Your Complete Guide to Delta 8 THC, featuring BudzBurn
Delta-8-THC seemed to pop up out of no where and quickly become a popular recreational choice for people looking for a light cannabis high. We took a deep dive into the world of Delta 8 after being reached out to by the company Budzburn, a CBD company that provides worldwide wellness through high quality CBD Hemp Flower. We were lucky enough to get our hands on some of their products and we will give our review of some of them later in this article. But first, let’s discuss more in depth what Delta-8 THC and what it does and how to incorporate it into your life safely.
What is Delta-8?
Delta 8; formally known as Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, is an isomer and cannabis compound found in very small amounts in cannabis and hemp plants. Delta-8 has a chemical structure that’s similar to the Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Or as it is better known, the psychoactive compound found in cannabis that gets you “high”. When people mention THC, they usually mean Delta-9 which is highly concentrated in some cannabis plants. Delta-8 is derived from hemp but scientifically it is reffered to as Deltha-8-THC.
How will Delta-8 make me feel?
Many people have described delta-8 as “light cannabis” or “diet weed”. It is said to have a milder effect than most cannabis strains with milder side effects too. Users note that is less likely to cause paranoia, anxiety or drowsiness when ingested. But if you are wondering what Delta-8 makes you feel like, we can really only speak to our own experience with it because everyone’s body and their body chemistry is different.
Budzburn CBD was kind of enough to send us some of their products so we could sample delta-8 in it’s various forms. We will be reviewing the products below but overall we can describe how their edibles made us feel. It is said to have a milder high experience and for me that was true. I felt silly and giddy after having a quarter of a gummy (about 20 mgs) and I was in a good mood for most of the night without feeling drowsy or tired the way that that does of THC edible would probably make me feel. I started with a low dose because I feel that is the best practice with gummies and edibles so I would encourage you do to the same if you plan on giving delta-8 a try.
Will Delta-8 make me high?
For me, Delta-8 gave me a lifted feeling similar to consuming cannabis but less intense. It wasn’t as prominent as what I am used to but I have a high tolerance for cannabis products. I felt creative and calm but in a very subtle way. It’s important to remember that everyone experiences things differently, so again I would stress starting with a low dose and giving it plenty of time to kick in before jumping to inhale the next bite. That’s always the difficult part with edibles, but finding the proper dose for your body will help you feel confident in your experience.
Is Delta-8 federally legal?
Delta-8 is currently legal in most states thanks to ambiguous wording in the 2018 Farm Bill that brought about the legalization of hemp products. Delta-8 is a new product so it lives in a legal grey area because many state laws don’t yet exist to address or regulate it. Delta-8 is derived from CBD extracted from hemp but it scientifically is referred to as delta-8-THC. In states like Colorado and Oregon, delta-8 THC is banned from being sold there. The law varies state to state so be sure to check if delta-8 is legal where you are before trying it.
Is Delta-8 CBD?
This is where stuff gets a little confusing, so please bear with us as we lowly bloggers try to explain science. Delta-8 is created from CBD derived hemp, but technically it is categorized as delta-8-THC because of it’s genetic makeup. Hemp and cannabis are closely related plants in the cannabis family. delta-8 is an isomer of delta-9-THC and is manufactured from CBD derived from the hemp plant because delta-8 occurs in small amounts in the hemp plant. The main difference is delta-8 and CBD are both cannabinoids, but delta-8 has more in common with delta-9 THC than CBD. Unlike CBD, delta-8 produces psychoactive effects.
Not all Delta-8 companies are created equal
You’ve probably heard about Refinery 29’s recent article, I Took A Delta-8 Gummy Before Going On A Run. Things Got Weird — Really Weird. Among a very strange telephone interaction with the founder of a Delta-8 company, author Molly Longman describes the importance of reading a COA, or Certificate of Analysis, and you should absolutely make sure you increase your literacy when it comes to reading lab reports. You definitely should learn how to read a COA before you buy Delta-8.
We took it a step further and actually called the lab to verify BudzBurn’s COA. We personally confirmed that their results were accurate and had not been falsified.
What is THC-O acetate?
It’s especially important to check lab results because a lot of companies are promoting THC-O acetate as Delta-8. What is THC-O acetate?
According to cannabis and endocannabinoid researcher Dr. Ethan Russo, M.D. in this interview with Hemp Grower Magzine:
“It starts with tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC. That's the natural product that is the main psychoactive component of cannabis. THC-O acetate is what's called a semi-synthetic derivative, or analogue. Through a chemical process using a very toxic chemical called acetic anhydride, you can turn some of the delta-9 THC into THC-O acetate.
