In the last year or so, you may have heard the term delta-8 thrown around or even seen products including delta-8 being sold somewhere near you. Delta-8 sometimes known as a “diet-weed” or alternative high from traditional cannabis-related products.
You may be under the assumption that delta-8 is a safe way to get high, but the truth is that delta-8 is untested, and there are many health risks associated with delta-8 products.
Here are six things you should know about delta-8.
1. What exactly is delta-8 and where does it come from?
Delta-8 is a psychoactive substance found in the Cannabis Sativa plant. Both hemp and marijuana are varieties of this plant. Over 100 cannabinoids are produced naturally in cannabis plants, including delta-8.
However, high consternations of delta-8 typically aren’t found in cannabis plants. Companies producing delta-8, derive high consternations of the cannabinoid from hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD).
Delta-8 can provide consumers with a quick and often powerful high, but the high can be dangerous. Some users report such intense highs that they become fearful, and even a small amount of delta-8 makes it feel as if they’re spiraling out of control.
Delta-8 is often advertised as a way to relax, help with sleep, or relieve pain. However, delta-8 hasn’t been studied as much as CBD, doesn’t work nearly as well, and can be dangerous.
2. Delta-8 provides loopholes
You’re probably wondering why companies would use delta-8 if it’s dangerous and so many consumers have reported bad results. Well, the answer is simple, delta-8 is essentially a loophole from the 2018 farm bill that legalized hemp on the federal level.
The bill essentially stated that as long as a product derived from hemp contained less than 0.3% THC, it was legal to sell. Delta-8 comes from hemp, and companies are starting to find ways to exploit this.
For example, a company can create a 10gram gummy with 25mg of delta-8 and still be below the legal limit of 0.3% THC. A product with so much delta-8 would be more than enough to get you high. The product is federally legal to sell nearly everywhere, but users may not be aware of what they’re taking or what delta-8 provides.
Safe THC should come from marijuana and you should consult with professionals to find the right product for your needs. Hemp can be used to create many great things, including CBD, but users should not consume THC coming from hemp, or psychoactive delta-8 from hemp.
As more is learned about delta-8 and products become more prevalent, it is more likely the FDA will have to close loopholes or regulate delta-8 differently. Until then, it’s best to avoid delta-8 altogether. Remember to always do plenty of research on companies and products before ever consuming a CBD or THC-related product.
3. Delta-8 products have not been approved by the FDA
CBD is heavily regulated by the FDA. Everything from the product to marketing, language, and even labels have to follow strict FDA guidelines. Delta-8, on the other hand, is not FDA approved on any level or even considered safe in any context.
Without FDA approval or regulation, many companies mislead users into what they’re buying, or even the effects delta-8 can have. Delta-8 products are often labeled “hemp products.” However, labeling a product hemp is extremely misleading to consumers who may not be well educated.
Many consumers associate hemp with “non-psychoactive” products. However, delta-8 is very much a psychoactive product that will give you an intense unregulated high.
Some brands have even gone as far as marketing their delta-8 products as therapeutic or for medical uses. Making such misleading claims is illegal, and such deceptive marketing tactics are dangerous to the public’s overall wellbeing.
4. Adverse reports are becoming more and more common
You may be reading all of this and think the dangers of delta-8 are being overblown. However, there are plenty of FDA reports showing the adverse effects of delta-8. In fact, between December 1, 2020, and February 28, 2022, over 100 adverse reactions were reported to the FDA.
Nearly 55% reports of delta-8 adverse reactions required medical service or hospital admissions. Even the consumers that didn’t require medical attention reported adverse reactions to consuming food or gummy laced delta-8 products.
Adverse incidents consumers reported included but weren’t limited to:
- Hallucinations
- Vomiting
- Tremor
- Anxiety
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Loss of consciousness
From January 1, 2021, to February 28, 2022, the national poison control center reported over 2,300 incidents involving delta-8. Over 70% of the 2,300 incidents reported needing medical attention, and 8% were admitted to the critical care unit. To put it simply, the numbers prove delta-8 is dangerous.
5. Delta-8 gives consumers an unsafe high
Like we’ve already mentioned, delta-8 is psychoactive and provides intoxicating effects. However, it isn’t the traditional high many users may have experienced when taking delta-9 (the component responsible for the “high” from using cannabis). The high is much more intense, usually comes on faster, and can even feel unnatural.
Such an intense and unnatural high is likely consumers being exposed to much higher levels of THC than what naturally occurs in cannabis raw extracts. The concentration of many delta-8 products is simply more than the human body was meant to handle.
The FDA even states, “historical use of cannabis cannot be relied upon in establishing a level of safety for these products in humans.”
6. Delta-8 products are made with harmful chemicals
The natural amount of delta-8 is in hemp is very low. Therefore, additional chemicals are needed to convert the hemp to high levels of delta-8. There are many concerns about the chemicals used and the environments where delta-8 is created.
Unsafe household cleaning products are often involved in the chemical synthesis process used to create delta-8. These same chemicals are often used to change the color of the final product as well. All of these chemicals end up in the final product and put the consumer in potentially harmful situations.
When a company doesn’t even care about harming its customers with chemicals, it’s unlikely they care about where the product is being made. Delta-8 is often manufactured in uncontrolled or unsanitary environments. Not only does this cause the quality of product to drop, it’s just another example of how you could be put at risk using delta-8 products.
What is the future of delta-8?
With so many adverse reports and misleading marketing, it is unlikely the FDA will allow delta-8 to continue to go unregulated. The FDA is actively warning the public about the dangers of delta-8 and providing consumers with numbers to call for consumer complaints and adverse reactions.
Some states have already moved to restrict the use of delta-8, including:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Kentucky
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New York
- Rhode Island
- Utah
- Vermont
- Washington
In some of these states, it’s likely delta-8 will even be banned altogether. Needless to say, always check your state laws before buying any THC or hemp-related product.
Why choose CBD over delta-8
Many consumers don’t turn to delta-8 for the intense high. Instead, what they’re looking for is a way to relax, get a better night’s sleep, or relieve a little pain. Even though delta-8 may do some of those things, it comes with danger and doesn’t work nearly as well as CBD.
With biocbd+, you’re guaranteed to get a safe and clean CBD product. Our products come from organic farms using only the safest farming methods available. All our products are tested by independent third party labs. We take pride in our product and want to provide all our customers with the results they’re looking for. Instead of reaching out for delta-8, reach out for water-soluble CBD. Check out our industry best rating on TrustPilot!
