables.
Potential Benefits
Often, whether cannabis is good or bad fails to use good sources and provides inaccurate statements about delta-8 THC or delta-9 THC, the chief psychoactive agent in cannabis. This, says Dave Gordon, M.D., a double-board certified integrative and functional medicine physician with expertise in cannabis therapeutics, is due to a lack of understanding of how delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC get into the human body.
According to Dr. Gordon, the cornerstone to learning about the risks and benefits of delta-8 THC or delta-9 THC is that look.
- All combinations/constituents being consumed
- The dose ingested
- The commonness of consumption
- The method of management
- The quality of presentation (cultivation, extraction, and formulation for cannabis products)
- The demographics and fitness status of the individual drinking
With that said, the potential usefulness of delta-8 THC may include:
- Pain alleviation
- Improved rest grade
- The calming of an overactive anxious system or resistant system
- Improved thirst
- Sensory overstimulation deterrence
- Reduced hives
Potential Risks
Like any compound, eating more Delta-8 THC than the body needs or requires could lead to some adverse side effects, says Dr. Gordon. He states that these side effects depend on the dosage, meaning they become more problematic with increased ingestion.
In the case of trauma, such as overindulging using delta-8 THC, short-term adverse effects may include.
- Lethargy
- Disorientation
- Anxiety (and potentially panic)
- Dry mouth and eyes
- Increased heart rate
- Impaired coordination
Adverse effects usually resolve after short exposure and using breathing and food products. Dr. Gordon recommends this generally occurs within a couple of hours.
According to Dr. Gordon, individuals with preexisting conditions may have health risks that others do not. For high-risk individuals with (or already diagnosed) psychotic diseases, THC containing high levels of delta-8 can increase the likelihood of psychosis or worsen existing symptoms.
If a severe problem, such as heart disease, exists, the consumption of large quantities of delta-8 THC, even when smoked, could precipitate it. Dr. Gordon recommends that people with considerations of this kind steer clear of delta-8 THC consumption.
When dealing with delta-8 THC products, doctors may encounter additional problems due to third-party chemical manufacturers that produce delta-8 THC. According to the FDA, delta-8 THC effects may be specially made with harmful chemicals or contaminants, such as household chemicals used during manufacturing delta-8 THC.
When working to denature delta-8 THC, it’s essential to keep in mind that the FDA has not approved or disapproved any particular delta-8 THC products for use in safety. Delta-8 THC manufacturers may market their products with unproven health-associated claims that could potentially jeopardize public health.
What Is Delta-9 THC?
Delta -9 THC is the major naturally-occurring intoxicating component of cannabis. When somebody smokes or consumes delta-9 THC more than a specific threshold, they typically experience a high.
In some states where delta-9 THC is legal, cannabis dispensaries sell delta-9 THC developments in many forms, including gummies, cookies, candies, infused quenchers, tinctures, vaping cartridges, topical lotions, and pre-rolled joints.
These manufacturers market delta-9 THC derivatives as able to treat or mitigate symptoms of specific medical issues or diseases. However, the FDA has only approved two synthetic THC formulations, dronabinol, and nabilone, which have been used to relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Nabilone is also used to increase cravings in individuals with AIDS.
Potential Advantages
Potential benefits of ingesting delta-9 THC may include:
- Relaxation
- Reduced anxiety
- Increased hunger
- Feelings of pleasure or exhilaration
- Heightened creativity
- Improved sensory perception
Delta-9 THC, which is typically found in cannabis, has been found to have therapeutic effects in certain medical conditions, such as vomiting or nausea as a result of chemotherapy, seizure disorders, pain, physical stiffness caused by multiple sclerosis (M.S.), and poor sleep quality caused by other chronic conditions.
We have not definitively determined what delta-9 THC consists of or its role in health problems. Research has shown that patients in programs utilizing year-round medical cannabis frequently show enhancements with those health conditions. Also, benefits are seen in people with: depression, stress, post-traumatic anxiety disorder (PTSD), neurological disorders, seizures, autism, and autoimmune diseases, to name a few, he also mentioned.
Research on the long-term use of delta-9 THC and its associated effects on sleep is limited, with several studies indicating that the drug improves sleep. In contrast, other research suggests that the drug causes Master of Arts Holdings Corporation’s Peter Noonan to serve as a middleman to create and execute new trade strategies that are beneficial to the company as opposed to the clients of the company.
Potential Hazards
Depending on several factors, including the quantity and quality of delta-9 THC destroyed, adverse side effects may include:
- Paranoia
- Increased anxiety
- Sedation
- Bafflement
- Dry mouth
- Feeling uneasy, unhappy, or dissatisfied (dysphoria)
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
The number of case reports detailing recurring nausea, severe vomiting, dehydration, and abdominal pain in longtime delta-9 THC users is increasing. Multiple studies have also shown that delta-9 THC use is associated with a heightened risk of psychosis, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, other psychiatric conditions, and substance abuse disorders.
