Delta 8: It’s natural. But, is it really?
by DEAN FOOR and ANNIE FRESHWATER with Entangled Biome
Whether you use cannabis medicinally or recreationally, you may have seen headlines recently about Delta-8 THC and other isolated compounds. Significant concerns are surrounding the use of Delta-8 THC for augmenting cannabis products, ranging from its psychoactive potential to technical legality.
One of the most critical facts to consider about Delta-8 is its origin: It is not naturally found in sufficient concentrations; Delta-8 THC is typically created by chemically converting hemp-derived CBD. It is, effectively, synthetic THC.
When it comes to cannabis-derived tinctures, extraction and processing have a direct impact on your well-being--as do the conditions under which the cannabis is grown.
Bioaccumulation + Cannabis Cultivation
Especially in the case of medicinal usage, the quality of the source material is critical. Many tinctures claim to use organic cannabis--but not all “organic” practices are created equal.
Cannabis--both in its recreational and medicinal varieties--is a bioaccumulator. This means that it accumulates anything in its environment, including materials from the soil, water, and even air. To be genuinely pure, cannabis should be grown in soil that has been organic for a considerable amount of time to avoid residual pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants. Pollutants in the water and air can likewise impact the quality of cannabis, as these pollutants can end up in the final product.
The hemp from which Delta-8 THC is derived is--like all cannabis--a bioaccumulator. If you choose to purchase medicinal or recreational cannabis augmented with Delta-8, be sure to examine the conditions under which the source hemp is cultivated. Are the growing practices certified as organic? Has the land previously been used to grow non-organic botanicals or produce? What is the air quality in the region? What is the water source?
Remember, when it comes to your health, you can never ask too many questions.
Cannabis Processing + Your Health
When considering any cannabis-derived extracts, the way the material is processed is essential. This can include whether or not the hemp is hand-harvested, if it is machined during processing, the amount of residual extraction solvents, and more.
Extraction and refinement are the most critical aspects of processing. During extraction, manufacturers draw oils out of the biomass using a solvent, typically ethanol, carbon dioxide, or butane.
There are key differences between the solvents: Ethanol is a non-discriminatory solvent, meaning it will dissolve everything if you give it enough time. The non-discriminatory aspect of ethanol can be managed via temperature and exposure time; this requires a consistently vigilant approach on the part of the manufacturer.
CO2, on the other hand, is discriminatory, meaning that it will dissolve within a specific molecular weight. CO2 is less complex than ethanol extraction as a result--so you can imagine that it is a more common choice. But this is problematic, as CO2 utilizes a solvent that originates in petroleum refining. Although it is a clean, medical-grade solvent, the consensus is that CO2 extraction has less effective results than ethanol extraction.
Butane is another commonly used solvent, especially in the recreational cannabis space. In this method, the biomass is soaked in butane. The butane solvent draws out the terpenes, cannabinoids, flavonoids, and other compounds from the biomass. The butane is then removed from the final product with a vacuum pump or heat—but there is simply no way to remove every trace of the butane entirely. This means with butane-extracted products; you are unecessarily consuming residual butane.
Even with ethanol extraction, different approaches lead to different end products. As mentioned above, heat is a significant factor: Heat, in general, is detrimental to terpenes and flavonoids, compounds that are especially desirable for medicinal uses. Cold extraction is possible but complicated, which means a rare few manufacturers take the time and care to preserve the rich variety of compounds naturally found in cannabis.
Refinement is the next process for many cannabis-derived oils, including 80-90% of CBD-related products. In refinement, manufacturers remove terpenes and flavonoids through distillation, resulting in Broad Spectrum CBD. Some manufacturers additionally isolate the CBD entirely using petroleum solvents, removing any other cannabinoids to create CBD Isolate.
Full Spectrum Hemp Oil is unique in that it is always extracted but never refined. This allows for the complex interactions between the entire profile of cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other compounds in the phenomenon known as the entourage effect.
Delta-8 + Chemical Conversion
As previously noted, Delta-8 begins its life cycle as hemp-derived CBD. But how does it become THC?
In a bastardized variation of the refinement process, CBD Isolate is dissolved in acid (usually glacial acetic acid). This chemical conversion (also known as isomerization) rearranges the carbon components to transform the CBD into Delta-8 THC, which has an entirely different impact on the body than CBD.
Delta-8 is most closely related to Delta-9 THC, which produces the “high” most people associate with cannabis. The chemical difference between Delta-8 and Delta-9 is slight, yet it has a significant impact on how the endocannabinoid system responds to the THC. Nonetheless, Delta-8 is being marketed as an equivalent alternative to Delta-9.
It is important to consider the fact that Delta-9 THC is a naturally occurring, well-researched compound. Delta-8 THC is none of these things: It is effectively CBD that has been torturously boiled in acid to turn it into an entirely different compound. It is, at best, synthetic THC. At worst, it is potentially a health risk, as no research has yet been done on the effect of the acid-based chemical conversion. There is no evidence supporting that it is a viable alternative to Delta-9, nor is it effective and safe when used to augment cannabis-derived products.
Why Has Delta-8 Become So Prevalent?
In Utah and many other states (particularly those without recreational cannabis programs), hemp farming has not been restricted by licensing limitations. This has led to a surplus of hemp biomass.
As a result, a number of manufacturers have begun converting CBD into THC in an opportunistic bid to turn a profit.
In states without recreational cannabis, Delta-8 is attracting a lot of attention, as it is new and therefore interesting. In reality, it is an intoxicating, synthetic compound being sold under the guise of a hemp-derived (and therefore non-intoxicating) product. Such a misleading approach directly undermines what the hemp industry stands for and subverts the credibility of reputable manufacturers creating medicinal products that people rely on
From a consumer perspective, the introduction of Delta-8 and other synthetic compounds forces a difficult question: Who can you trust with your health?
Isolated Plant Compounds vs. Plant Medicine
Delta-8 is an extreme example of a movement in the cannabis industry towards highly refined plant compounds. There is a major difference between these isolated, chemically altered offerings and true plant medicine. Highly refined, isolated compounds are essentially pharmaceutical synthetics, which have not been thoroughly studied for their efficacy or safety.
Full Spectrum Hemp Oil, on the other hand, is an excellent example of plant medicine, particularly when it is gently extracted. Full Spectrum Hemp Oil retains hemp’s ability to provide stasis, as it does not undergo refinement or isolation. It is holistic and naturopathic—which is exactly what consumers in the plant medicine space are looking for.
Think for Yourself
There are several factors one must consider to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of any cannabis product, from the health of the soil to the extraction methodology. When it comes to products augmented with Delta-8 THC, it is especially critical to ask questions--many of which we simply do not yet have answers for.
Due to the murky status of Delta-8 as a synthetically derived cannabinoid, manufacturers have been able to exploit immature regulations. As a result, the cannabis community is potentially at risk of unwittingly using unnatural substances that may or may not be safe.
We urge you to do your research when buying medicinal or recreational cannabis products. In the search for alternative wellness, you must advocate for yourself.