Delta-8 THC is legal and readily available in many places around the world. It’s one of a few types of cannabinoids that have been sold as a purified chemical compound, used as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), or as a raw material for further synthesis.
The buy delta 8 THC molecule is identical to delta-9 THC except for the position right next to the oxygen atom where an extra double bond is present. That slight change makes all the difference, establishing delta-8 THC as a nonpsychoactive variant of delta-9 THC found naturally in Cannabis plants.
According to online sites selling bulk or retail quantities of pure delta 8 THC powder, CBD oil, CBD vape juice, and other cannabinoid products for research purposes only – delta-8 THC is “the most potent natural nonpsychoactive cannabinoid known to man.” It’s also branded as having the highest affinity for CB1 receptors.
The claims are pretty excessive, but if stories about its potency are true, then delta-8 THC must be something. This article will put those wild claims under scrutiny and discuss the possible dangers of using this type of cannabinoid without appropriate experience or oversight by a health care provider.
No matter how it’s advertised, delta-8 THC is just another morphinan with an oxygen atom (or hydroxyl group) located at position eight on the benzopyrene ring—just like propofol. As with any other drug molecule developed to act on the cannabinoid receptors of the human body, delta-8 THC is a psychoactive substance and never 100% free of impurities. These impurities can be either synthetic or related to the synthesis process itself, and their high purity is not guaranteed.
Where to purchase delta 8? Sales sites for CBD oil often refer to an article (Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects) published in the British Journal of Pharmacology that points out terpenoids found in Cannabis plants also contribute to their overall impact on CB receptors. Delta 8 THC produced by industrial extraction processes does not retain any such terpenes because it’s already been decarboxylated during processing, so it lacks even more medicinal compared with “live” CBD oil that has not gone through the same chemical reactions.
This brings into question how delta-8 THC works when it’s isolated and not ingested in combination with terpenoids present in unrefined CBD oil. This type of cannabinoid can likelyhelp some people dealing with anxiety, insomnia, or depression. However, most medical users prefer CDB extracts because they work better than purified delta 8 THC products alone.