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Delta-8 is the newly beloved cannabinoid in the cannabis world; users rave about its tremendous potential benefits and unique psychoactive effects, but is everything as it seems with Delta-8? What about the Delta-8 negative side effects? Is it really safe?
In this blog, we’ll talk about everything Delta-8 THC, its benefits and side effects, what to expect and how to stay safe…
The cannabis plant contains more than 100 different naturally occurring chemical compounds known as cannabinoids. Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol is one of these cannabinoids. It belongs to the THC family, the component responsible for the psychoactive and intoxicating effects of marijuana.
Delta-8 THC is taking the industry by storm as a gentler version of the regular THC. Many users rave about its relaxing, clear-minded body-high pain relief properties and other unique benefits, but it’s essential to know that just like any other psychoactive substance, Delta-8 products could have some adverse effects and health risks involved!
Delta-8 THC products often involve the use of potentially harmful chemicals to create the concentrations of Delta-8 THC advertised in the marketplace.
In large doses, Delta-8 THC can cause anxiety, paranoia, and psychosis for users who’re sensitive to THC products.
Delta-8 THC could also interact with the current medications you’re taking, including antidepressants and blood thinners, causing some adverse events! So, let’s discuss all of this one by one.
Want to know more about Delta 8 THC? Read our comprehensive guide here.
Like other cannabis compounds, Delta-8 THC is mostly safe in nature. However, the manufacturing process and retailers may not be!
The national poison control centers reported an uptick in calls related to Delta-8 THC. Most of these cases often relate to products from manufacturers that didn’t have the proper scientific knowledge or didn’t test their products for safety or purity, meaning that there is a risk of unintentional exposure to potentially harmful chemicals or heavy metals.
As we’ve mentioned, Delta-8 THC exists in trace amounts in cannabis plants, so it requires a complicated distillation method to extract it from hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) or some sort of chemical synthesis to produce it in large quantities. Some “brands” use unsafe additional chemicals to extract Delta-8 THC through this chemical synthesis. Some other brands could use potential allergens in their products without disclosing them.
For these reasons, it is vital to purchase your Delta-8 THC products from reliable retailers and to be aware of their lab tests, ingredients, and analysis certificates.
The first thing to do is consult your medical provider, especially if you’re on medication or have a health condition.
Secondly, find a reliable retailer that uses a proper distillation process, discloses their ingredients, and has third-party testing for their products. See the lab test example here.
Thirdly, if you’re new to THC products or cannabis use, start with an edible of a small dose, such as our 10 mg gummies, and take only half to test your body’s sensitivity to THC.
And never operate heavy machinery or drive while taking psychoactive cannabinoids.
While most users enjoy Delta-8 THC products without any issues, some users might face some adverse effects of varying degrees. The effects could be mild in nature or severe in some rare cases. Here’s a list of the main side effects to be aware of.
Psychosis is believing a delusion that is not true and acting upon it, and cannabis-induced psychosis is incredibly rare but could still happen. Delta-8 has psychoactive effects, which means it alters sensory perception, such as vision, hearing, smell, and touch.
Usually, Delta-8 only heightens your sensory experiences, making you see things brighter, vibing more with the music, and enjoying the touch of things.
According to science, there’s no link between Delta-8 THC and psychosis. However, those who are genetically predisposed to psychosis, or have undiagnosed psychosis, could potentially experience an episode with high potency Delta-8 THC.
To avoid such a situation, we recommend consulting your health care provider first and taking Delta-8 in a very small dose “aka micro-dosing” around someone you trust, and see if you suffer from:
Learn more about microdosing with Delta 8 THC here.
When it comes to Delta 8 and seizures, the jury is still out. Some people swear by it as an effective treatment, while others claim that it actually makes seizures worse. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.
Research shows that Delta-8 THC can help reduce seizure activity in some patients! But some users report it triggering a seizure instead. From what we know so far, is that those with low tolerance to THC could potentially experience an episode due to the high potency of D-8 for their bodies or Delta-8 interacting with their current medication, making it too much for their bodies to handle.
Overall, avoiding this situation comes with consulting your physician first and micro-dosing second! Micro-dosing is taking small amounts of an edible, oil, or whatever form you prefer in lower potency, such as our 10 mg Delta-8 Gummies, to get the benefits of Delta-8 THC without any of the unwanted side effects.
Delta-8 is famed for its anti-anxiety and relaxing effects. However, it could do the exact opposite for users sensitive to THC when they consume Delta-8 in high concentrations.
If you have depression, consult your doctor, and experiment with low-potency Delta-8 THC gummies, “aka, Micro-dosing.”
If you want to know about Delta-8’s benefits for anxiety. Check out this blog here.
As more and more research is being done on Delta-8 THC, we discover more benefits than side effects, to be fair! One of those benefits is Delta-8’s ability to ease headaches and migraines. Till now, the research didn’t find a factual link between Delta-8 and headaches. However, some users do tell us that it happens!
From what the research concluded so far, Delta-8 itself doesn’t cause headaches, but it could act as the last straw that finally triggers it.
To avoid getting headaches, make sure to hydrate, eat and avoid loud noises and bright lights if you feel a headache or a migraine creeping in prior to taking Delta-8 or starting Micro-dosing.
Like other cannabis products, some users may experience dry mouth, commonly known as cotton mouth! This happens as a result of Delta-8 binding to the cannabinoid receptors and controlling saliva production.
We recommend you hydrate and maybe chew on sugar-free gum if your mouth starts feeling dry.
Some studies show Delta-8 as an excellent way to manage nausea; Delta-8 can cause nausea and vomiting. This happens because of the activation of the same receptors that regulate nausea and vomiting.
