Delta 9 is still illegal here in Tx and getting it has been too much of a hassle so I just started buying 8 'flower' instead.

Exactly why I tried Delta 8 as well.

An added bonus was my tolerance decreased significantly for the real stuff.

I'm going to start taking breaks, between the real stuff and delta 8 for this exact reason. I've had similar experiences. When you hit the real stuff after smoking delta 8 for a while, it hits you hard!

I will just grow my own.

Thinking about doing that this summer.

I did try the cannabis vape pens on a trip to California, didn't really like it, and had the worst cough for a good week or two afterward.

A friend gave me a medical vape pen as a gift. I couldn't believe how harsh it was. Same thing with D8 and regular cannabis carts. I like them for taking a hit or two in the house when it's cold outside or raining, but I couldn't imagine vaping daily. I also get a severe case of "vape cough" when I overuse mine. I never trusted vaping. Ironically, vaping is what helped me quit nicotine. A completely different experience though. Nicotine vaped smooth, THC is harsh as hell for some reason.