THCA vs Delta 8

With so many cannabinoids to keep track of, it can be hard to keep them all straight. What do they do? How are they similar? How are they different?  Today we’re going to walk through THCA vs delta 8.  THCA and delta 8 are both naturally present in hemp and cannabis.  However, THCA is more abundant than delta 8.  Most delta 8 is made from hemp-derived CBD through a process called isomerization.  While they both come from hemp and cannabis, the two cannabinoids are pretty different. Let’s dive in and explore their similarities and differences! 

THCA vs delta 8: consumption method

THCA is essentially un-evolved THC.  Any time you want to feel the effects of THC, there needs to be a heating element somewhere in the process.  This is true whether you’re indulging in edibles, smoking, or vaping.  In order for edibles to actually be potent, it’s necessary to decarb the flower in the oven first prior to infusing it in an oil or butter.  The heat from a vape or lighter does the same thing, and is still considered decarboxylation.  What decarboxylation actually does is convert non-psychoactive THCA to psychoactive THC.  Because of this, if you want to enjoy THCA you can’t smoke it because it will no longer be THCA.  

Delta 8, on the other hand, is already in its “active” form by the time it makes its way into the products on the market (including flower).  Because of this, delta 8 can be enjoyed whether it’s heated up or not.  Nothing will be lost through the heating process, and it also would not be necessary to decarb delta 8 flower before making edibles.  

Effects

THCA vs delta 8 is definitely going to produce a more mild experience.  Unlike delta 8, THCA is not psychoactive.  THCA is really more comparable to CBD in terms of effects.  Delta 8 produces a high considered to be less intense than a delta 9 high.  

THCA vs delta 8: products

Due to the fact that THCA ceases to exist when heated up, it can’t be consumed in all of the same products as delta 8.  THCA is currently available in oils, tinctures, capsules, and edibles.  Delta 8, on the other hand, is made into vapes, blunts, prerolls, edibles, tinctures, and capsules.  Because delta 8 is already in its final form, it can be consumed in a wider variety of ways than THCA.  Here at DVNT, we have delta 8 prerolls available in peach and pineapple.  If blunts are more your speed, check out our selection and choose from Blue Dream, Pineapple Haze, Sour Diesel, Runtz, and Purple Punch. 

Since delta 8 doesn’t have to be heated up and THCA can’t be heated up, they can potentially exist in the same product and work alongside each other.  The phenomenon of cannabinoids working together to produce a better experience is called the entourage effect.  Read more about that here.

THCA vs delta 8: legality

Both THCA and delta 8 are currently legal on a federal level in the United States thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill.  This bill legalized hemp, which, by definition, is cannabis containing no more than .3% THC.  The farm bill is due for an update later this year, which could challenge the recent boom in hemp derived cannabinoids.  Delta 8 has been experiencing a lot of legal backlash on a state level.  Many states seek to regulate it, while several others have banned it altogether.  THCA vs delta 8 has so far not experienced quite the same level of scrutiny, most likely because it is not psychoactive.  Despite the fact that THCA does not get you high, it is actually illegal in a few of the states with stricter hemp laws.

In conclusion, while THCA and delta 8 both come from hemp they are very different from each other.  Unlike delta 8, THCA is not psychoactive.  THCA also can’t be heated up or it will convert to THC.  Delta 8 can be heated or not without losing its potency.  This means THCA can’t be smoked, while delta 8 is often smoked or vaped.  Federally, both cannabinoids are legal due to the 2018 Farm Bill.  On a state level, however, legality varies although currently THCA is legal in more states than delta 8.  Stay tuned for more THCA updates from us in the near future, and in the meantime stay lifted with our selection of delta 8 and HHC products.