The hemp-derived delta THC business is booming right now, but what is it?

The hemp and cannabis industry in the US is gradually changing in terms of laws and established guidelines. The situation of cannabis being legalized for medical and recreational use in some states while it is still being criminalized by the federal government under the Appendix 1 classification is absurd. It’s no surprise, then, that what appears to be a boom in hemp products is emerging, and many are already preparing to take advantage of the explosion.

The next boom in the industry is about hemp-derived THCs, or Delta-8,9,10-THCs, and there are a number of important things anyone looking to be in the hemp industry should know before they start selling Products begins. Read on as we look at where the industry is coming from, where it is now, and where it goes with the next boom on the horizon.

Hemp industry background

For many who don’t know, hemp and cannabis are species of the same plant, but hemp is very different from cannabis. For this reason, the plant was approved for legal cultivation in the USA in 2014. A major reason for this was research as a source of culture for seeds and fibers. The plant quickly made headlines as a high-CBD, low-THC strain, which is true of many aspiring gamers looking for ways to get into the industry.

The growth of hemp fiber and hemp seeds provided great room for economic growth, but the industry did not seem mature enough for the forecast growth. The growth had to attract substantial subsidies and most raw materials were regularly imported at low prices, which led to higher costs. Ultimately, farmers looked for other, less costly alternatives that had room for CBD to rise.

The 2018 Farm Bill came at a time when the popularity of CBD as a legal cannabinoid with no psychoactive effects was in full swing. The earlier fiber and seed harvest as a source of CBD quickly fueled a growing health and wellness market. The language of the Farm Bill called for a change from industrial hemp to medicinal hemp, suggesting that the government has approved the cultivation of cannabinoids. A change in the FDA’s approach to CBD after initially approving Epidiolex stopped the progress of the CBD-based hemp industry. What followed was a drop in prices and millions of pounds of hemp and CBD isolate without enough buyers. When it looks like the industry was finished, Delta-8 THC came to the rescue.

THC extracted from hemp

The legality of THC from hemp requires that no more than 0.3% Delta-9-THC be present in the source. However, this was not recorded to include Delta-8 THC, which is an isomer of the psychoactive cannabinoid Delta-9 THC. Delta-8 THC’s economic promise also improved after scientific means showed effective promise to convert CBD isolate to Delta-8 THC. This projected Delta-8 THC as an industry revival and paved the way for the expected THC boom.

For those who didn’t know, Delta-8 THC is the less intoxicating isomer of Delta-9 THC. It requires an increased dose compared to Delta-9 THC to achieve similar effects, which is likely why there are fewer restrictions on use compared to its counterpart. As many investors saw the potential of Delta-8 THC, activity in the market grew and as sales and demand increased, there was no end in sight.

Restrictions on Delta-8 THC

While the limited regulations for Delta-8 THC were beneficial in some areas, it created several problems for others in the hemp industry. The lack of proper regulation resulted in many manufacturers defining their approach to production and distribution at the early stages of the market rather than after consulting with regulators. This led to the production of products with questionable safety as no strict regulations existed. During the production process, a number of impurities also found their way into the end products that reached the consumer. These end products harbor the risk of bioaccumulation in the body and the development of side effects.

A lack of suitable test standards also resulted in high levels of Delta-9 THC in the end products. Other problems and limitations are the lack of child-resistant pa packaging, the marketing of products to minors and poor labeling. These issues have resulted in the production and sale of Delta-8s being banned in a total of 18 states in the United States, and four other states are actively considering such bans in their state.

Delta 9 THC boom

Given the obvious problems Delta-8 THC is facing, it’s no surprise that key industry stakeholders are making the U-turn back to Delta-9 THC. This turnaround has opened up new avenues for users to circumvent current regulations. Manufacturers took the opportunity to develop the “N of the full-spectrum CBD”, which contains a higher amount of Delta-9-THC than previously available products. One such product was launched by Trojan Horse Cannabis, which was an edible product containing 250 milligrams of CBD and 10 milligrams of THC. While one might argue the legality of this product given the 10 milligrams concentration of THC, it is still within the required range. The concentration of Delta-9 THC in the product is less than 0.2% and is thus below the regulated guide value of 0.3%.

Bottom line

It’s important to know that when the THC boom is in full swing, a number of seedy elements will be planning to invade and take advantage of the situation. While some states like Colorado have taken proactive steps to regulate the conversion of cannabis products, others are still very open to the ills of today’s marketplace. It is therefore crucial to know how this current market is being modulated and available products are being checked to confirm authenticity and security. Examples of things to look out for include an official website with company contact information, lot numbers for products, proper product labeling, and company-published educational materials. While this is not a foolproof way to prevent substandard products from being used, it does help eliminate common problems in the marketplace.

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