The Similarities and Differences between Delta 8 and Delta 9
Some of the biggest confusion over cannabis products comes from Delta 8 THC and Delta 9 THC Gummies. While they’re more similar than different, there are important distinctions you should consider before buying.
Both Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC occur naturally within cannabis plants. Both create psychotropic effects in users called a “high.” And both are chemically very similar. In chemical terms, Delta 8 is an isomer of Delta 9, meaning it possesses the same elements but a different chemical structure.
That difference is important. The change in chemical structure causes the molecules to interact slightly differently in the body. Where Delta 9 slots perfectly into receptors in the endocannabinoid system, Delta 8 doesn’t fit as easily.
The chemical difference means that Delta 8 produces a less potent high. Delta 9 THC creates an intense and heady experience. It can make users feel euphoric, get the giggles, feel hungry, and become tired. Delta 8 creates effects that similar, but less potent.
The high Delta 8 produces is gentler and more clear-headed. It’s also less likely to lead to feelings of paranoia.
Delta 8 vs Delta 9: Accessibility
Despite the chemical differences, Delta 8 and Delta 9 and treated differently by society. Most of that difference comes from their origins, which have traditionally caused stark differences in how accessible each product is to most American consumers.
For years, the federal government considered Delta 8 THC to be a product of the hemp plant that could be sold anywhere in the country, but viewed Delta 9 THC as Schedule I narcotic with no medicinal value that shouldn’t be legal.
However, that is beginning to change.
While Delta 9 THC is still mostly illegal, except in states that have passed recreational and medicinal marijuana laws, a loophole has opened up. The 2018 Farm bill allows cannabis products to be sold, as long as they contain no more than 0.3% Delta 9 THC.
Recently, products have emerged marketing themselves as “Delta 9 THC gummies” and contain exactly 0.3% THC by weight. This is perfectly legal. For example, a package of gummies that weighs 50 mg can include 10 mg of Delta-9 THC and still pass federal legal standards. While these products are harder to find, it’s likely they’ll become more widely available soon. Importantly, Delta 9 gummies that contain more than 0.3% THC can only be bought at dispensaries and are not federally legal.
Conversely, Delta 8 has been openly available in all but 11 states of the union for years. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp in the United States, paving the way for sales of products such as CBD, CBG, and textiles.
While hemp plants naturally produce Delta 8, it accounts for only about 1% of the total makeup. Growing entire plants to harvest just 1% is economically unsound. So, instead of using natural Delta 8, today’s products are made with Delta 8 that’s created in the lab by heating CBD until a chemical change occurs.
How long does Delta 8 last, compared to Delta 9?
Delta 8 produces effects that can last anywhere from two to six hours, much like Delta 9 THC. However, because the effects are less potent, many users report that Delta 8 products wear off more quickly.
While there is no current scientific consensus concerning whether Delta 8 or Delta 9 lasts longer, the type of THC is not the biggest factor in determining the timeline of effects.
Your tolerance, weight, age, and method of consumption all influence how long you’ll the effects of Delta 8 THC Gummies.
For example, when you ingest cannabis products, the effects don’t kick right away. It can take up to an hour to begin to feel the high produced by gummies. But it lasts longer. Edible highs can last up to eight hours, although for most normal doses, it’s usually about four hours.
If you smoke or vape cannabis products, the effects can begin right away, but their shorter-lived. Vaping Delta 8 products can produce a one- to three-hour high, depending on the amount used. Those stats are virtually the same for Delta 9 products.
What is the Best Place to Buy Delta 8 or Delta 9 THC Edibles online?
No matter if you choose Delta 8 or Delta 9 edibles, it’s become easier than ever to buy cannabis products both in person and online.
For a wide selection of high-quality, lab-tested edibles, visit https://thehemphaus.com. The Hemp Haus provides a wide range of legal gummies, vapes, flower, and wax. Their products can be shipped anywhere in the United States that allows the sale of Delta 8.
Shoppers in the Kansas City, Missouri, area can visit The Hemp Haus at 1708 W. 39th Street.
Different Types of Delta 8 Gummies: Vegan vs Traditional Gummies
When searching through Delta 8 gummies, you might be surprised to discover the sheer number of vegan options. While vegan diets have become more popular in recent years, the total number of vegans is still quite small. So why are there are so many vegan gummies?
