Are you a cannabis enthusiast? You may have heard about the new member of the cannabinoid family who recently made its way to the wellness world. Yes, we are talking about delta-8 THC. Though it is comparatively new in the market, it is already stealing hearts with its long list of therapeutic benefits. As you know, the most preferred method of enjoying cannabis is to smoke or vape the flowers. You can easily buy delta-8 hemp flowers from VapeCraftInc. But do you know how you can grow these flowers or how manufacturers do it? To learn more about producing delta-8 flowers, keep reading.
What is delta-8 THC?
More than hundreds of cannabinoids are present in a cannabis plant, and delta-8 THC is one of them. Generally, by THC or tetrahydrocannabinol, someone refers to delta-9 THC. It has strong psychoactive effects that can lead to anxiety, paranoia, and depression. But delta-8 has less intense mind-altering effects. Its impacts are not as intoxicating as delta-9. The drug offers a mild euphoria that will make you feel calm and relaxed. So, many people prefer to use it before bedtime for better sleep. The commercially available delta-8 products are hemp-derived. As per Farm Bill 2018, hemp-derived products are legal in the United States if they contain less than 0.3% delta-9 THC. Synthetically derived products from delta-9 are also illegal in the country.
How are delta-8 hemp flowers produced?
Delta-8 THC is a naturally present cannabinoid in hemp plants. But less than 1% of this drug is present in the whole plant. So, extracting it from the plant is extremely cumbersome, expensive, and unrealistic. The easiest way to accumulate the drug is to degrade delta-9. But as that process is illegal, we have described some legal procedures manufacturers use to produce delta-8 hemp flowers. If manufacturers use this process, the resulting product will be far too expensive for consumers to enjoy the benefits of delta-8.
Farming Delta-8 flowers:
Delta-8 flowers are primarily hemp flowers; you may also know them as CBD flowers. Manufacturers add the delta-8 to the flower. To cultivate your delta-8 flowers, first, you need a greenhouse with no rainfall. It helps increase production without any harsh impact on the environment. It does not need much rain, but it does need water. You require water that you can replace and recycle. With a lack of sunlight and a little water, these plants grow well. A greenhouse environment with high-intensity lights helps the plants grow. Most people use hydroponics or aeroponics for water. With these new techniques and experimentation, one can find the optimum growth conditions for these plants.
Producing delta-8 distillate:
Hemp flowers contain CBD or cannabidiol. So, you have to extract the CBD from the flowers. The preferable method for this step is the CO2 extraction process. You can eliminate the harmful toxins left behind during processing by a refining process. Then you will get pure CBD extract. Delta-8 and CBD are isomers that mean both cannabinoids have the same components in a different order. Isomerization is a chemical process. The chemical composition of the final product stays the same but the configuration changes.
To change CBD into delta-8, first, you have to dissolve the CBD in glacial acetic acid. After almost 72 hours, more than half of the amount of CBD will transform in delta-8. The product has to undergo another refining process to eliminate the unwanted chemicals. You have to distillate the resulting product, and you will get delta-8 THC distillate.
Preparing delta-8 hemp flowers:
Now, you are at the final step. The prerequisites for this step are hemp flowers, distillate, spray gun, knife, terpenes, rotating mixer, and patience. It is better to take flowers with a lighter green color and dense buds. It reduces the chance of breaking the flower and transforming it into a darker, undesirable color. You have to prep the hemp flowers by cutting off as much stem as possible. Next, you have to prepare the distillate. It should not be too dense. You can also add additional terpenes of your choice in this step; it is optional. But do not add anything combustible or harmful to health. Click here to find out more information.
Use a good quality tumbling device at a slow enough speed to evenly apply the distillate. Use a spray gun to mist the distillate onto the flower finely. Try to make sure the droplets of distillates are fine enough to create an even structure on the flowers. The last step is to apply high-quality kief evenly onto the flowers. And it is done! Check the delta-9 levels of the kief before using it. Be patient every step of the way, do not rush the process.
What are the benefits of smoking or vaping delta-8 hemp flowers?
Delta-8 is a comparatively new cannabinoid in the market. So, we have limited information about the drug. The benefits of this therapeutic drug are somewhat similar to its cousin cannabinoid delta-9. The studies and research we have on this cannabinoid indicate some health benefits. Like,
- Like other cannabinoids, it also has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. It may help relieve chronic pain to some extent.
- It may have neuroprotective properties. It improves impaired brain functions and cognitive functions. The drug also helps protect the brain from free radical damage and memory-related issues.
- It stimulates your appetite and may help control eating disorders.
- It may have the ability to reduce nausea and vomiting.
- Its calming properties may help with stress, anxiety, and depression. The drug may also treat paranoia, panic disorder, and other stress-related issues.
- It helps you get rid of insomnia and get a night of quality sleep.
So, now you know how you can produce your delta-8 flowers. Temperature control during the flowering period will help maximize production. That is the reason most cannabis growers prefer indoor facilities to cultivate hemp. Use a third-party lab to test if your product is safe. Try to use organic soil. If you are new to growing cannabis plants, do your research before jumping into farming hemp. It will help ease the process. Happy growing!