If you’re a fan of cannabis products, you’re part of a tradition stemming back to 430 BC. At this time, the main use for the herb was at funerals, where they wanted to induce intoxication.
This may seem a bit grim in 2023, but it’s really interesting to consider where marijuana first came from and the extremely different reasons that you use it today.
As someone who loves weed, you may have recently heard of the new strain Delta 8. Here, we’re going to take a look at Delta 8 vs Delta 9 THC and determine what the most important similarities and differences are when determining which to use. Read on for some help deciding which strain is right for you.
Delta 8 vs Delta 9 THC: What’s the Difference?
Delta 8 and Delta 9 are both strains of tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly referred to as THC. THC is the main psychoactive compound within a cannabis plant that causes the ‘high’ feeling that users chase.
Whether a cannabis consumer wants the euphoric effects of smoking or to sleep well after eating an edible, THC is the compound that lets this happen.
Both Delta 8 and Delta 9 strains can be taken in a variety of ways. You can smoke it with a bowl, handheld pipe, or bong if you want a relatively instant high.
Vaping is a great way to consume THC because you can get high quickly without worrying about burning lungs or respiratory pain. If you don’t mind waiting 30 minutes to four hours before the effects kick in, tinctures, oils, and edibles are the way to go.
A tincture is a liquid that you can drop a bit of in your mouth and wait for your high to begin. Oils and edibles (such as gummies, chocolates, and brownies) are a great way to ingest cannabis painlessly as well (and get some great flavor while doing it).
Defining Delta 9 THC
All of these are great ways that people have been ingesting Delta 9 THC for decades. Delta 9 is the strain that you smoke the most often. It’s a chemical compound in the cannabis plant that creates awesome mental effects like elation and relaxation.
Usually, this strain of THC is what’s contrasted with CBD, the part of a cannabis plant that relaxes your body with no psychoactive effects.
People who take Delta 9 usually do so because they like the feelings of happiness and euphoria that come with getting high. They want to laugh for a while before getting extremely relaxed. In the end, they love to unwind and fall into a deep REM slumber at the end of their fun high.
Since Delta 9 is such a strong compound, these effects are pretty pronounced. This is an upside of a stronger strain for a lot of people, but some would prefer that their highs would be a little less intense.
Pros:
There are a lot of benefits to taking Delta 9 THC and experiencing strong impacts. Some major advantages are:
- Having a mood boost for a couple of hours (because of the feelings of joy and carefree elation brought on by THC)
- Positive physical effects due to greater laughter (since laughter has scientifically been proven to be healing).
- Short-term memory impairment that feels freeing to the user.
- Relaxation of both the mind and body.
- Sound sleep with longer REM cycles
- Fun vivid dreams that make for awesome stories the next day.
Cons:
All cannabis products are also completely non-habit forming. You won’t get addicted to them as you would to alcohol and other drugs, even when you build up a weed tolerance.
However, like most good things, there is also a dark side to Delta 9 THC:
- A quick buildup of tolerance to THC:
- This requires you to smoke more weed than you need to if you want to get the same high as you once did.
- This wastes money because you’ll need to invest more cash into buying more pot.
- You’ll need to take longer T-breaks (about 4-5 weeks) to get your tolerance down to where it once was.
- Weed hangovers that give you headaches, dehydration, and difficulty focusing the next day.
- Trouble sleeping once you build up a tolerance.
- Long-term memory loss in addition to short-term forgetfulness.
- Confusion and disorientation.
- The possibility of a bad high’ in which you don’t experience ecstasy but terror.
What Is Delta 8 THC?
Delta 8 THC is the solution to many of the disadvantages offered by Delta 9. Despite this, it isn’t that different from Delta 9 is and only has a slightly different chemical makeup.
The main difference is that the Delta 8 compound binds to two CB1 receptors in your brain rather than the one that Delta 9 does. Because of this, you’re only going to get half as high when you take Delta 8 THC as you would with Delta 9 alternatives.
Many users say that they get the same semi-sedative physical feeling that they love with Delta 9 but that it isn’t accompanied by the mental and psychoactive alterations that their regular THC has.
Some people, however, do get mentally high when they take Delta 8 THC. The effects are simply less pronounced than they would be with Delta 9. All you need to do is make sure that you take the right dosage to get the outcome that you’re hoping for.
Pros:
In addition to offering all of the advantages of Delta 9 THC, Delta 8 brings a plethora of unique benefits to the table as well. These advantages include:
- Fewer problems with memory and concentration.
- Higher productivity and the ability to do household work while high.
- A sedative effect without the risk of dependency for quality sleep.
- Slower tolerance buildup:
- Shorter T-breaks (only 7-8 days) that are much less frequent.
- Better highs over long periods of time.
- Saves money because you won’t need to purchase more to get as high as you used to
- Fewer chances for getting ‘bad highs’ because the strain doesn’t have as many psychoactive effects.
