Our question today is this: Will Delta 9 get you high? And how does this work? Is it the same kind of feeling you get from marijuana or other psychoactive compounds? Do smaller amounts (like in Delta 9 THC gummies) still make you high?
Delta 9 THC is a psychoactive substance extracted from the cannabis plant – the same species that gives us hemp rope and clothing, CBD products, and even marijuana. A less THC-potent variety of the cannabis plant called hemp is used to produce all sorts of CBD products. It’s important to understand that Delta 9 THC is psychoactive, regardless of how it is sourced, by nature of the THC compound itself.
We’ll explain how Delta 9 THC affects your body and your mind, based on what science tells us, and how that compares to other psychoactive substances. This way, you’ll have some knowledge on how it affects your body before you get started with Delta 9 THC as a microdosing plan for improved health.
Delta 9 THC: Psychoactive Properties
Does Delta 9 get you high? Yes, it can, because Delta 9 THC has psychoactive properties. A psychoactive substance is any substance that you put into your body that has the ability to affect your central nervous system, brain function, mood, cognitive function, coordination, and other things. Psychoactive substances can be natural or synthetic, and many of them are regulated as drugs.
Delta 9 THC is regulated on a federal level and some states have legal stipulations that are a little different. Currently, under the 2018 Farm Bill, Delta 9 THC is federally legal so long as it is derived from hemp and does not exceed 0.3 percent of the dry weight of the product. To be sure that you are getting legal products to use in the United States, always buy a high quality hemp product from a reputable company that follows the federally legal limits on THC.
Did you know? Delta 8 THC is another form of THC and because of its controversial extraction from hemp, it may fall under different laws in your state.
How Does Delta 9 Get You High?
Delta 9 THC is always psychoactive. That’s just the nature of the molecules and how they affect the human body. Its psychoactive properties are always present, but how “high” you feel depends on a number of factors:
- What is the method of consumption? Some THC products pass through the lungs and are more quickly bioavailable (like vaping or smoking). Some must be digested (like edibles, gummies, oils, or capsules). These different forms may affect the amount of time it takes to affect your brain, and how impactful, or in some cases, impairing, that effect will be. Some are fast and strong in their effect, while others present a more drawn-out, steady, and less noticeable psychoactive effect.
- How much Delta 9 THC is consumed? Higher amounts have considerably higher effects.
- How frequently is the product used? Delta 9 THC and other cannabinoids remain more constant in your system if you take them on a regular basis.
- What’s the quality of the Delta 9 used? Is it pure? Is it packed with a bunch of chemicals or other psychoactive substances?
- Your sensitivities to Delta 9 THC and the efficiency of your metabolism. Did you take it on an empty stomach? Were you already tired, sleepy, or run down when you took it? Also, some people are simply sensitive to the effects of THC. It’s possible that at high levels of Delta 9 THC, like in marijuana, you have an adverse and very unpleasant reaction to THC that may not occur at the lower levels like in CBD products. This may, however, make your experience with any full spectrum CBD products (with THC) more amplified.
How It Works
Delta 9 THC molecules enter your body by a variety of methods that involve inhalation and consumption:
- Smoking marijuana
- Vaping a Delta 9 THC product
- Consuming a Delta 9 THC infused edible or gummy
- Using a CBD product labeled full spectrum that contains Delta 9 THC as part of the formulation
- Taking a Delta 9 microdose softgel
Delta 9 THC molecules then bind with a CB1 receptor (usually, but binding at a CB2 receptor is also possible) in the endocannabinoid system in your body. The CB1 receptor acts as a portal through which Delta 9 THC (and other cannabinoids) can enter your bloodstream and affect various other bodily systems and organs, including the brain.
Science has shown that Delta 9 THC is able to break through the blood-brain barrier, something we’ve known since the 1970s. This means the THC can impact your brain and deliver those psychoactive properties.
Important Note: How much Delta 9 THC you consume greatly influences the “high effects” you’ll feel.
How Delta 9 THC Compares to Other Psychoactive Substances
Let’s take a look at Delta 9 THC as compared to some other psychoactive substances, from a scientific perspective. It may help you to form a clearer understanding of how Delta 9 THC, when consumed within a CBD product, can affect your body and mind.
