With the 2018 federal marijuana bill passed by Congress, most retailers of cannabis and hemp have reported a massive bump in sales. But none so much as the new kid on the block, Delta 8. It has seen enormous sales growth since the legalization of marijuana, and old-time retailers and sellers are scrambling to get a hand in the rush.
Delta 8 THC is a cousin of the THC or tetrahydrocannabinol family, but it’s the milder cousin, the one that everyone seems to like. This is since Delta 8 has milder effects compared to the other members of this family. Almost all Delta 8 is synthesized from the intoxicating chemical in hemp, CBD, short for cannabidiol. That makes it legal as hemp was legalized in 2018 but also lands in the grey zone.
Cannabis was legalized in 2018, however, the bill did not specifically mention Delta 8, leading to a scramble by the cannabis industry and local governments to try and get a grip on what’s happening on the ground. Read more and learn here!
The rise of delta 8
While hard statistics and reliable data on delta 8’s popularity are scarce, what is evident from sales in the cannabis industry is that delta 8 has replaced its ex-popular cousin, delta 9, as the popular choice for new users and recreational users.
The last year, despite the pandemic, has seen the largest rise in sales accounts of delta 8, and most businesses have started to target delta 8 as their new go-to sales item. Wholesale CBD sales dropped in the past 2 years due to oversupply and supply chain issues among others. This opened the frontier for the lesser-known delta 8 to take up center stage, and the stage will not be relinquished for a while.
Is delta-8 safe?
Despite its residence in the grey area of the law, delta-8 has only seen growth in its fan base and sales, which has prompted businesses to begin exclusive lines of delta-8 vapes, gummies, and other products.
Most states in the United States have deemed delta-8 federally legal, as it is a by-product of hemp. Some businesses are not planning on wading into such waters with the hemp bill still young in legality and are choosing to wait it out and watch how the growth of delta 8 goes.
Whether it is legal or not, delta 8 has sure seen a great rise, and it is quite clear that this trajectory is not going to fall for a while.