Why would someone do this? Well, one reason would be that—reportedly—this is twice or maybe three times more potent than THC. Is that helpful? I'm going to say no, and the reason is that THC is what's known as a weak partial agonist at the CB1 receptor. Now, let's break that down: Weak is easy to understand. Partial means that its binding isn't super tight. Agonist means it stimulates the CB1 receptor, which is the mechanism of action that produces the high of THC, as well as many of its therapeutic properties, including pain reduction, et cetera.
Potent sounds good. But this is a system in the body—the endogenous cannabinoid system—that works with a great deal of subtlety. In other words, what is needed when you're using a drug to stimulate the system is a gentle nudge, not a violent push that comes from something that is a lot stronger than THC itself. So, potent is not necessarily better.
If something is less potent, you can overcome that by using a higher dose. But for many medical purposes, doses of THC that are quite low are what are needed and what is desirable rather than higher doses, which are going to be more associated with side effects than benefits.”
Another reason to be extra careful when you’re buying cannabis products and purchase from companies you can trust.
BudzBurn — How Do You Burn?
In addition to verifying their lab results, we also got excited about BudzBurn’s products because they work closely with the Director of Cannabis at the Florida Department of Agriculture to make sure the products meet legal standards. That, and Tommy Chong is also a fan of Budzburn! We tried their products and here’s what we think.
Delta 8 Product Reviews
Delta 8 THC Gummies
These Delta 8 gummies come in a two-pack and are perfect for on the go. The suggested serving size is one gummy which contains 50 mg of Delta 8 THC each. These are extra-strength gummies. We definitely recommend splitting up one gummy into four parts and starting slowly with these. I shared half of one with a friend who doesn’t have my tolerance and he forgot the code to his building…let’s just say these are pro gummies.
They are also delicious. I had the Strawberry Cream flavor but these also come in Blue Razz, Lemon Drop, Raspberry Dream, and Key Lime.
MoonRocks
Budzburn’s Delta-8 THC Moonrocks start with a nug of Premium OG Legendary hemp flower that is soaked with Delta-8 THC Distillate and lastly coated with pure CBG Kief.
If you high a high tolerance and are looking for something strong, I think you’d be really into these moon rocks. They smell amazing and the high was immediate and really perfect for my at-home yoga session. I felt really blissed out in the stretches and the moonrocks just intensified the experience of self-love.
I tried the Watermelon Zkittles Indica Strain. It has a fruity watermelon flavor that was really uplifting. I really love that BudzBurn never treats their hemp buds with pesticides and everything is grown and packaged in the USA.
TIP: Do not use your grinder when preparing your Moon Rocks as you may lose a lot of kief in the process. For the best smoke and taste, tear the moon rock into small pieces and smoke it in a pipe or bong!
Fruity Krunch Cereal Bar
So, please keep in mind this is an extra-strength 200mg bar and the typical serving size is 1/4 of the cereal bar which contains 50 mg of Delta 8 THC, making the total Delta 8 200mg. We always recommend starting low and slow with any edible, especially if you’ve never tried Delta 8 before. I started out with just a bite but ended up eating the entire 1/4 serving. It was a fun, creative, silly high that made my walk around the neighborhead extra fun.
As for the taste, I am a HUGE fan of breakfast cereal baked goods so I knew I had to try this. It’s perfectly crispy and the right amount of sweet. 10/10 recommend and you get a lot of bang for your buck here!
Pre-Rolls
Pre-rolls are my jam right now because they are so convenient and I LOVE smoking joints, so I was excited to try these. I chose Bubba Kush, its an indica with a smell and flavor that's both fruity and earthy, with a little of an expresso bean after taste. It also has Super Sour Diesel terpenes: Beta caryophellene, Limonene and Humulene, that give it an earthy, spicy sweetness.
After a couple of puffs I felt euphoric and relaxed. I really appreciate that BudzBurn rolls their pre-rolls with Raw papers which is a company I also know and trust. To be honest, I was having a bit of a stressful day when I tried the pre-roll and I definitely felt my mood improve afterward. I had some more work to do so I capped it at four deep pulls, put out the pre-roll and saved the rest for later. I got into the flow with some organization I had to do and the time flew by. After I had accomplished a couple hours of work, I smoked the rest of the pre-roll and sat down on my couch to watch a movie. Highly recommend for anyone wanting the immediate effects of relaxation, pain relief and mood-boosting.
