What is Delta 8 Flower? 

Enjoying cannabis and cannabis products is all fun and games until you realize you don’t actually know what you’re using. If you’re smoking some delta-8 THC flower and never asked yourself what D8 flower actually is, don’t worry! We’re here to clear that up.

Whether you’ve never tried delta 8 flower before or you’ve puffed on it a few times, we’re letting you know what this type of product is, why people smoke it, and even how it compares to delta-9 flower. 

Let’s get started. 

Table of contents:

• Key Takeaways
• Delta-8 Flower: What is it?
• Delta-8 THC Flower Implications
• Delta-8 Flower is Actually Hemp Flower
• How is Delta-8 Flower Made?
• Delta-8 THC Flower vs. Delta-9 THC Flower
• Is Delta-8 Flower Legal?
• Where to Buy Delta-8 Flower

Key Takeaways

• Delta-8 THC flower is a manufactured product made by adding delta-8 THC extract to hemp buds, since delta-8 THC naturally occurs only in trace amounts and cannot be cultivated directly from the plant.
• Delta-8 THC offers a milder psychoactive experience compared to delta-9 THC, making it suitable for users seeking its potential support without a strong high, and ideal for those with lower tolerances or prone to adverse effects.
• The process of creating delta-8 flower involves isomerization, where CBD is chemically altered to produce delta-8 THC, allowing for legal production under the 2018 Farm Bill as long as it’s derived from hemp and contains less than 0.3% delta-9 THC.
• While federally legal in the US under certain conditions, the legality of delta-8 THC products varies by state, with some states having explicit bans or unclear regulations, affecting accessibility and availability.

Delta-8 Flower: What is it?

If you don’t know what delta-8 flower is, there’s a good chance it’s because you don’t know what delta-8 THC is. First, let’s cover what this type of cannabis is and what it does.

Delta-8 THC is a THC variant that’s naturally present in trace amounts within cannabis plants. This cannabinoid is slightly psychoactive; it’s considered about half as potent as delta 9 THC. However, it also presents clear therapeutic results that many users have fallen in love with, making it a great cannabinoid for those seeking support but who don’t want to get too high. 

Because delta-8 is only present in very small amounts, cannabis professionals aren’t able to grow or harvest purely delta-8 THC flower, unfortunately. Thus, delta-8 flower isn’t actually flower that’s made of the delta-8 THC compound. Instead, it is flower that has delta-8 THC added to it. 

This is done in various ways depending on the manufacturer. Typically, companies utilize a delta 8 distillate that they dip their buds in or coat onto. This way, when you smoke it, you’re still able to get the full impact of the delta-8 THC cannabinoid, even though the plant wasn’t naturally cultivated that way.  

Delta-8 THC Flower Implications 

It is important to keep in mind that since delta 8 THC is only present naturally in about 1% of the cannabis plant, products like delta-8 THC flower are technically man-made. 

While some cannabis scientists have found ways to extract minor cannabinoids, isolate them, and crossbreed them with other strains to curate cannabinoid-rich flower, this simply is far too difficult when it comes to delta-8 flower and subsequent delta 8 pre-rolls. 

However, that’s not to say that professionals can’t curate delta-8 THC extract for other products. Things like delta 8 gummies and oils are quite popular and continue to gain traction every day. These are simply products made with a cannabis oil extract that has high amounts of D8.

But, if cultivators can’t actually grow delta-8 THC flower, then what is delta-8 flower, really?

Delta-8 Flower is Actually Hemp Flower 

When you’re smoking delta-8 THC flower, you’re actually smoking hemp flower. 

That’s right: at the base of delta-8 flower is hemp buds. Professionals will take federally legal hemp flower and add delta-8 THC extract to it to create D8 flower. You may also see it being marketed as “CBD flower,” but this is the same as hemp flower (unless it’s explicitly stated that it’s marijuana-derived; but this would only be legal at your local dispensary). 

If you have a high cannabis tolerance and turn to delta-8 THC flower, you may find that it doesn’t get you as high as regular flower. That comes down to the potency of D8 and the fact that delta-8 flower uses hemp, not marijuana buds. 

But, this can be great for those who find that typical delta-9 flower is too powerful. Delta-8 THC flower is the potency step down from D9, so if you’re a beginner or someone who wants more subtle results, delta-8 hemp flower can be a wonderful option. 

How is Delta-8 Flower Made? 

Now you know that delta-8 flower is technically hemp flower. But, how do professionals make this product? What are the actual steps involved?

The entire curation revolves around a process called isomerization. 

Professionals start by taking hemp-derived CBD and then, using isomerization, they essentially rearrange the order of the components within the cannabinoid to create a new compound: delta-THC. 

What’s important to note here is that with isomerization, professionals don’t have to add any chemicals or additives to create the compound. So, people don’t consider delta-8 THC to be a fully synthetic cannabinoid, especially since it does naturally occur in the plant.

Once the cannabinoid has been curated, the next step is usually transforming the cannabinoid into a type of oil, typically D8 distillate. Distillate is a pure type of oil that contains just delta-8 THC extract and no other cannabinoids or terpenes. 

