TL;DR: This blog explores Delta 8 THC, a less intense but popular cannabinoid, highlighting its legal status, effects, and the best strains for 2024.
- Delta 8 Overview: A minor cannabinoid similar to Delta 9 THC, known for providing relaxation, pain relief, and euphoria with fewer incidences of anxiety and paranoia.
- Legal Aspects: Federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, though some states have restrictions.
- Popular Strains: Includes Cookies (Indica-leaning Hybrid), Kush (balanced Hybrid), Diesel (Sativa-dominant), and Gorilla Glue (Indica-dominant). Each strain offers unique effects suited to different preferences.
While the hemp-derived cannabinoid industry is still new in the big picture, Delta 8 has already made its mark. This is one of the very first cannabinoids that is derived from hemp and federally legal, so it’s gained plenty of fans across the country.
One category of question we increasingly hear relates to Delta 8 strains, like “What are the best Delta 8 strains?” and even the simpler “What are Delta 8 strains?”
Keep reading to learn more about Delta 8 itself and its strains. We’ll cover the important info so you can be more informed about every purchase!
What is Delta 8?
Delta 8 is the common name for Delta 8 THC, a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in cannabis and hemp plants.
While it occurs naturally, Delta 8 is far from dominant in cannabis and hemp plants. Instead, it’s a minor cannabinoid that’s only present in small quantities naturally.
Based on preliminary research and, by this point, a large volume of user reports and reviews, we know Delta 8 is similar to Delta 9 THC in terms of effects. Delta 9 THC is the dominant cannabinoid found in cannabis plants. It’s responsible in large part for the common effects of cannabis, like an elevated mood and changes in perception.
So, what makes Delta 8 different from Delta 9? Study results published in the Journal of Cannabis Research help us understand a few unique qualities of Delta 8. These include:
- Delta 8 appears to have less intense, less long-lasting effects than Delta 9, although the effects themselves are mostly similar.
- A majority of users find Delta 8 effective for relaxation (71%), pain relief (55%), and causing euphoria (68%).
- Just 26% of Delta 8 users experience anxiety following use, and only 17% experience paranoia.
These findings also help us understand why Delta 8 is so popular.
Is Delta 8 Legal?
A major part of what makes Delta 8 and other hemp-derived cannabinoids stand out is their legal status.
Delta 8 went from a little-recognized chemical to a titan of the hemp-derived cannabinoid industry due to the 2018 Farm Bill. That piece of federal legislation legalized the commercial production of hemp containing no more than 0.3% Delta 9 by dry weight.
While significant Delta 9 content was banned, the law doesn’t say anything about cannabinoids besides Delta 9. That led pioneers in the hemp-derived cannabis industry to chemically convert CBD, which is plentiful in hemp plants, to Delta 8 and other cannabinoids.
Currently, Delta 8 is federally legal and available across much of the US for purchase and interstate shipping. However, some states have restricted or banned its possession and sale. This frequently, but doesn’t always, happen in states with legal medical and/or recreational cannabis.
Our recommendation is to check into your local laws before making a purchase. It’s legal in most states, but not all.
The Best Delta 8 Strains
Now that we’ve covered the basics of Delta 8, let’s take a closer look at Delta 8 strains. In essence, a strain is a specific type of Delta 8 that comes from a specific type of hemp plant.
The concept of strains comes from cannabis plants. Through selective plant breeding and other horticultural efforts, growers developed cannabis plants with certain qualities. Cannabis plants are often divided into three broad categories that reflect how they affect users:
- Sativa, which is thought to have more active, energizing effects.
- Indica, which is thought to be more mellow and relaxing.
- Hybrid, which is thought to offer a mix of the two previous categories.
Strains themselves are a specific type of cannabis plant that is sorted into one of the above categories. These strains, at least when their specific name isn’t only used as a marketing tactic, are carefully cultivated to produce those effects.
With that background, let’s shift our focus to Delta 8 THC strains. We know that Delta 8 comes from hemp plants, and is made from the CBD those plants produce. So, can you have Delta 8 strains when the hemp plants themselves don’t produce significant amounts of Delta 8?
Yes, and in a few different ways:
- Growers can cultivate hemp plants to have specific characteristics. That includes breeding plants to offer Sativa, Indica, or Hybrid effects. Delta 8 types derived from the CBD in those plants will continue to have some of those characteristics.
- Labelling Delta 8 products, or products containing a blend of Delta 8 and other cannabinoids, to indicate their similarity to a certain cannabis strain. While this isn’t technically accurate in terms of the definition of strain, the practical result is useful for many people who enjoy Delta 8.
The Best Delta 8 Strains List
Interested in trying some Delta 8 strains? Here are a few common and well-liked strains. As you browse our wide range of Delta 8 products, keep an eye out for these strains. You can also use the search bar at the top of every page to search for specific strains across all of our cannabinoid products!
- Cookies: Sometimes called Girl Scout Cookies and available in many sub-strains, Cookies and its variants are generally Indica-leaning Hybrids. They offer some energizing effects but with an emphasis on a mellow experience.
- Kush: Kush is a hybrid strain that balances Indica and Sativa effects for a heady experience. There are several sub-strains of Kush, like OG Kush and Bubba Kush.
- Diesel: Diesel is Sativa-dominant, for a more active high. This is yet another strain with several sub-strains, including Sour Diesel and Blue Diesel.
- Gorilla Glue: This Indica-dominant strain offers a mellower, more relaxed experience. You may come across sub-strains that are numbered (like Gorilla Glue #4).
Only the Best Delta 8, Delivered to Your Doorstep
Delta 8 Resellers offers Delta 8 and cannabinoid blends in a wide variety of strains, helping you find exactly what you want! You can always count on the quality of our products, too. We partner exclusively with leading industry brands and, whenever available, share the results of independent third-party lab testing on our product pages.
