The Truth About "Delta-8 Flower"
Let’s be honest about Delta-8 Flower
We love Delta-8! It's very popular among our customers because it fills a space in between CBD and "the real thing" (i.e. Delta-9 THC — or what people are most familiar with when they think of weed).
WHAT EXACTLY IS DELTA-8 THC?
The cannabis plant is made up of many cannabinoids and natural chemicals besides CBD & D9-THC. D8-THC is one of the minor cannabinoids found naturally in very small concentrations (<0.3%) in the cannabis plant. In other words, you cannot grow Delta-8 Flower.
IS IT LEGAL?
Delta-8 THC fits into the gray area left open by the 2018 hemp farming act which federally legalized hemp/cannabis products that contain less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC.
HOW IS IT SOLD?
Delta-8 THC is available to the consumer in distillate/concentrate form. It is sold as distillate dabs, in syringes, in disposable cartridges, mixed into edibles, or sprayed onto CBD flowers.
THE TRUTH ABOUT DELTA-8 FLOWER:
At Bear Dance, we have decided not to carry "Delta-8 Flower".
The problem with D8 Flower is that Delta-8 distillate must be broken down into alcohol in order to be sprayed onto CBD flower.
In this process, it is difficult to regulate the consistency of how much is sprayed on the buds.
It is also extremely difficult to test for consistency. Test labs don’t like testing D8 sprayed products, because it is hard to get a homogenous sample.
And of course, there there may be residual alcohol left on the product, which you end up smoking. This could be toxic and dangerous.
In an unregulated market, it's important to be a discerning and picky customer. We like to say we do the work of being picky for you -- We only carry products we both personally and professionally stand behind.
We'll be the first to tell you about the risks of Delta-8 and the importance of being a discerning customer. Although the process for producing it is not complex for an experienced chemist, not all products were produced by an experienced chemist in a legitimate lab. Not all products have been extracted correctly & undergone the industry-standard purity tests. There's plenty of room for error.
When it comes to something I’m vaporizing + inhaling or lighting on fire + inhaling, it's important for me to be able to SEE what it is that I'm smoking. You feel me?
Alternatives to Sprayed Flower:
If you are still in search of that CBD flower + D8 combo, you're in luck! We have a couple of choices here at the shop for you.
Delta-8 coated pre-rolls
The D8 pre-rolls from Crystals and Pistils provide you with a ready-to-go solution where you can see what you’re getting.
If you don’t already know, CNP is our trusted source for all our D8 concentrate products. The outside of CBD pre-rolls are evenly coated in a thin layer of their premium D8 distillate and then rolled in CBD kief. We feel like this method is much more transparent, efficient, safe — and most importantly, enjoyable!
Check out this review of CNP’s Pre-Rolls by Jody Smokes on YouTube.
Do it yourself with a distillate syringe
Another option is to apply distillate to your joint, blunt or bowl using a syringe.
The D8 distillate syringes from Crystals and Pistils have metal plungers which make them waaaay easier to apply the distillate than the all-plastic ones. (It's the little things, y'all!)
Bonus: The distillate in these syringes have been decarboxylated, so it can also be used to mix into your own edibles.
More ways to consume Delta-8:
Vaporize distillate/dabs on a glass rig. (The distillate syringe can be dabbed, but if you’re vaporizing it the dab jar distillate product from CNP features a more optimal terpene blend.)
Vaporize disposable cartridges. (Use discretion.)
Consume edibles. (Always start with a very low dose when trying new products.)
Interested in learning more?
Come by the shop for a chat. Chris & Sarah are always here to answer your questions.
General advice for using Delta-8 THC:
Do lots of research.
But don’t worry about trying to absorb everything at once — Move at your own pace.Be informed about product quality.
Use what you learn to be a discerning consumer.Be picky about the brands you support.
Virginia’s cannabis industry is quickly evolving, and the best way to voice your opinion is with your dollars.