As it turns out, many people who take cannabis products for medicinal or recreational use prefer vegan gummies. Some prefer the taste of vegan gummies, others prefer the health benefits, and some are actual vegans. But many users simply prefer to take natural medicine in the most humane way possible. Many vegan gummies go a step further, aiming to be gluten free and/or free of GMO (genetically modified organisms).
Traditional gummies use gelatin to give gummies their rubber-like structure. Gelatin is an animal product, so while it’s easy to use and a great adhesive, it’s doesn’t work for vegetarians and vegans.
Vegan Options
Modern science has provided several ways for food scientists to swap out gelatin for plant-based or lab-created substances, allowing many more candies and edibles to be produced without animal products.
Many brands substitute pectin for gelatin. Pectin is plant-based carbohydrate that is found in the rinds of fruits. The most common way to extract pectin is through a citrus peel, but some companies pull pectin from the skins of beets and apples. The texture of a pectin-made gummy is usually softer but with less stretch.
Pectin functions similarly to gelatin, with one important difference. While pectin provides a solid structure and adequate adhesive qualities, it does not provide the same mouth feel as gelatin. Gummies made with gelatin melt in the mouth, while pectin gummies are stiffer and chewier. However, that also means that pectin-made gummies are less likely to melt in high temperatures, such as when being left in a car.
Other gummies use tapioca starch as their thickening agent. As a carbohydrate made from the yuca (cassava) plant of South America, tapioca is a healthy option for gummies. Tapioca has no cholesterol or common allergens, is easily digestible, and is low in both fat and sodium.
You might be familiar with tapioca as the gummy ingredient in boba tea. Tapioca creates a soft texture, but it takes longer to break down, causing gummies made with tapioca to take longer to produce effects.
Traditional Gummies
For years, most gummies were made with gelatin because it’s easy to use and abundantly available. Today, however, many companies are moving away from using it in their recipes.
Gelatin is a protein that comes from the connective tissue of animals, usually pigs and cows. If that sound unpleasant to you, you’re not alone. Many consumers who don’t identify as vegan or vegetarian still prefer to stay away from products with gelatin.
Some users with religious dietary restrictions abstain from consuming most gelatins because they’re made from pig. Others just think that gelatin is gross and would prefer not to eat it.
Besides those concerns, gelatin has another flaw. It doesn’t interact well with certain flavors. Tropical juices from fruits such as pineapple, mango, and kiwi have enzymes that break down the structure of gelatin, making gummies collapse into a gooey mess. Companies that want to provide a consistent experience across all flavors often abandon gelatin because it limits their natural flavor options.
Flavoring: Natural or Artificial
When it comes to taste, gummies typically pull from two sources: natural and artificial flavorings.
Although they sound opposed, they’re more similar than different. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, natural flavors must come from a natural source. This can be as simple as zest from an orange peel, but it could also mean an extract from the bark of an orange tree.
Likewise, artificial flavors may not be as bad as you think. Instead of extracting chemicals from a natural source, artificial flavorings re-create those same chemicals in the lab.
Both can provide a range of tastes, from subtle to overwhelming. Ultimately, it may feel better to buy a product with natural flavors, but that’s where the differences stop.
Delta 8 Sprayed On or Mixed in the Mixture
The most overlooked component of Delta 8 gummies might be the Delta 8 itself. Specifically, how it gets into the gummy in the first place.
There are two ways to add Delta 8 to a gummy recipe. The most common way is by spraying a Delta 8 THC distillate onto the surface of the gummy, then letting it harden and dry. The problem with sprayed gummies is consistency. Spraying Delta 8 is not an exact science, and as a result, sprayed gummies can vary in potency from one piece to the next. This makes it difficult to find the right dosage.
A better way to create Delta 8 THC gummies is to mix the distillate directly into the gummies. When Delta 8 is mixed into the gummy recipe, it gets equally distributed throughout the batter, leading every gummy to produce the same effects. This makes dosing far easier and cuts down on surprises.
Check labels closely to see if the Delta 8 are infused (mixed in) or sprayed on.
So, you purchased Delta 8 gummies but how much should you take?