These are just the basic benefits of using this strain of cannabis. There are many more amazing things about using it. You can continue reading about these effects to gain a greater understanding of how you’ll be impacted after smoking Delta 8!
There aren’t many downsides to using Delta 8 THC. In fact, it eliminates a lot of the problematic side effects that come with using Delta 9. The only real disadvantage is that you need to use more of it to obtain the same high as you would with the traditional Delta 9 flower.
For heavier users, Delta 8 might be a waste of money since they’ll purchase and consume twice as much of it. If you’re someone who isn’t worried about tolerance buildup and wants to get as high as possible, Delta 9 might be better for you.
This is especially the case for those who enjoy the short-term memory loss that THC provides- Delta 8 will be a less fun experience if this describes you.
Delta 8 THC vs CBD
We brushed on how the main effects of Delta 8 are physical relaxation and a semi-sedative feeling. If you’ve heard of CBD, you likely are wondering how these two strains of the cannabis plant are different from each other. CBD also is responsible for the physical effects of cannabis without giving you a high, after all.
The main difference between the two is that Delta 8 is capable of getting you high. Even if you won’t experience the same degree of psychological effects as you would when taking Delta 9, you will experience some.
This is because Delta 8 is a strain of THC and therefore incorporates mind-altering chemicals into its compound. It simply binds to your brain differently than Delta 9.
CBD, on the other hand, is incapable of producing psychoactive effects and getting you high because it doesn’t bind to your CB1 receptors. It only can assist you in pain relief and physical relaxation.
Many people do feel less anxious after taking CBD, but that stems back to the loss of tension in your body. It’s a purely psychosomatic effect.
Determining Which Strain Is Best for You
Now that you know what Delta 9 and Delta 8 are and how they’re distinct, it’s time to consider which is a better fit for your needs.
Delta 9 may be best for you if your goal is to et as high as possible. It’s the strain that you probably will prefer to use occasionally in social settings. You and your friends can have an awesome time with its more potent effects and fun, euphoric highs.
On the flip side, Delta 8 is best for those who are getting high alone. If you want to get productive tasks done such as cleaning the house, performing daily chores, or working from a home office, Delta 8 won’t muddle your thoughts enough to interfere with these activities.
You should limit your use to being in your house- driving with Delta 8’s effects is still dangerous – but it’s perfect for meeting at-home objectives.
Also, remember that there’s no need to commit to always using Delta 8 or to enjoying Delta 9 100% of the time. You can use one strain at times when its effects appeal to you and the other when it provides the high that you’re looking for.
This is similar to how you can take THC in multiple different ways at different times- you wouldn’t force yourself to only use pre-rolls or exclusively eat edibles!
Legal Issues for Delta 8 vs Delta 9 vs Cannabis
Knowing what Delta 8 is can help you to get better highs, but you likely are also wondering whether or not it’s legal. This plays a part in whether most people decide to use the herb, after all.
The legalities of Delta 8 THC are a bit murky. The federal government has hard-and-fast laws regulating Delta 9 that say it’s illegal at the federal level. It’s classified as a “dangerous” psychoactive drug similar to much harder drugs like LSD and cocaine. The government therefore refers to it as a ‘controlled substance’.
However, the federal government allows for Delta 9 regulation at the state level. While the federal government’s blanket law on THC applies if state governments don’t override it, local governments in your state are able to legalize marijuana within their jurisdiction.
Medical marijuana is legal in 34 states while recreational weed is legal in 15.
You may think that these hard-and-fast laws on Delta 9 would obviously apply to Delta 8 since they’re both strains of cannabis. There’s some room for confusion here, though, because CBD and hemp are completely legal in all 50 states. This is because of the 2018 Farm Act.
This was a hot topic for a while, but sadly, the DEA wound up editing its list of controlled substances to include Delta 8 last August. There’s a catch to this, though- it can only be made illegal if it’s derived from Cannabis sativa.
There’s some debate about what part of the plant Delta 8 comes from, however, and if it comes from the hemp plant, the Farm Act makes it impossible to criminalize.
Even if time does illuminate that it’s indisputably a controlled substance, Delta 8 can be legalized at the state level. If Delta 9 THC is legal where you are, it’s a safe bet to assume that Delta 8 is too. You can smoke it completely free of legal anxiety if this describes your situation!
Get Ready to Toke Up
While weed is a popular pastime for many people, some fans of the herb don’t know about all of the possible THC types they can try. You, on the other hand, do! Now that you know the differences between Delta 8 vs Delta 9 THC, it’s time to begin smoking and enjoying the effects of both strains.
Check out the ‘recreational’ tab on our home page for some ideas about how you can use weed recreationally. Here, you’ll read articles about how to get the most out of each high no matter whether you choose Delta 8 vs Delta 9, so what are you waiting for? Start browsing and have more intense and fun highs ASAP!
