Delta-8 has become quite popular over the years, thanks in major part to its unique characteristics especially compared to its more popular counterpart, Delta 9 THC.
THC in general is the major ingredient responsible for the psychoactive nature of cannabis. That is, when you consume cannabis derived products and get high, the major chemical responsible is THC (short for tetrahydrocannabinol). But THC itself exists in various forms, all with their own unique effects on the human brain – which is where Delta-8 THC comes in.
So what exactly is Delta-8? Is Delta 8 strong? Is it the same as Delta 9 or regular THC? What are its unique properties? And most importantly, does delta 8 get you high?
We provide answers to these questions and more below.
Like with all strains and compounds of the cannabis plant, the exact duration of your Delta 8 high depends not just on the compounds in question, but also additional factors such as how much of it you took, what method of consumption you took it through, and even your own biological makeup which determines your tolerance levels.
That said, there is a general consensus among experts on the question, โhow long does delta-8 thc get you high?โ The consensus is that Delta 8 high does not last as long as Delta 9. The exact average duration varies, but many agree that Delta 8 only lasts between 2 – 8 hours.
If you consume it through edibles and tinctures, it takes about 30 minutes to kick in and peak effects may last for about 2 hours. If you consume it through a vape, however, you feel the effects immediately and peak effects may last for about 5 hours.
Now you donโt have to wonder, โdoes delta 8 get me high?โ. It does get you high, make no mistake about it – but how high does delta 8 get you? Well, it does not get you as high as Delta 9. Since there are many factors that determine how high you’ll get on any substance, it is hard to put an objective value on how high Delta 8 gets you.
One thing that is undeniable, however, is that Delta 8 high is not as intense as Delta 9 which is why it is often referred to as a “mild high”.
Many believe that Delta 8 is only half as intense as Delta 9. Additionally, thanks to its mild nature you usually don’t have to worry about anxiety and paranoia.
Having known the difference between D9 and D8, it is natural to wonder, why does delta 8 get you high? Well, Delta 8 gets you high because even though there is a difference in the double bond placement compared to Delta 9, in the end they are still very similar compounds capable of causing certain chemical reactions in the brain.
Delta 8, just like Delta 9, is capable of binding to the CB1 receptors in the brain and the central nervous system. Once the compound binds with these receptors, a reaction occurs that ends up in dopamine being released.
Dopamine, in this case, is responsible for the euphoric and psychoactive effects that we experience whenever we consume THC, either the Delta 8 product or Delta 9 variation. And of course, as we’ve iterated earlier, the major difference is the intensity of the high.
One of the appeals of Delta 8 that the products have, particularly over its Delta 9 counterpart, is the fact that it’s legal. This is all thanks to the farm bill passed in 2018. The bill declared the legality of hemp, so long as it contains less than 0.3 percent of THC.
You see, while Delta 9 THC is derived in abundance from marijuana (which is illegal at a federal level) CBC and Delta 8 THC can be gotten from hemp derived sources (which is completely legal in the United States).
This is why Delta 9 is explicitly listed as a controlled substance but of course Delta 8 is not.
Delta-8 is an incredibly interesting substance to say the least. Like its Delta 9 counterpart, it does get you high, but unlike Delta 9, this compound offers a lot of unique benefits including a different, more pleasant kind of high.
Its legal status as an hemp derived cannabidiol CBD extract, along with the numerous health benefits that we’ve highlighted above are just a few of its other appealing characteristics.
