Although CBD products have allowed more consumers to access some of the wellness effects of marijuana usage, they cannot replicate the actual experience of smoking. But thanks to the growing availability of hemp flowers enhanced with Delta-8 THC, there are more and more opportunities for casual and law-abiding individuals to tap into more of the culture that has grown up around marijuana over the years.
A Legal Option for Getting a Little High
Make no mistake, Delta-8 THC hemp flower is an entirely different product from traditional marijuana, which is rich in Delta-9 THC. The two plants and their two chemical compounds are closely related, but significantly different. Delta-8 is still psychoactive, but less so than its sibling cannabinoid. This fact goes hand-in-hand with the fact that the hemp flowers which feature Delta-8 THC also happen to be legal at the federal level.
The legality of Delta-8 THC is the main concern for some people. There are plenty of consumers who recognize the benefits of marijuana and its derivatives but would simply never think of breaking the law in order to experience them. For them, actual marijuana remains off-limits. But unless they live in one of the handful of states that have separately passed laws against Delta-8 products, a whole set of alternatives became widely available in 2018.
That was when President Trump signed a new Farm Bill which included a provision legalizing the production and use of all products fully derived from American hemp. Of course that includes the flowers of the plant itself, and so manufacturers quickly capitalized on the new situation by cultivating and distributing their hemp flowers as a legal and less potent alternative for people who are either curious about marijuana or already experienced in using it.
A Chance to Taste and Experiment
This means that Delta-8 THC hemp flower is available in a number of varieties, just as marijuana is. And if you’re buying your Delta-8 THC from an informed retailer, it means you should be able to explore different options in order to find a safe, legal product that suits your preferences in terms of both the flavor it offers and the feeling it creates. Again, that feeling will be mild in comparison to Delta-9 THC, but for some consumers this just means that it features all the best aspects of smoking marijuana, without any of the feelings of mental decline, paranoia, excessive hunger, and so on.
After trying certain varieties, some users report that they don’t even feel mental effects from Delta-8 THC at all. Most testimonials emphasize a mild high, and some note a reduction in negative mental experiences like anxiety, albeit without affecting the way the user functions. This can be a welcome change from the more powerful effects of marijuana, in part because it actually opens up the door to use the product more regularly without much fear of consequences, and to fully appreciate the experience of smoking at every stage.
This is something that seems to be chronically overlooked in talking about THC use. Those who enjoy it as a lifestyle are often doing more than just getting high. They are engaging in a somewhat ritualized experience and becoming connoisseurs, developing an appreciation for the distinct flavors and distinct effects that come from each of the different strains. There are currently nine such strains of Delta-8 THC hemp flower in the Apotheca store, and we’re proud to offer them as a way for some of our consumers to enter – or re-enter – a community that has grown up around both marijuana and hemp, and is now able to enjoy at least part of the experience legally, and in the open.