Benefits and Risks of THC
As you continue reading, keep in mind that the Delta 9 THC contained in any CBD product, including Delta 9 THC gummies, is kept at 0.3 percent or lower. Meaning, the amounts are very small – this is to keep the “high effects” to a minimum while simultaneously taking advantage of the health and wellness benefits.
We should probably point out here that there are a wide variety of psychoactive substances that do not have this same ability to be tempered down to an effective therapeutic level, without harmful health risks.
In CBD products, the idea is to keep the THC levels at a useful amount but not negatively adverse or addictive levels. This is to minimize any potential negative effects but deliver the benefits of the entourage effect and other health-positive effects such as greater calm and improved sleep.
The health benefits of reduced tension and better sleep, for example, are so positive that it outweighs the minimal negative effects one might experience when taking such a small amount of Delta 9 THC.
There are also potential risks when Delta 9 THC is consumed in high enough quantities to cause impairment:
- Impairment in perception of time and distance, vigilance, memory, and the ability to perform mental work
- Disconnected thoughts, panic reactions, disturbing changes in perception, delusions, and hallucinatory experiences
Remember that these effects are greater for some who are THC-sensitive. They also are directly proportional to Delta 9 THC form of use, amounts used, and how frequently they are used.
So will Delta 9 get you high? Yes, if you consume larger amounts than what is found in CBD products. Delta 9 THC gummies, for example, are clearly marked to instruct users on how to minimize any “high effects'' by using a portion of a gummy (instead of a full gummy) until you can determine your THC sensitivity. Some people may not feel any kind of high whatsoever, but for THC sensitive individuals, that greater sense of calm may feel like a subdued “high” feeling. You should not drive a car or operate machinery while you fully gauge how the Delta 9 gummies affect you.
Other Psychoactive Substances
Other substances with psychoactive effects, like stimulants and hallucinogens, are far more problematic. They also carry risks to the potential user such as harmful side effects, strain on the body and liver, abuse, overuse, or addiction.
You should not take any psychoactive substances, including Delta 9 THC in any form, without first speaking to your doctor. Your doctor can help weigh the risks vs benefits and advise you based on your medical condition and history.
Delta 9 THC Options for Wellness Uses
We mentioned buying a high-quality hemp product from a reputable company. If this is your first time reading one of our informational blogs, let us introduce ourselves. We are a CBD company that focuses on the wellness benefits of CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids. We do so with a health and wellness purpose – not a purpose of getting you high or impairing your ability to live your best wellness life.
We do this through rigorous testing, superb cannabis plant growing methods, and by offering you the highest-quality Delta 9 THC products you can find on the market. Here are some Delta 9 options you may use to find that calm you need and get the sleep that you know will improve your health in so many ways.
Delta 9 THC Microdose Softgels
Where to buy: Delta 9 THC Microdose Softgels
Info: 1 mg THC per serving and 600 mg of total cannabinoids per container
Directions for use: These microdose softgels might be the easiest way to take advantage of the benefits that a high-potency full spectrum formula offers. Each softgel contains only 1 mg of THC so you can enjoy all the relaxing benefits without it being enough to make you feel “high.” We recommend taking one or two softgels every four to six hours, but you are welcome to adjust this as you see fit; however, you should not take more than eight softgels in a 24-hour period.
Delta 9 Gummies
Where to buy: Delta 9 THC Gummies
Info: Includes 10 mg of Delta 9 THC and 50 mg of CBD per serving
Directions for use: We recommend starting out with the suggested serving size which is a quarter of a gummy. After a few weeks you can up your intake to achieve your desired effect. However, do not take more than one gummy in a 24-hour period.
Full Spectrum CBD Products
While both of the above options are Delta 9 THC-specific, our full spectrum CBD options also contain some Delta 9 THC. Here is where you may find a complete lineup of our full spectrum CBD options.
Thanks for reading “Will Delta 9 Get You High?” Check out these related articles to learn more:
What Is Delta 9 THC?What Is Delta 9 THC? Delta 9 vs CBD
CBD vs THC: The Complete Guide to Cannabis
