Jumping into the world of medical cannabis is no easy endeavor. There is a steep learning curve capable of spooking even the bravest souls. The cannabis community even has its own vocabulary that can take some getting used to. For instance, have you ever heard of Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC? Most casual cannabis users have not.
It helps to know the terms when you are listening to professionals talk about cannabis-related issues. If you live in a state with a strict medical program, knowing the terminology is even more important to understanding the debate between medical and adult use. Needless to say, it can all be very confusing to people new to the cannabis community.
Table of Contents
1. THC Is a Cannabinoid
When most people hear the word ‘cannabis’, their brains immediately think marijuana. They think about how marijuana makes people high. That it does, thanks to a substance known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is a cannabinoid produced naturally by cannabis plants.
What you might not know is that there are multiple forms of THC. When the cannabis community refers to THC generically, the reference is actually to one particular form of the cannabinoid known as Delta 9 THC. There are other forms that all qualify as analogues of Delta 9. One of them is Delta 8 THC.
As analogues, these other forms of THC have essentially the same molecules as Delta 9. However, those molecules are arranged differently. Molecular arrangement affects the properties of each analog. Likewise, those properties affect how the human brain reacts to each one.
2. Moving to Ban Delta 8 THC
In the early days of legalized cannabis use, processors did not differentiate between the various types of THC. They focused only on Delta 9 for the mere fact that it is the one people wanted for its psychoactive effects. But somewhere along the way, certain industry players began looking into Delta 8 THC.
It turns out that Delta 8 also produces a sort of high. Users have described it as a clearer, cleaner high that isn’t as potent and doesn’t inhibit behavior to the same degree. This discovery encouraged processors to begin adding Delta 8 to CBD products sold over-the-counter. Wise to the practice, states are now moving to ban it.
At issue is adding Delta 8 to CBD products that are not supposed to contain more than 0.3% THC by volume. Processors have gotten away with it so far because testing standards do not look for Delta 8. They only look for Delta 9. If you are a regular Delta 8 user, don’t plan on the status quo remaining for much longer. States are aggressively working to get Delta 8 out of CBD products.
3. Strict Medical Standards
Delta 8 THC is a bigger problem for states with strict medical programs. These are states that don’t allow adult recreational use of any kind. Utah is one of them. As a patient, you can go into the Pure Utah cannabis pharmacy in Payson and buy both CBD and THC medicines with a valid medical cannabis card.
State standards require that all CBD products contain no more than 0.3% Delta 9 THC. If a product is advertised as CBD but contains Delta 8 THC, it is technically illegal under the law. Processors have been getting away with adding Delta 8, but the practice is not likely to continue.
Now you know the basics of Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC. With that out of the way, there is a lot more to learn about cannabis. Do not be alarmed if you find it all confusing.
