What is delta 8 THC?

Delta 8 is part of the cannabis plant.  Specifically it is hemp derived which is why it is legal under the farm bill.  It is a psychoactive compound that could be thought of as a cousin to Delta 9, the main ingredient in medical marijuana or recreational cannabis that gets you "high". Delta 8 can be vaped or ingested in edible form.  Users report that it give less anxiety or paranoia than its more regulated cousin Delta 9. 

Research on Delta 8 THC

There hasn't been that much research done on Delta 8 THC.  A study in 1973 used oral and intravenous administration of Delta 9 and Delta 8 to find comparisons of effects.  The main takeaway was that Delta 8 was roughly 2:3 as potent as Delta 9 THC.

An interesting study in 1995 was done with children aged 3 -13  that were undergoing hematologic cancer treatments.  The concentration of oil administered was 18mg /m2 in edible oil.  The oil was given 2 hours before each antineoplastic treatment for their cancer.  The biggest takeaway from this study was that it completely prevented vomiting from the treatment with minimal side effects.  

Obviously much more clinical research could and should be done to find out more of the medicinal benefits of Delta 8.  Like much of our nascent cannabis industry, we rely on the anecdotal evidence of users. 

What makes Delta 8 legal?

Delta 8 is federally legal because it is hemp derived and falls under the farm bill act of 2018.  This allowed the sale of hemp derived products as long as they are under 0.3% Delta 9 THC. 

Despite this, 14 states have decided to ban the sale of Delta 8 citing lack of research into the psychoactive effects of the compound.  These states include:

• Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Utah

So in our home state of Pennsylvania Delta 8 products are still allowed to be sold directly to consumers.  This is why Lanco Hemp carries some of the finest Delta 8 gummies and vapes.   Try them today!