Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC: Curious About the Newbies in the Cannabis Industry?

Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC are the new hype in the cannabis industry. 

We’re here to tackle your most common questions about these “newly legal” isolated cannabinoids. Let’s demystify the hemp scene.

Hemp is one of the fastest-growing industries today. In fact, it’s already overtaken the tobacco industry in terms of revenue. The hemp industry is booming — and it’s no wonder.

With the legalization of CBD, new CBD products are entering the market. Consumers are becoming increasingly curious about the benefits of isolated cannabinoids such as Deltas-8 and Delta-10. 

CBD products can seem intimidating — especially if you’re new. 

Maybe you’re hesitating to invest in CBD products because you don’t know where to start.  You glance at a product with Deltas-8 and Delta-10, but what are they? When you’re in a dispensary, there’s no shortage of acronyms.

These are the new hype, but what do they mean?

To determine precisely what you’re buying, you need to know more about these terms.

Cannabinoids Contained in the Hemp Plant

Scientists have barely scratched the surface of hemp’s potential. It’s essentially a powerhouse plant that has so many benefits. Containing hundreds of unique cannabinoids — each cannabinoid interacts differently with your body.

 Cannabinol and tetrahydrocannabinol — CBD and Delta-9 THC — are likely the most common cannabinoids you’ve heard about. 

They’re only two of hundreds of cannabinoids in hemp.  Scientists are presently researching to see if these cannabinoids can help reduce inflammation, lessen discomfort, and ease nausea. With so many cannabinoids to study, and the research being so new, little is definitive yet in the eyes of the FDA, so people are left to utilize their own judgement and anecdotal evidence. 

So What Are Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC? 

The hemp plant comprises over 100 cannabinoids that help support your endocannabinoid system or ECS. Most cannabinoids are found in small quantities within the hemp plant — and work best together.

Delta-8’s structure is very similar to that of Delta-9 THC. The only difference between the two compounds is the double bond on the 8th carbon chain instead of the 9th carbon chain. 

Delta-10 is the same molecule, but you guessed it. That double bond that changes the compound is located on the 10th carbon chain.

With over 100 cannabinoids discovered in varying amounts within the hemp plant, it’s important to remember that each cannabinoid has distinctive properties. 

Even these tiny but mighty minor endocannabinoids like Delta-8 or Delta-10 THC perform specific jobs to balance your ECS. But a little goes a long way.

Can You Extract Delta-8 or Delta-10 THC From Industrial Hemp?

Delta-8 THC and Delta-10 THC are difficult to isolate in the hemp plant because there are fewer of these specific cannabinoids present. It would be very costly to extract enough Delta-8 or 10 THC from plants for consumer use. In fact, at this time, it’s virtually impossible.

That’s why most companies making Delta-8 and Delta-10 are doing so by synthesizing these compounds. There’s a lot of chemistry involved in changing any organic compound’s molecular structure, we want to be sure the chemists involved know what they’re doing 

Here’s what to watch for:

• How is the company converting CBD to Delta-8 THC? 
• What chemicals are present in this conversion?
• Is the establishment you’re purchasing from invested in client safety or the bottom line? 

This chemical process can be dangerous for your health. It may even change the chemical makeup of the end product so much that it loses its effectiveness altogether. Yikes!

The questions above alone may give you pause — and they should. There are no guarantees even after a rigorous chemical extraction process. It’s better to err on the side of caution.   

And there have been zero long-term studies on consuming large amounts of Delta-8 or Delta-10 THC and very few short-term studies. So it’s complicated to verify safety.

Hopefully you feel better equipped to decide if products containing these cannabinoids are right for you, now that you’re armed with some information.