Delta 8 THC History & Discovery

Delta 8 THC has become so popular that it’s hard to believe it has only really been on the market for less than a couple of years.  Many people, quite understandably, maintain the mistaken belief that delta-8 and Delta 8 THC products is a new discovery, and that its recent introduction onto the hemp market occurred right after the cannabinoid was first isolated.  But, the reality is that Delta 8 has a rich history and happens to be the 4th most researched cannabinoid in the world due to decades of scientists working hard to uncover its distinctive properties and how they affect the human body.

Because the history of delta 8 is both surprising and fascinating, we recommend that you read on to learn more about its scientific origins and how our understanding of it has evolved over the years, culminating in its current popularity that comes from its completely distinctive effects that have been discovered by researchers over a compellingly long period of time.

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The Discovery of Delta 8 THC

Delta-8 THC has always existed in nature.  Being a naturally occurring plant compound, it was not invented in a lab or created by accident during a home experiment.  Delta 8 exists in 0.1% of the hemp plant, and because it is present in such a trace amount, isolating or even identifying the compound was not as intuitive as isolating, say, CBD.  

But, in 1941, Delta 8 THC was discovered for the first time via a partial synthesis process that enabled scientists to finally have an isolated form of the compound.  It was Roger Adams at the University of Illinois who is credited with possessing the first pure delta8 compound, at least according to historical records.  Only a year later, a team of medical researchers acquired isolated delta 8 in order to study its potential therapeutic effects on humans through oral administration.  

By 1965, a complete synthesis of delta-8 was developed, and just the next year, scientists at the University of Delaware developed an extraction method much like the one utilized today to isolate the naturally occurring form of the compound from the cannabis plant.

Research on Delta 8 THC

The first groundbreaking study took place in 1974, when a team of researchers tested delta 8 THC along with delta 9 THC and cannabidiol (CBD) to determine whether or not the cannabinoids are detrimental to the immune system.  The cannabinoids were administered to cancerous mice to see whether or not the compounds caused the cancer to progress more rapidly.  Fascinatingly, the study actually concluded the opposite, which led to more scientific research to find any potential benefits of Delta-8.  

The next year, a study was conducted in which delta 8, delta 9, and CBN were administered to determine whether or not the cannabinoids could actually shrink cancerous tumors, and the findings were extremely promising.

Due to harsher regulations and legislation pertaining to cannabis during this time, research on delta8 took a backseat for a while, as simply acquiring enough of the cannabinoid became more difficult, even among medical researchers.  But, in 1995, yet another groundbreaking study was performed, this time on pediatric cancer patients.  The study was originally conducted to see if delta 8 possessed antinausea properties that would help the patients handle the common side effect associated with chemotherapy.  During administration, it became clear that the cannabinoid was useful when it came to many symptoms and side effects relating to both the illness and the treatment.

Around this time, another group of researchers found that delta 8 THC could potentially help the body produce a crucial neurotransmitter known as Acetylcholine, which plays a major role in neurological function by boosting neurogenesis and improving neuroplasticity, which could be particularly useful to those with cognitive issues, most commonly attributed to age.  Within a decade, another study would show that delta-8 has the potential to improve appetite.

The Modern Era of Delta-8 THC 

More recently, a 2018 study showed that delta 8 could potentially help with physical discomfort with its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.  While this study was definitely significant, another change in the world of delta 8 was even more impactful.  In 2018, congress passed the Farm Bill, which declared delta 8 THC federally legal for the first time in decades.

See, in spite of all of these incredible findings about the effects of the cannabinoid through clinical research, delta 8 THC had remained an illegal substance, being a cannabinoid from cannabis, which was outlawed up until then. 

Despite the fact that delta 8 can successfully be extracted from the hemp plant, hemp was a classified drug until the Farm Bill finally decriminalized it.  In spite of it being a psychoactive compound, it’s protected by federal law, which simply states that Delta 8 products are only illegal if they contain more than 0.3% delta 9 THC.

It took some time for Delta 8 companies to develop the proper extraction methods to create delta8-specific products.  In its natural form, hemp does not contain nearly enough delta 8 to truly provide its useful effects to the body.  But, sometime around late 2019, a new standard for delta 8 extractions was developed, which is still used today.  

Delta 8 THC is created using a fractional distillation process that involves highly involved and advanced technology that simply wasn’t as efficient back when delta 8 was first discovered.  You could say that its introduction to the market was quite serendipitous, with legislation, medical research and technological advancements acting as the perfect point of intersection to allow delta-8 to hit the ground running.

History, and Delta 8 THC Today

In just a few short years, we’ve managed to build a delta 8 industry with a wide range of Delta-8 products, and more medical studies than ever before to back up its properties that have been discussed for years.  But, as a minor cannabinoid that’s still so new to the mainstream, we anticipate even more revelations to occur through careful research, and for the world of delta-8 to reach new heights in the coming decade.

And here at Binoid, we continuously learn and innovate new products like Delta 10, THCV, THC-O and other products. Making sure only the best quality and benefits are given to our customers. Binoid has thousands of reviews on their website, with some of the best Delta 8 quality, top notch customer service. And is overall one of the best Delta 8 brands. 

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