Is Delta 8 Synthetic or Natural?

What are synthetic cannabinoids?

Synthetic cannabinoids aren’t organically derived from the cannabis plant. They’re actually created in a lab using human-made chemicals and toxins [¹].

Scientists developed synthetic cannabinoids back in the 1990s to explore the mechanisms and functionalities between the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) and these chemically-made compounds [²,³]. 

What they discovered was that these synthetic cannabinoids acted very similarly to organic cannabinoids like Delta 9 and Delta 8 THC.

The only issue was that the synthetic cannabinoids were 2x to 100x more potent than organic THC. Thus causing intense psychoactive effects along with severe negative side effects [⁴].

What’s more, once the word got out on how easy it was to create synthetic cannabinoids, shady manufacturers and distributors quickly began advertising and selling them to the general public.

This is because the chemical composition of synthetic cannabinoids usually involves a blend of acetone solvents, alcohol, and even harmful opiates like fentanyl.

For this reason, synthetic cannabinoids are incredibly dangerous, addicting, and unsafe to consume.

Now, you might be wondering…

How many different types of synthetic cannabinoids are reported by law enforcement?

Synthetic cannabinoids are often referred to as “Fake Weed”, “Synthetic Marijuana”, or “Synthetic THC” [¹].

But they also go by a number of street names, like Scooby Snax, Skunk, and Bizarro. However, Spice and K2 are perhaps the most popular street names for these synthetic cannabinoids [¹,⁵,⁶].

Now, some people have asked: Is Delta 8 the same thing as “Spice”?

Answer: No! Delta 8 THC is not Spice. Nor is it K2. Not even close.

There are significant differences between K2/Spice and Delta 8 THC.

Let’s take a look at…

K2 vs Delta 8

The main difference between Delta 8 THC and synthetic cannabinoids like K2 is that Delta 8 is natural and synthetic cannabinoids are not.

However, Delta 8 THC only occurs in the cannabis plant in extremely low ratios of 1% volume or less [⁷].

Which means, in order to meet the demand of the Delta 8 market, manufacturers have to use a certain process to create higher quantities of Delta 8 THC.

For this reason, many people assume that Delta 8 THC is also man-made, or synthetic. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

As it turns out, the process of making Delta 8 THC requires the extraction of CBD from the hemp plant, and then converting that CBD into Delta 8 THC.

Keep in mind that many cannabinoids are often converted into new cannabinoids through a set of processes. For example, Delta 9 THC can transform into CBN [⁸].  

While manufacturers do use a certain conversion process to transform CBD into Delta 8 THC, it’s clear that the Delta 8 THC is a naturally derived cannabinoid from the hemp plant.

What consumers need to be on the lookout for is if the final Delta 8 product is free from potential contaminants and toxins from the extracting and conversion process.

How to know if your Delta 8 THC is safe to consume

When CBD first arrived on the market, the issue was that the final product needed to be free from potential toxins.

So in order to ensure that the CBD product was clean, effective, and safe to consume, reputable hemp brands began focusing on third-party testing and total transparency.

This is exactly what’s happening in the Delta 8 market.

In order to ensure that your Delta 8 THC product is safe to consume and does not contain synthetic contaminants, it’s imperative that you only buy from legit, reputable Delta 8 brands.

Never buy Delta 8 THC from gas stations, head shops, or shady Delta 8 online reps.

Research the D8 brand thoroughly. Look to see if they mention third-party testing. Then read their lab test reports or Certificate of Analysis.

Here at Delta Remedys, we understand that Delta 8 THC is more than just a recreational herb. For some consumers, Delta 8 THC is an essential therapeutic that helps them lead better lives.

We encourage you to explore our collection of high quality Delta 8 THC Gummies and Delta 8 Tinctures.

We believe in total transparency and we’re always happy to inform our customers on all things regarding the therapeutics of cannabis.

Feel free to reach out to our Delta Remedys team with any questions or concerns. We’re always happy to help!

Sources:

1. Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2/Spice) DrugFacts
2. Cannabinoid Receptors and the Endocannabinoid System: Signaling and Function in the Central Nervous System
3. Hijacking of Basic Research: The Case of Synthetic Cannabinoids
4. SPICE/K2 Synthetic Marijuana-Induced Toxic Hepatitis Treated with N-Acetylcysteine
5. Synthetic Marijuana Can Be Deadly
6. DEA Drug Fact Sheet: K2/Spice
7. Delta-8 Information
8. Temperature Stability and Bioadhesive Properties of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Incorporated Hydroxypropylcellulose Polymer Matrix Systems