WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH DELTA-8 THC?
Delta-8 THC is not a new discovery. In fact, chemist Roger Adams published a paper in 1941 announcing the first known synthesis of Delta-8 THC. So, why has this specific isomer blown up recently? Until the 2018 farm bill, Delta-9 THC and other hemp-derived cannabinoids (like Delta-8) were classified as federally illegal.
Now that hemp cultivation and production are legal, the market has become saturated with Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC products that claim to be legal (containing less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC).
How To Figure Out A Delta 8 Legal Product
Because the industry is highly unregulated, customers often buy mislabeled, illegal products without realizing it. This Leafreport Research revealed more than 50% of Delta-8 THC hemp-derived products tested had illegal levels of Delta-9 THC. This is problematic for both the customer and the distributor.
Mislabeled Delta-8 Product Issues:
- A product with less Delta-8 than labeled will be less effective for the consumer
- A product with more Delta-8 than labeled or additional Delta-9 THC that wasn’t identified could cause unwanted side effects
- Products with the additional Delta-9 THC are often federally illegal
So, you ask, “How can I be sure the hemp products I purchase are 100% legal?”
Check the Labs! Also known as a Certificate of Analysis (CoA), these third-party documents provide an in-depth rundown of the product in question. At Pinnacle Hemp, we have third-party labs for every single product we distribute. In these labs, you should find the levels and potencies of cannabinoids like Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC. In a Compliant Delta-8 THC product, Delta-9 THC should not be present. However, in most products on the market, this isn’t the case. Products containing both D8 and D9 THC are often over the legal limit.
What Are Third-Party Labs?
In short, third-party labs independently analyze samples sent in by a company when a new batch of product is produced.
Anyone buying or selling products in the CBD and hemp industry must understand that not all third-party labs are created equal. Profit drives a large number of decisions for companies, and unfortunately, when the desire for maximum profit outweighs the desire for quality and ethics, companies cut corners.
High-quality labs with accurate testing methods are expensive – sometimes tripling the cost for manufacturers. Often this means companies who value profit over quality choose to employ a cheap third-party lab or perform lab tests in-house. The resulting Certificate of Analysis can be purposefully inaccurate or misleading, and the accompanying Delta-8 products are illegally potent.
The best method performed by reputable third-party labs is called High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, which provides the most accurate breakdown of a sample’s cannabinoid content. The report received after this lab test is crucial in accurately and correctly labeling the content and potency of the product.
The Bottom Line
While third-party testing is not a requirement in the hemp industry, it is highly recommended by industry experts. Buying a product without a lab is like buying over-the-counter medicine without an ingredient label. You just don’t do it.
Any high-quality Delta-8 THC product will have third-party testing and the company should be willing to provide the lab results (Certificate of Analysis) to the consumer. Third-party labs are a great way for the company to verify the quality of its product while providing customers with the confidence they are getting exactly what they paid for. Read the labs and save yourself from overpaying for low-quality Delta-8 THC products or buying illegal, mislabeled products.
There’s a lot to learn about the CBD and hemp industry – even if you think you know it all.
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