Delta-8 is a cannabinoid that’s getting a lot of attention for its unique properties and abilities. In today’s cannabinoid industry, many people are familiar with CBD and similar products. These are isolates and distillates that contain only trace amounts of THC, the most familiar psychoactive compound in cannabis. Because these cannabinoids don’t contain THC, they don’t get you high. But Delta-8 is different!
So… Can Delta-8 Get You High?
Yes! Unlike many other cannabinoids, Delta-8 has psychoactive effects. Many people think that Delta-8 contains THC, but in reality, Delta-8 is THC. It’s almost identical to THC in chemical structure, and while the effects are somewhat different, the Delta-8 THC feeling is produced.
What We Know About Getting High
For many people, there’s a sense that cannabis use, whether for recreational or medical purposes (or both!) is a modern phenomenon, and that we don’t know much about it. But we’ve known for thousands of years what this plant can do. Whether you call it cannabis, hemp, weed, marijuana, or something else, cultures around the world have known about the effects that this plant has on the mind for millennia.
While Delta-8 and other individual cannabinoids are new in the sense that we’ve only recently learned how to isolate them and how they work on their own, we’ve been using the full spectrum plants for thousands of years.
The oldest known direct evidence of using cannabis for its high THC content comes from western China, where wooden braziers that burned cannabis plants with an unusually high level of THC have been found dating back to about 2500 years ago. Medical use of cannabis has an even older record, with the first written use dating to about 4800 years ago in 2800 BC.
Today’s cannabis industry just extrapolates on the practices started thousands of years ago, only now we have a better understanding of how cannabis works!
What is a cannabis high?
When we talk about a cannabis high, we’re really talking about chemical changes in the brain. Your body’s endocannabinoid system is one of the most widely-distributed biological systems. There are cannabinoid receptors in your brain, your immune cells, and all throughout your body. It’s these receptors that let cannabinoids like CBD be such powerful wellness boosters.
These receptors also are responsible for the psychoactive effects of THCs like Delta-8. When THC enters your brain, the molecules diffuse into the brain synapses and fit into the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. By interacting with these receptors, THC sends signals to the endocannabinoid system and alters the normal flow of information along your neurons— which causes an altered mental state, which we call a “high.”
Cannabis highs feel different for everyone, based on variables like your tolerance and exposure. Generally, when you compare Delta-8 THC to the more familiar Delta-9 THC, most people find that Delta-8 is about half as strong. A Delta-8 high is often euphoric and clear-headed, with feelings of peacefulness and relaxation.
Other Reasons To Use Delta-8
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to get high! The euphoric, calm, worry-free state is extremely appealing, especially if you deal with issues like anxiety. Delta-8 can do a lot more than induce an altered mental state. The US’s National Cancer Institute highlights the anti-nausea properties of Delta-8. Like THC, Delta-8 is very good at preventing nausea and stimulating the appetite, but due to its reduced psychoactive effects, doctors find it safe to use for very young patients.
Delta-8 is also popular with people looking for boosts to their productivity and creativity, or who want to improve their mood. Like all other cannabinoids, it can also be used to reduce inflammation and fight chronic pain. Delta-8 effects can come in many forms and can benefit a good number of individuals.
Can I Get The Benefits Without The Buzz?
Even though it’s not as intense, you can’t really avoid a high when you take Delta-8 vs THC results. However, if you want to try Delta-8 and get its benefits without the psychoactive effect, you can actually diminish the effect by combining Delta-8 and CBD and taking them together.
Remember those cannabinoid receptors in the brain we talked about? The cannabinoids in CBD and other non-psychoactive hemp products bind with these as well, but they don’t interrupt the neuron flow. If you use a non-psychoactive CBD product, like our Essential tincture, alongside a Delta-8 product, the entourage effect kicks in to change how your brain and body react to the psychoactive effects of Delta-8.
The entourage effect is the idea that all the compounds in the cannabis plant work together to create the plant’s overall medical effects. This synergy between compounds amplifies the beneficial effects, and for CBD and Delta-8, that synergy tends to reduce the high while amplifying the other beneficial effects.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide how you want to use cannabis products. Whether traditional cannabis is your take or you gain an interest in trying Delta-8 products (Delta-8 weed, Delta-8 concentrate, etc.), the best way to make these decisions is by being well-educated about your options! We want to help you be the best informed cannabis consumer you can be. Check out our resource pages for more information about how cannabinoids can help you live your best life!