Common Myths About Hemp Products

A discussion on synthetic cannabinoids

It's just CBD.  It won't get you high!

CBD won't get you high, but delta-8 will.  Delta-8 may be half the strength of delta-9 THC and is usually made from CBD, but it's chemical structure is not the same as CBD.  It is an analogue of THC, and is strongly psychoactive.  It can and will get you very high if you are not a regular THC user.  Do not under-estimate delta-8!

Pixel Potion Cafe calculates a "Psychoactive Strength" in the "Specifications" of each product.  This converts the strength of each cannabinoid to an equivalent delta-9 strength so you can pick what works for you.  This means the 125mg Starflames gummies should be similar to a gummy containing 77mg of pure delta-9 THC!  Such a gummy would not be federally legal unless it were at least 25 grams! 

It's Chemistry Lab Weed!

Insulin saves millions of lives, but used to require the slaughter of animals to obtain, and sometimes caused dangerous allergic reactions.  This also lead to microbes, like viruses, being transmitted from the animal to humans. Synthetic products are safer for everyone!

Being made in a lab isn't what makes it dangerous, and being naturally made doesn't make it safe.  Actually, there are a lot of chemicals in nature that are incredibly dangerous and will kill you quite quickly!  

We don't know anything about synthetic cannabinoids!

Both delta-8 and delta-9 are natural analogues and both occur in the cannabis plant. 

Delta Means It's Synthetic

Nope!  "Delta" is from an old Greek word meaning "variance", such as where a river splits into two, a "river delta", or the Greek letter "Δ". 

Delta-8 and Delta-9 refer to two different analogues of THC.  Delta-8 THC has it's double bond on the 8th carbon chain, while delta-9 THC has it's double bond on the 9th carbon chain. The "Delta" just tells us which "variant" we are talking about. 

What does synthetic mean then?

If a cannabinoid is "synthetic", it means nature didn't make this particular molecule. It doesn't mean nature doesn't make the same molecule.

When you "decarb" your weed to make an edible, you are using your oven to heat THC-A and change it into THC.  THC-A isn't "active" and has no psychoactive effects, but is easily changed into "active" THC.  Heat removes a "carboxyl group" from the THC-A molecule and releases carbon dioxide, changing it into THC.  If this sounds like chemistry lab, it is!  You just made a synthetic THC in your kitchen!  Nature didn't make it, you did.  It's synthetic.

Most synthetic cannabinoids, including delta-8 THC, HHC, THC-P, and others, all naturally occur in the cannabis plant.  The amounts of some of these cannabinoids are too small to be extracted effectively, so they are usually made in a lab from extracted CBD.  A synthetic has the exact same molecular structure as its natural counterpart and will behave exactly the same in the human body.  The only thing different between the two is how they came to exist!

What are the dangers?

Not all manufacturers use the same processes or the same ingredients or processes.  What you need to watch out for is any remaining reactants, left-over chemicals.  Being synthetic is not the problem.  It's what might be left over!  However, labs allow us to test for those chemicals and ensure that they are not passed on to the consumer.

Synthetic or not, ask if the product has been tested for chemicals, solvents, molds, and pesticides! 

Cannabis products made from "real weed" can be grown with all sorts of unnatural fertilizers, pesticides, mold, parasites, and other harmful substances.  It doesn't matter if you buy from some guy on the street (not recommended) or a state licensed dispensary!  You need real testing by a 3rd party lab if you want to know what the dangers really are. 

People have been known to take cheap products from China (where there is even less oversight) and put it in bags that copy respected manufacturers and then sell it on the black market.  Never buy black market products, including those sold via Telegram, Facebook Messenger, or Darknet websites.  If the banks aren't willing to back what these people are selling, why would you?

Pixel Potion Cafe gummies are all natural, vegan-friendly, and made with organic ingredients.  The cannabinoids are infused in, not sprayed on!  They are 3rd-party tested for potency and contaminents. 

Analogues & Isomers

Both of these are technical terms that basically refer to a molecule that is similar to another, but with a few changes.  We've seen that delta-8 and delta-9 analogues behave slightly differently.

