Delta 8 vs The Real Cannabis

Over the last year or so I've been writing about Delta 8 and legal marijuana in New York State. Delta 8 has been my main focus because it was what I had access to. The dispensaries have finally started to open and now I have access to both. I thought it would be fun to write a little about comparing Delta 8 to real Cannabis.

For anyone that isn't familiar with Delta 8, let us do a quick review. Delta 8 or ▲8 is a form of THC that is derived from Hemp. Hemp is legal in most forms, in most parts of the United States. Hemp has a small amount of Delta8 THC present in it, but not enough to get you high. However, you can process CBG / CBD and turn it into Delta8 THC through a process of isomerization. This gives us legal Delta8 THC. DYOR. It's not a natural process. That's actually my only gripe with Delta 8. The isomerization process uses acids which can produce some nasty byproducts. Most companies that sell Delta 8 will also offer lab analyses of their products.

Cannabis is all-natural and much more intense than ▲8 derived THC. Many people also experience varying degrees of anxiety with cannabis. More on that later.

Delta 8

Seeing we're already talking about ▲8, let us start there. Delta8 is a much mellower, easy-going high. It's nowhere near the intensity of its Cannabis cousin. For me personally, it promotes feelings of well-being, contentment, and relaxation. It does this in a very non-invasive way. I'm not overly "high" or wasted out of my gourd, yet I'm enjoying all the positive characteristics of a cannabis high.

I have to say, now in my fifties, I enjoy the mellower high of ▲8. It relieves my back pain and promotes good sleep. These are the two main reasons I use THC. I'm also able to function as a proper adult without being stoned out of my mind. You're high, but you're not wasted!

Delta 8 is just a more relaxed version of Cannabis IMHO. Heavy use can produce anxiety, but nowhere near the amount of anxiety heavy cannabis use can create.

One of the biggest gripes I get from people my age about Cannabis is how potent it is now, and how anxious and paranoid they were when they smoked it again. For those people, ▲8 may be a good alternative. It has a lot of benefits of cannabis without the intense "super-high" you get from cannabis. I know a few people that have switched over to ▲8 and claim it was exactly what they were looking for.

Personally, if I need a little weed in the middle of the afternoon, I prefer ▲8 over cannabis. It's not only a mellower high but there is far less burnout IMHO. Middle-of-the-day cannabis sessions can knock you right out with burnout. ▲8 still burns you out a bit, but nowhere near a cannabis burnout. I rarely smoke cannabis in the middle of the afternoon, but I don't really have a problem smoking a little ▲8 in the middle of the day.

Cannabis can leave you feeling a bit unmotivated. The Delta 8 high is more conducive to motivation and getting things done IMHO.

Cannabis

I'll start with, when you smoke Cannabis you know it! There is a huge difference between a Cannabis high and a ▲8 high. The cannabis is just much more intense and in your face! I really don't know how else to put it.

Obviously, there are different potencies and strains. A Cannabis buzz can come on really strong though. It's often followed by anxiety for many people. Personally, Cannabis has a way of bringing any personal issues to light. Sometimes these are issues we'd rather keep buried deep in our subconscious. IMHO it's just the weed telling you about some issues in your life you need to address. Once you acknowledge those issues, the anxiety tends to wear off. That's just the old psychedelic shaman in me though. Maybe I'll write more about this "anxiety theory" in another post. For now, I'll admit, Cannabis can make some people suffer anxiety while getting high.

The high is much more intense as well. Again, this is based on the strain you're using. Some strains are a little more intense than others. I personally enjoy the weaker strains. Comparing a ▲8 high vs a Cannabis high, although the feelings are similar, any experienced smoker will probably be able to tell the difference between the two.

Cannabis also has a very distinct taste and smell. I recently picked up a glass pipe specifically for the purpose of tasting different strains for my review posts.

I love how this new pipe I picked up matches my mini-weed bowl. It's actually supposed to be a small teacup, but it works perfectly for spilling out a little weed!

Cannabis vs ▲8

There really are no winners or losers in this comparison. I personally feel it's a matter of preference.

IMHO ▲8 is mellower with many of the same medical benefits cannabis offers without the super intense high. Make no mistake about it though, ▲8 will get you high. When you smoke it, you'll feel it! It's just a more manageable experience, less intense, and keeps you a little more productive.

There's a time and a place for everything though. Sometimes you just want MORE! I think with Delta 8 you kind of peak or the high sort of plateaus and you just can't get any higher. This is where Cannabis comes in. The high is much more intense. You know when you've smoked some good Cannabis.

Another thing I discovered is that ▲8 seems much weaker after smoking cannabis for a couple of days. In other words, if you smoke cannabis today, and Delta 8 tomorrow, you'll have more of a tolerance to "the high". At least for me... I had 50mg ▲8 edibles that would knock me on my ass. After a night of smoking the real cannabis, the edible was nowhere near as intense the following day.

Delta 8 is also much, MUCH, cheaper than Cannabis. Cannabis prices can go as high as $50 a gram. I can get an ounce of Delta8 online for around $50 or less if it's on sale.

Personal Thoughts

For me personally, I actually prefer Delta 8 most of the time. Especially if it's in the middle of the afternoon. On those nights I prefer a little something more and want to amp things up a bit, there is no substitute for the real deal (cannabis). I'll save my cannabis use for those nights I just want to lose my mind for a bit.

The price is right with Delta 8 as well. If you shop around online, you can find some really great deals if you're buying an ounce or more.

For pain relief, and this is just my preference, Delta 8 again is the perfect solution. It relieves my back pain without the intense high of cannabis or taking DANGEROUS and ADDICTIVE pain killers.

For insomnia, nothing compares to a good Indica strain of Cannabis. A couple of hits before bed and I'm out like a light, usually in about 20 minutes. Plus, I actually enjoy the intense high as I lay in bed.

Cannabis is natural, and Delta 8 is chemically produced. I'm always a huge fan of natural over man-made. However, until some serious evidence is produced on the health issues of ▲8, I'm pretty comfortable using it. If research concludes ▲8 is a health hazard, I'll immediately switch over to a weak strain of cannabis. Until then, I'm enjoying my ▲8 for pain management.

I think ▲8 is just a weaker, more pleasant experience when you're trying to get things done and function as an adult. Cannabis is still more of a party drug! Perfect for those times you want to lose yourself and have a good laugh with some dear friends. There's a time and place for everything I guess 😄 If I were to switch over to daily use of Cannabis it would be a really weak strain.

I once saw a Youtube video where the guy explained that if you smoke weed, you just need to smoke twice as much ▲8 for a similar high. I don't think that's entirely true. I think there is a huge difference in the high you get between both products. Again, I think this would be preference for most people.

I think I'm going to leave it here for now. In the end, it's all about individual preferences. I enjoy Cannabis and I'm happy I have access to it now. Personally, I'm leaning more towards the Delta 8 for my personal and medical needs!