With all the advancements in cannabis extraction technology, we’re learning more about this plant’s many active compounds and their numerous effects on our health & wellbeing each day. Of the hundreds of phytocannabinoids and terpenes we know very little, even with all our fascination and study we’ve only begun to scratch the surface on these biochemical compounds. Still, progress continues to build and that’s led to a number of significant advancements in cannabis science since legalization became official in 2018.
Some of the most talked about phytocompounds are still associated with the undisputed heavyweight champion: THC. Delta-8 and delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol get a lot of attention, and for good reasons – delta-8 offers a less intense psychoactive experience with some of the benefits of THC, while delta-9 covers a vast spectrum of benefits for your mental & physical wellbeing.
Just when you might’ve thought that you’re getting the hang of all the latest on THC, we’ve gone and changed the game again with the rising popularity of another THC variant: Delta-10 THC. Delta-10 vs delta-9 is similar to the differences between 8 and 9, but delta-10 THC has garnered a lot of intrigue because it is much harder to produce and is therefore a lot more rare. This has created a kind of cult-like following around this unique, mysterious and potent Tetrahydrocannabinol variant.
What is delta-10 like? Will delta-10 get me high? Is delta-10 synthetic or can it be derived organically? What kinds of delta-10 thc products are out there? Delta-10 gummies, joints or vapes? Let’s peel back the curtain on delta-10 THC like we did with delta-8 and hash out the benefits of delta-10 vs delta-9
WHAT EXACTLY IS DELTA 10 THC?
Will delta-10 get me high? Is delta-10 synthetic? How do you make delta-10? Delta-10 THC is very similar to delta-8 in that it is typically extracted from hemp crops. Delta-10’s popularity as a hemp-derived cannabinoid is closely tied to the fact that the United States – one of the world’s largest markets and consumer bases for cannabinoids – does recognize the legality of hemp (Farm Bill 2018), but cannabis is still considered Schedule I prohibited substance.
Whether we like to admit it or not here in Canada, whatever our southern neighbors do we typically follow suit. The same can be said for many trends in cannabis technology, science, commerce and production. We do, however, have very distinct consumer behavior and preferences when it comes to cannabis and hemp products. Delta-10 is very popular in the U.S. because it’s derived from hemp, it is less intense compared to delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol, and in general terms it’s considered to be a safer option by American health authorities.
Canadians don’t have to fret so much about what kind of delta THC they partake in because it’s all legalized up here. That being said, with THC-caps and an ever-increasing number of gaps in the legislation, people are losing faith in the legal cannabis models that Canada has pioneered since 2018. This has led to THC variants like delta-8 and now delta-10 THC to take root even in the green cannabis markets of the great white north.
Delta THC’s like 8 and 10 are almost exclusively hemp-derived, which means they’re usually extracted from CBD-high strains of hemp crops. As you might have guessed, delta-10 THC has a lot less psychoactive potency than your average cannabis-borne Tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9). Like with delta-8, delta-10 comes on slower, is usually more subtle with its mind-altering effects, but it can still help with symptoms of pain, inflammation, insomnia, nausea and much more.
Think of delta-10 THC like you would a low THC product – it certainly is noticeable when ingested/inhaled, but it won’t take you on a hallucinatory journey or make you act completely different for several hours at a time. Many delta-10 fans have remarked that it feels similar to very high doses of CBD – no psychoactive episodes, but it can warp your perceptions a bit or make you feel ultra-relaxed.
Delta 10 comes in almost all the same products as delta-8, but maybe not as versatile or popular as delta-9. Look for delta-10 gummies, vapes, joints, oils, rubs and many other popular product types.
WHAT IS DELTA 10 LIKE?
What exactly is delta-10 like anyway? Is delta-10 synthetic? Eating delta-10 gummies or lighting up a joint that’s high in delta-10 THC is by most accounts a lot like delta-8 – a subtler THC high that doesn’t grip your mind as tightly or for as long. Two things people seem to always want to know about delta-10 are: will delta-10 get me high? Is delta-10 synthetic?
Delta-10 products come in many of the usual forms – delta-10 gummies, delta-10 vapes, delta-10 oils, etc – but they don’t have the same risk of psychoactivity as with most THC cannabis products. This is one of the biggest selling features for delta-10; many delta THC believers look to this form of Tetrahydrocannabinol because it’s considered a “subtler, cleaner high than your average THC”.
In most cases, a delta-10 high isn’t really much of a “high” at all – it’s commonly referred to be being quite similar to a CBD buzz. Delta-10 THC can certainly produce mind-altering effects, but generally speaking it can:
Energize your body & mind
Relax your muscles
Sharpen your focus
Boost your creativity or productivity
Help with soreness, cramping, swelling, nausea and anxiety
Do these effects sound similar? If you’re a big Sativa smoker then you might have thought that this list of effects is very close to that of Sativa-strains of cannabis. This is right on the money, as many experts have likened delta-8 to a sedating, couch-locking Indica high whereas delta-10 is often compared with an easy-going, mindful high of a Sativa.
These effects aren’t set in stone – remember that every cannabis or hemp strain and every cannabinoid or terpene profile affects stoners differently. That being said, you can expect a less intense experience with delta-10 than you would with almost any cannabis-derived products. For these reasons, many researchers and policymakers alike have been looking into delta-8 or delta-10 THC as “safer alternatives to delta-9 THC”.
Unfortunately, not enough research has been conducted to properly define the characteristics, effects, risks and rewards of delta-10 THC. While this is an ever-present issue with cannabis (waiting on more data), we’re heading in the right direction as long as we continue to explore cannabis & hemp in all their varieties.
The differences between delta-10 vs delta-9 are the most stark when you consider how they’re consumed or how they’re made. Like with delta-8 THC, delta-10 is derived from CBD-high hemp plants. Unlike delta-9 THC, both delta-8 and delta-10 require a lot more processing, refinement and additional processes to obtain in significant amounts. Delta-9 THC can be ingested or inhaled in a variety of potencies or formulations – delta-10 is a lot harder to find because it takes more resources to produce.
The extraction and refinements processes for obtaining delta-10 THC obviously include chemicals, so some people are leery about ingesting/inhaling these kinds of processed cannabinoids. As long as your source for delta-10 is doing their due diligence and testing their delta-10 products for quality & assurance, then you shouldn’t shy away from trying this unique phytocompound. As always, do your homework on who/where/what you’re buying and sample their products slowly, carefully and closely monitor how it affects you.
Many of us trust in the benefits of THC, but most health authorities don’t like the fact that THC-high cannabis products get you high. The stigmas around cannabis and hemp aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but we’ve made progress so a lot more people understand the pros & cons of relying on cannabinoids for your health & wellbeing. Cannabinoids like delta-8 and delta-10 are safe compromises for many of those who would never give delta-9 THC and credit, so these THC variants seem to have an important part to play in the future.
The benefits of delta-10 vs delta-9 might not be so clearly defined yet, but we’re approaching a crossroads for research, study, testing and innovation with our cannabis extracts. Investing in something new and exciting like delta-10 THC can lead to a whole new world of benefits – you never know how a subtle change to a new kind of THC could change your relationship with cannabis for the better.
