Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9 THC) is easily one of the most controversial plant derivatives in our country’s history. How? Due to its unique ability to intoxicate the user. However, with the changing cannabis laws throughout the USA, we’re finally starting to look at it as a worthwhile cannabinoid. Specifically, one that could offer lots of value to our everyday lives. Thanks to the nature of hemp laws in America, companies have found ways to develop hemp-derived delta 9 THC products that are both federally compliant and psychoactive. Meaning, time for a crash course in everything there’s to know about delta-9 as you explore what’s out there.
All About Delta-9 THC
First discovered in 1965, delta-9 THC is the dominant chemical compound in marijuana, responsible for its psychoactive effects. In the hemp plant, you’ll get only about 0.3% delta 9 THC in the plant’s entire chemical composition, which is such a trace amount that consuming hemp on its own will not get you high.
Is Delta-9 Psychoactive?
It’s not newsworthy that delta-9 THC is an intoxicating cannabinoid. People have been consuming this compound for its psychoactive properties for thousands of years. And, it’s perhaps the most widely used intoxicant throughout the world after alcohol. For reference, delta 9 is about 30% more intoxicating than delta 8, as well as delta 10 THC. The high is often described as euphoric, while being quite soothing in terms of how it’s felt in the body. Some people actually derive mild psychedelic effects out of delta 9, but this is never a guarantee, and is dependent on both dosage amount and personal tolerance. However, after all is said and done, delta9’s psychoactive nature is the biggest part of its appeal.
What are the Other Properties of Delta-9?
Most are aware that there’s more to delta-9 THC than its ability to get users high. In fact, as a cannabinoid, it offers a rich array of useful properties to the human system, as we know from decades of research into its clinical value. It’s a cannabinoid that works with both CB1 receptors in the nervous system and CB2 receptors in the gut and body’s natural defensess, thus offering widespread effects that are regulatory in nature to keep the body in equilibrium, as part of the endocannabinoid system’s function.
- Help with Overwhelm: Delta 9 is known for its balancing effect on cortisol levels, which is why so many people find it to be useful when they’re dealing with emotional overwhelm.
- Help with Sleep: The potential cortisol-balancing properties, combined with its distinctively regulatory effect on melatonin levels, means that many people find it helpful to take delta 9 THC at bedtime to aid in sleep.
- Mood-Lifting: A lot of people get a feeling of bliss from delta 9 THC, which likely has to do with its effect on serotonin and dopamine that results in an uplifting effect.
- Antiemetic: A lot of people consume delta 9 THC specifically for its antiemetic properties which can decrease feelings of nausea as well as instances of vomiting.
- Enhanced Appetite: It’s no secret that delta 9 can act as a potent appetite stimulant, which can be extremely helpful to individuals who struggle with appetite.
- Discomfort Relief: Delta 9 THC does have discomfort-relieving properties that impact the way in which the nervous system reacts to discomfort, which is why so many people find that it’s useful when they’re in a state of physical discomfort.
- Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Delta 9 THC is also known for its anti-soreness properties which come from the cannabinoid’s regulatory effect on inflammation levels.
- Neuroprotective Properties: Delta 9 THC may offer neuroprotective properties that regulate the function of the brain system.
Is Hemp-Derived Delta-9 Legal?
Laws regarding hemp-derived delta-9 THC are undoubtedly the most confusing when it comes to any cannabinoid. In 2018, the United States passed the Farm Bill, which made all hemp products fully legal throughout the country as long as they contain a maximum of 0.3% delta 9 THC by dry weight. But, a couple of legal loopholes have allowed companies to develop delta 9 products that are both fully legal and actively intoxicating.
One loophole is the fact that the 0.3% dry weight requirement means that companies can formulate products that contain active doses of the cannabinoid while still being compliant. For instance, if you have an edible that weighs four grams, it may contain 12 milligrams of delta 9, legally, to stay within the 0.3% rule. And, 12 milligrams is a dosage amount that’s quite capable of providing the high for which the cannabinoid is known.
Another aspect of the law is the way in which delta-9 is accounted for in analysis procedures. Hemp products must legally be tested to prove that they contain a maximum of 0.3% delta-9 THC before they hit the market. But, there are two testing processes. One tests hemp products after they’ve been decarboxylated, in which THCA, the acidic, non-intoxicating precursor to THC is converted into delta 9. Another testing procedure that relies on chromatography is performed prior to decarboxylation, meaning that the product will contain a high level of THCA, but not delta9. Keep in mind that federal law does not restrict the amount of THCA that may be indicated in analysis.
What Product Forms Does Delta – Come in?
Right now, delta 9 products available on the market from reputable brands come in the form of edibles. This is because of the way in which legal delta 9 products must contain high dosage amounts in order for the 0.3% delta-9 THC concentration to have any real effect. Edibles can come in large sizes that the user will have no problem consuming in one sitting, thus making it the best choice for legal D9 products.
Delta-9 THC: The Next Big Thing on the Hemp Market
The key takeaway is that it’s ultimately legal, under federal law, to purchase hemp-derived products that highlight the effects of delta-9 THC. And, you’ll notice that more and more delta 9 products will start making their way onto the market as a result, which are available for purchase throughout the country. When planning to buy some delta 9, make sure that you’re buying from a reputable company, and look for lab reports to verify the legitimacy, federal compliance and purity levels that a company is working with. By sticking with the delta-9 THC at Pure CBD Vapors, you can know that you’re getting the real deal.