If you’ve experienced nausea, then Micro-dosing is the way to go.
Although very rare, some can indeed be allergic to hemp products. How to avoid this works the same as any other natural substance you could be allergic to. Try a small bite of a gummy and watch out for allergic reactions.
Memory loss is a possible effect of all psychoactive cannabinoids that alter perception. Due to the activation of cannabinoid receptors linked to the nervous system, high doses of high-potency Delta-8 THC could cause some memory loss in some rare cases.
We recommend lowering the dose you’re currently taking, the potency, or both depending on how severe was the memory loss.
Just like any other substance that helps with pain relief, anxiety relief, and uplifting your mood, you could get addicted to Delta-8 and suffer from withdrawals. But before you get all panicky, know that we’re talking kind of coffee addiction, not alcohol addiction.
With Delta-8 withdrawal, you’d feel irritated and lethargic and may get some nausea and anxiety for a few days, then it stops, and you’re good.
To avoid reaching the “addiction phase,” you can do tolerance breaks, where every 3 weeks, you stop it for a week.
The claim that Delta-8 can “Cause” you to have high blood pressure is a bit of a reach! However, studies show THC and CBD products can act as vasodilators, which means they dilate blood vessels, increasing blood flow. While this is good news for some, those who already have high blood pressure or are prone to have it need to beware and consult their medical expert before taking Delta-8.
Are you ready for the best way to avoid it? You guessed it! Micro-dosing is the best way to prevent unwanted fluctuations in your blood pressure.
Delta 8 binds to the CB1 receptors in the digestive tract, which can lead to increased motility and watery stools. In addition, Delta-8 can also increase intestinal secretions, further exacerbating diarrhea.
If this happens to you, try… Micro-dosing! “Yes, Micro-dosing could pretty much be the answer to almost everything. LOL”
If the problem continues with Micro-dosing, stop Delta-8 immediately and consult your doctor.
We’ve mentioned before that Delta-8 THC activates cannabinoid receptors throughout the body and also can increase blood flow, but it can also lower your heart rate, making you feel light-headed or dizzy! While this may sound like a good thing for some, it may be best to consult your physician and start with Micro-dosing, as it could lead to more severe problems down the line!
Delta-8 THC products, sourced from hemp plants, are federally legal! In the 2018 Farm Bill, the government removed hemp and its compounds from the controlled substances act. As long as the product is made with a hemp extract and has less than 0.3% THC, it’s federally legal.
But of course, some states are onto Delta-8 and banned it. You can get a list here.
Because state laws are constantly changing, you should check your state law before purchasing.
If you can’t get Delta-8 in your state, you can check this fantastic alternative, “Link to HHC.”
Delta-8 THC is a psychoactive compound and does cause high. Users describe it as a clear-minded high with a body-relaxing euphoria. Users also report that the Delta-8 high is about half of that of the traditional Delta-9.
To get to know more about what Delta-8 THC feels like, you can read our full review here.
Like other cannabis products, Delta-8 comes in many forms:
Well, the answer is part your retailer, part personal preference, part potency, and part health condition.
Finding a retailer that you trust is essential! We’ve just listed the possible things that could go wrong with some of the unknown “gas stations’ brands” of Delta-8.
Once you’ve got your brand down, Delta-8 THC edibles, especially gummies, are the ideal product for most users. They’re delicious, convenient, easy to carry around and come in many potencies.
Oils require a little more experience, and they usually come in high potencies.
Smokables are mostly variable and hard to keep lowkey, and for those who quit smoking or don’t like to smoke, it poses a dilemma.
So which is the best product for you? That depends on you!
Delta-8 THC is a star cannabinoid that we can get behind, but just like any other substance, it could come with some unwanted side effects!
In all fairness to D-8, most of the severe Delta-8 negative side effects come from cheap manufacturing and ignoring the medical advice of medical professionals! The most common side effects of D-8 are mild at best and could be avoided with minimal precautions.
Our takeaway is that once you find a trusted retailer and get the green light from your doctor, Micro-dosing Delta-8 is the best way to go about enjoying Delta-8 THC and avoiding any of the rare side effects that could happen!
If you’re ready to start your Delta-8 journey try our mouth-watering all-natural Delta-8 gummies, they’re also vegan and gluten-free ; ).
Are you interested in Delta-9 instead? Read about Delta-9 potential side effects
Related Articles:
You can check out more on THC for sleep here.
Delta-8 Vs. CBD for Pain here.
Delta-8 Vs. Delta-10 For Pain – Which Is Better?
Resources:
Cannabis Use and Blood Pressure Levels: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5237375/
Cannabis use and the risk of psychotic disorder: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18560513/
Delta-8-THC: Delta-9-THC’s nicer younger sibling: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8725316/
Consumer Experiences with Delta-8-THC: Medical Use, Pharmaceutical Substitution, and Comparisons with Delta-9-THC: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34797727/
Legal Disclaimer:
By reading this information presented, you agree to release the author of any liability that comes from using this data. This post does not constitute legal advice. Claims about cannabinoids have not yet been approved by the food and drug administration FDA. Read the full legal disclaimer here.
So far, science didn’t find long-term side effects to Delta-8. However, not taking the proper precautions when you have undiagnosed pre-existing conditions could make things worse.
Delta-8 THC activates the receptors linked to the nervous system, heightening your sensory experiences and making you feel high. The same receptors also help manage pain, anxiety, stress, and sleep disorders.
Anywhere from 10-14 days to 90 days, depending on the frequency of use.
Delta-8 THC isn’t as highly addictive as marijuana or other substances. However, you can still abuse it and get addicted to it! We’d compare it to coffee addiction, where you’d feel irritated for a few days after you stop then it all becomes alright.