Delta 8 gummies can provide amazing effects, but to get the full benefits of a Delta 8 gummy, you need to take the right dosage. Take too much and you might get sleepy. Take too little and you won’t feel a thing.
So, how do you know what’s the right amount?
There are several factors that influence how Delta 8 will work in your body. But before you begin your Delta 8 journey, it’s important to keep one thing in mind: Every person is different. Just because a certain dosage works well for your friend, sibling, or coworker doesn’t mean it will affect you the same way.
How Do Delta 8 Gummies Work?
Compared to smoking or vaping, ingesting Delta 8 THC leads to a slower activation. Delta 8 edibles must pass through your digestive tract before they kick in. It isn’t until the cannabinoid reaches your liver that it affects you.
Factors such as your metabolism, weight, and how much food you’ve eaten recently can all affect how quickly Delta 8 gummies act.
For example, if you have a fast metabolism and empty stomach, you could begin to feel the effects of a Delta 8 gummy just a few minutes after you eat it. On the other hand, if you’ve just finished a large lunch and your metabolism runs slowly, it could take more than an hour to feel your gummy’s full effects.
There’s also a difference in how the body breaks down different kinds of gummies. Vegan gummies take longer to work because they’re made with a shortener like tapioca, which takes longer for the body to digest.
Delta 8 and Tolerance
Another factor in determining what dosage is right for you is tolerance. The more cannabinoids are circulating in your body, the higher your tolerance and the bigger dose you’ll need to feel effects.
If you’ve been taking Delta 8 gummies on a regular basis for a while, you may notice a decline in their effectiveness. In those cases, it’s time to up your dosage.
The same is true in the reverse. Even if you’ve been a regular user for years, once you’ve taken a break from cannabis, you need to start back slowly. Don’t jump back in at your old dosage.
Delta 8 THC circulates in the body of a regular user for two to three weeks. So, if you take half a month off, you’ve essentially reset your tolerance.
Importantly, this doesn’t only apply to Delta 8 edibles. If you regularly use any kind of cannabis, such as Delta 9 THC or a Delta 8 vape, you’ll have a tolerance for all Delta 8 products. Be sure to factor in your total cannabis consumption when estimating your optimum edible dosage.
The Delta 9 to Delta 8 Conversion
Delta 8 and Delta 9 are close cousins, having almost the same chemical makeup and producing similar effects in users. However, Delta 8 provides a gentler and more laid back high.
If you’re switching from Delta 9 (AKA regular) THC to Delta 8 products, there’s a simple formula you can use to tell how much Delta 8 will produce the same effects as your usual Delta 9 consumption.
The most common conversion rate is to talk 1.5 times as much Delta 8 as you would Delta 9. For instance, if you normally eat a gummy that has 10 mg of Delta 9 THC, you can feel roughly the same effects with a gummy that contains 15 mg of Delta 8 THC.
This is a helpful formula, but it’s not exact. Keep in mind that no matter how much Delta 8 you consume, the effects will never be exactly the same as Delta 9. While the two molecules are similar, the Delta 8 experience is less intense, even at higher doses.
Delta 8 Recommended Doses
So how much Delta 8 should you consume? Keeping the above information in mind, we suggest newbies start with around 6 mg of Delta 8 THC. In practical terms, that’s ¼ to ½ of a 25 mg gummy or 1/8 to ¼ of a 50 mg Delta 8 gummy.
Start by cutting your gummy into the appropriate size, then eat it, and see how it feels. Wait at least 90 minutes before consuming any more.
For the intermediate users, or those who sometimes use Delta 8 products and are familiar with its effect, we recommend ½ to one whole 25 mg gummy. The above rules still apply, so if you have you have a quick metabolism or haven’t had much to eat, err on the side of caution, and start with half a gummy.
For the advanced users, those who have a high tolerance for cannabis, we recommend one to two 50 mg gummies. If you’re switching from Delta 9 THC gummies and have a high tolerance, you can probably go with two full gummies. We did write a great blog on deciding whether delta 8 or delta 9 gummies are best for you.
Order Delta 8 THC Gummies Online
Order gummies online discreetly and have them delivered to your door (or mailbox)! You can do this at online or stop by our Kansas City Delta 8 Store.