Delta what? Here's how to understand the difference between Delta 8, 9 and 10
As marijuana continues to be legalized throughout the U.S., more products that look, smell, taste and feel like marijuana are popping in states where the psychoactive drug isn't officially legal.
These products, sold as smokables, edible desserts, candies and soft drinks, contain "Delta 8" or "Delta 10." These products can certainly result in a "high" that is like marijuana, but they aren't fully natural and don't include the compounds associated with medical and recreational marijuana.
In 2018, President Donald Trump signed the Agriculture Improvement Act, more commonly known as the Farm Bill, which removed hemp from the 1970 Controlled Substances Act. Previously, hemp was classified as a Schedule 1 drug alongside marijuana and other heavy drugs like heroin and methamphetamemes. Simply put, hemp production, manufacturing, sale and consumption is federally legal.
Delta 8 and Delta 10 both fall under this hemp category, as long as they contain 0.3% or less THC. This means products containing Delta 8 or Delta 10 can be sold in states where medical or recreational marijuana has yet to be legalized. Alternatively, Delta 9, the compound associated with medical and recreational marijuana, contains 0.3% or more THC and is not federally legal. It is regulated state by state.
So just what is the difference between all these "Deltas"? Here's what to know about the different cannabinoids on the market.
Delta 8, Delta 9 and Delta 10 are three of the more than 100 cannabinoids, or chemicals, that exist within the cannabis plant. Each is a form of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is primarily responsible for marijuana's psychoactive effects.
Each of the cannabinoids can produce a "high" effect, but they all work a little differently.
Delta 8 is found in trace amounts of the cannabis plant, as it's produced when a cannabis plant ages, according to Leafwell, an online marijuana resource.
Because cannabis plants only produce a small amount of Delta 8, most Delta 8 products contain a synthesized form of the cannabinoid, which is made by rearranging the molecules of CBD (cannabidiol), according to Leafwell.
Delta 9 is the most abundant cannabinoid in marijuana. Discussions about medical and recreational marijuana, which are regulated at the state level, are about Delta 9.
Like Delta 8, Delta 10 is a trace cannabinoid in the cannabis plant. It is also often produced in a lab from CBD.
Though each of the cannabinoids may have different affects on the body, each interacts with the body's endocannabinoid system, which regulates bodily functions like mood, pain, sleep, appetite, memory, and reproduction and fertility, according to Healthline.
Delta 9 attaches to the body's endocannabinoid system more strongly than Delta 8 and Delta 10, meaning its effects are more potent, according to Leafwell. Users may feel a more intense high with Delta 9.
Delta 8 and Delta 10 are often available over the counter at convenience stores, smoke and vape shops and gas stations. Delta 9 is only available for purchase from licensed medical and adult-use marijuana dispensaries in states where marijuana is legal.
Age restrictions on purchasing THC products vary per state, but commonly consumers must be 18 or 21 to purchase products that contain Delta 8, 9 or 10.
Delta 8 and Delta 10 are both federally legal, as they are derived from hemp and contain low traces of THC. They are protected under the Farm Bill signed by Trump during his first term in 2018. However, some states have banned the sale and consumption of both Delta 8 and 10, citing health concerns.
Delta 9 is not federally legal but regulated on a state-by-state basis.
More: Where is marijuana legal in the US? Here's which states have legalized weed as 4/20 approaches
Yes, each of the cannabinoids can show up on a drug test. However, more commercial drug tests cannot differentiate between the cannabinoids, according to WedMD.
Historically, hemp, including Delta 8 and Delta 10, have not been as regulated or well researched as Delta 9. Though Delta 8 and Delta 10 are derived from the natural cannabis plant, the Food and Drug Administration advises consumers to be cautious of products that contain these compounds.
For example, some Delta 8 and Delta 10 products may be labeled simply as "hemp products," which may mislead consumers who associate "hemp" with "non-psychoactive." Additionally, because Delta 8 and Delta 10 are largely unregulated, some manufacturers may use unsafe chemicals to make the compounds, the FDA warns.
By and large, adults should always start by educating themselves before consuming any form of marijuana or hemp product and purchase products from licensed and/or regulated facilities.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Delta 8, 9 and 10: What makes the cannabis compounds different?
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