Labs can make analogues and isomers that do not exist in nature.  The idea is to "improve" on the original, and sometimes it's a win (such as safer insulin) but often not!  This is where labs get their bad names, making genetically modified organisms, high-fructose corn syrup (which does not exist in nature), canola oil (rapeseed oil made less poisonous), and artifical sweeteners.  Upon ingestion, aspartame is broken, converted, and oxidized into formaldehyde in various tissues.  Formaldehyde is very dangerous!

Delta-10, Delta-6, Delta-7, THC-O, and PHC are all isomers of THC that do not occur naturally.  They can only be made in a lab!  The DEA has declared that cannabinoids that do not occur in nature are not included in the 2018 Farm Bill and are not legal. 

Why Not "Real" THC?

Delta-9 is illegal in the US at the federal level. While some states have medical use programs, many states, including our home state of Texas, have medical programs that are nearly impossible to get into.  You have to be dying to get the card.  Once you get the card, you drive possibly hundreds of miles (you can't legally send anything with more than 0.3% THC in the mail) to a dispensary that is only allowed to sell you up to 1% THC!  But the gas station up the street sells delta-8 with no limit on strength and no medical card required.  For those that want to stay within the law, but actually have a need for therapeutic THC, there are simply no other options!

I started Pixel Potion Cafe because I found that cannabis offered pain relief that the pharmaceutical companies couldn't offer.  I also found that the other cannabinoids made more of a difference when it comes to pain and stress than the amount of THC.  It doesn't matter if its delta-8 or delta-9, it's the other cannabinoids surrounding it that determine its overall effectiveness.

Delta-9 is also a bit stronger than what many people are looking for.  Delta-9 THC has a higher rate of paranoia, anxiety, and other harmful side effects than Delta-8.  Delta-8 provides a lower-risk alternative, especially to people who may not have used THC before. 

Synthetic cannabinoids also let us create blends that would not otherwise be possible.  Goldie's Galenical Gummies and the Goldies Vape are great examples.  The Goldie's Vape contains 20% THCv, a powerful cannabinoid that is rarely available above 1% in nature.  In order to get such high levels of THCv, a non-intoxicating compound, from "real weed", you would be taking in insane levels of Delta-9!  People should have the choice to not get high!

What About THC-A?

THC-A is attractive in the recreational market as it gets around the federal ban on delta-9 THC.  THC-A is considered more "natural" because you basically starve the plant of light and stop the THC-A from turning into THC.  It doesn't require a "lab", although the controlled environments required to do this are certainly not "natural".   

Problems with THC-A

• THC-A is unstable.  I ordered a THCA product from a popular competitor and sent it directly to a lab for testing.  It tested with more delta-9 THC than THC-A!  If you were caught with the product, you could be charged with a crime.  THC percentages were more than a full order of magnitude over the legal limit!  I did this twice with the same results and notified the vendor (they did not offer a refund for selling me an illegal product). THC-A will naturally change into THC just sitting in a warehouse and the consumer is the one that gets in trouble!
• Not all THC-A products are produced naturally!  Lab made THC-A still exists.  It's guaranteed to be lab grown if they add "diamonds" to the name!  If it's not flower, it's likely synthetic.  Just because it says THC-A instead of "Delta" doesn't mean you can trust it any more or less than another cannabinoid.
• THC-A is no substitute for CBC, CBN, CBD, THCv, or other cannabinoids. 
• I expect the federal limit of 0.3% Delta-9 THC will soon be rewritten to so that the total THC+THC-A together can not exceed 0.3%.  This will end THC-A sales at gas stations, online stores, and smoke shops.

Be careful of gummies with high "mg" numbers.  Companies love to put lots of THC-A in there to keep the numbers high and make money off the community acceptance of THC-A.  However, THC-A does not get you high if you eat it, making those numbers useless!  Remember you have to decarb it, before you can eat it!

Conclusion

Synthetic cannabinoids are no more dangerous than their natural counterparts when purchased from reputable companies that ensure their products are free of contaminants.  This applies to natural cannabinoids and dispensary products as well.  Always check the labs!