After making the delta-8 distillate, it’s up to the manufacturer’s discretion how they want to apply it to the hemp bud themselves. Most companies choose to dip their flower in delta-8 distillate, while others, like here at ATLRx, will roll their buds in frozen, powdered D8 distillate. It simply depends! 

As you can see, the process of curating delta-8 THC flower is complicated, and it should only be performed by professionals. Whether you’re interested in delta-8 pre-rolls or even delta-8 gummies, leave it up to the pros in the labs to make them. 

Related Article: How is Delta 8 Flower Made?

Delta-8 THC Flower vs. Delta-9 THC Flower 

Even though the names may sound similar, delta-8 THC flower and delta-9 THC flower could not be more different. In general, comparing delta 8 products to delta 9 products brings out strict contrasts that really shine a light on how unique these two compounds are. 

First things first, delta-9 THC flower is about 50% more potent than delta 8 THC. This means that delta-9’s results are going to be much more powerful, ideal for those who have high tolerances and are seeking healing from long-term complications. Delta-8 THC, on the flip side, is a much more mild psychoactive cannabinoid that’s good for those with lower tolerances not seeking super strong highs. 

Delta-8 THC tends to be a better option for users who are prone to being anxious and overwhelmed; the same cannot always be said for delta-9 THC, as some people find the cannabinoid too intense. 

It’s also important to note that delta-9 THC flower is 100% natural and can be grown without any manipulation. In other words, this kind of flower doesn’t require the isomerization process. Instead, cultivators can grow delta-9-rich THC flower naturally, and nothing has to be dipped or coated on the flower to make it what it is. 

Of course, this isn’t the case for delta-8 flower. Delta-8 flower relies on chemical manipulation in order for it to be made. You simply cannot have D8 flower without the isomerization process, so it’s not 100% natural the way that D9 flower is. 

We will talk more in detail about this next, but there is a huge difference in legality between delta-8 THC flower and delta-9 flower. As long as D8 flower is made with hemp flower and hemp-derived CBD, it follows the legal regulations set by the 2018 Farm Bill. This means the product is federally legal in the US. (Unfortunately, the same cannot be said state-wide.) 

On the other hand, delta-9 THC flower is not federally legal in the US. Instead, it is legal on a state-by-state basis, depending on whether or not the plant is medicinally or recreationally legalized. You can technically buy hemp-derived D9 flower, but this flower cannot have more than 0.3% THC by volume, so it’s likely not going to be as potent as your typical cannabis flower bought at a dispensary. 

This means that, for most users, delta-8 THC is a bit more accessible than delta-9 THC. You can buy delta-8 products online and have them shipped right to your doorstep, as long as your state permits it. This is a great option for users who live in states that have strict regulations regarding delta-9. 

Finally, a small difference between delta-8 and delta-9 flower is going to come with appearance. It can be subtle, but you can tell when you’re looking at D8 flower versus D9 flower because D8 flower is coated in a distillate. This can add a unique outer-layer appearance to the buds, as well as a bit of stickiness. However, you may not notice much difference unless you put one delta-8 bud right next to a delta-9 bud. 

Is Delta-8 Flower Legal? 

The 2018 Farm Bill is the reason that hemp products like CBD are legal throughout the US today — and we can say the same about delta-8 products, too. 

Delta-8 flower is technically federally legal as long as the product is hemp-derived and doesn’t contain more than 0.3% delta-9 THC by volume. So, you can find various delta-8 THC products online and have them shipped right to your house. 

However, unfortunately, many states have started regulating delta-8 THC, making it illegal in various places. Regardless of the federally legal status, states have the right to make their own regulations pertaining to cannabinoids like delta-8. This means that if you live in a state where delta-8 THC is illegal, you cannot have products shipped to you and you cannot buy products anywhere in person. 

The laws surrounding delta-8 THC change frequently. However, right now, these are states where delta-8 THC products are currently illegal: 

• Alaska  

• Colorado  
• Delaware  
• Idaho  
• Iowa  
• Montana  

• New York  
• Nevada  
• North Dakota  
• Oregon  
• Rhode Island  

• Vermont  
• Utah  
• Washington

Beyond this, there are a few states where delta-8’s legality is still up in the air, making it unclear what’s legal and what’s not. These states include Arizona, California, Minnesota, and Mississippi. 

For now, if your state is not on this list, then delta-8 is legal. It may be regulated and you may not be able to buy certain products, but it’s still legal in the remaining states across the US. 

Where to Buy Delta-8 Flower

If you live in a state where delta-8 THC is legal, you can buy delta-8 online from various reputable sources. However, whenever you’re buying delta-8 products, you want to make sure you purchase them from only the most trustworthy sources possible. These sources should have updated third-party lab-test results easily available on their website, and the tests should check for both purity and potency. 

Here at ATLRx, we offer a huge selection of some of the best delta-8 flower on the market. We’re always restocking our inventory, and we ensure our products are priced affordably so everyone can experience top-shelf D8 flower. ATLRx offers delta-8 flower in so many different strains, so no matter what you’re looking for — indica, sativa, or hybrid — we’ve got what you need. 

The next time you’re interested in checking out some high-quality delta-8 flower, look no further than ATLRx. 

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