Delta-8 has caused quite a stir in the world of cannabis, with federal and state governments trying to find ways to cope with this new entrant into the products field. As laws are being put in place to keep it out, a new question becomes, is delta-8 THC a recreational or medicinal product?
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What is delta-8 THC?
Before we get into specifics about it, and whether delta-8 should be considered recreational or medicinal, let’s go over what delta-8 THC is, for anyone who hasn’t been following along with the current controversy. Delta-8 THC is both an isomer and analogue of delta-9 THC, the standard THC of marijuana that people associate with getting high. Delta-9 doesn’t actually exist in large amounts in fresh cannabis flowers, rather its precursor THCA does. THCA decarboxylates when it comes into contact with heat, or over time, losing a carboxyl group (COOH) to form delta-9 THC.
The chemical transformation is this: C22H30O4 –> C₂₁H₃₀O₂. However, we already know about delta-9 THC, what we want to know about, is delta-8. Once the delta-9 THC comes into contact with oxygen, it loses electrons, a process called oxidation. This process transforms delta-9 into delta-8. The loss of electrons makes the compound more stable, meaning delta-8 has a longer shelf life than delta-9. The chemical structure is identical for both.
Delta-8 is an isomer of delta-9 because it actually has the same chemical structure, with a different configuration of atoms within. It’s an analogue of delta-9 because it is structurally and functionally (medically) nearly identical. For this reason, delta-8 and delta-9 THCs are often cited as being useful to treat the same ailments.
Delta-8 THC was discovered at the same time as delta-9 THC. Roger Adams did a partial synthesis in 1941, followed by Raphael Mechoulam who synthesized the compound in 1965. It was used in a number of studies including one in 1974 that showed anti-cancer properties, and this 1995 one by Mechoulam, which showed its ability to stop nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. This was all swept under the rug.
Why do we care about this?
As stated, delta-8 was discovered way back when delta-9 was, so why are we starting to talk about it now? Because for a time, it appeared that delta-8 fit into a loophole that allowed its legal sale, which meant getting around the illegality of delta-9. This all happened because the 2018 US Farm Bill legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp, and the production of products made from it. As part of this – and the definition of hemp in general, stipulations were put in place as to how much THC a hemp plant could have and still be legal. In the US, it’s officially .3% in dry weight. The definition of ‘hemp’ is as follows:
“…the plant Cannabis Sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.”