Cannabis has been found to have a variety of medical benefits, from reducing nausea to relieving chronic pain. But weed-induced anxiety keeps some people from trying THC.
“I can’t tell you how many patients I have who say, ‘I’d love to use medical cannabis instead of opiates for pain, except it makes me anxious,'” Grinspoon said.
Some people who’ve tried delta-8 THC — myself included — say it’s less anxiety-inducing than its sister cannabinoid. Rahman said that ripping his delta-8 vape pen makes him feel clear-headed, creative, and relaxed.
“It’s just like the perfect balance between THC and CBD,” Rahman said. “CBD doesn’t always give you an effect you can feel, but I think delta-8 has the medicinal benefits and shows the effects.”
As a newly popular cannabinoid, delta-8 THC hasn’t been studied as much as delta-9 or CBD. One 1995 study of delta-8 found that the cannabinoid prevented vomiting in eight children undergoing cancer treatment. If larger-scale research finds that delta-8 has similar therapeutic effects, it could become an ideal option for medical-cannabis seekers who feel limited by anxiety, Grinspoon said.
Even without any scientific research backing up its effects, delta-8 is “definitely that new product that everyone seems to want,” Rahman told me. He said that while there’s still a portion of seasoned clients who prefer CBD, delta-8 THC is quickly becoming the most requested cannabinoid at hemp shops.
