Delta 8 Bud vs. CBD Bud

There are quite a few different kinds of cannabis these days. Just as we were getting used to the difference between CBD-rich hemp and THC-rich cannabis, CBG flower and delta 8 flower disrupted the situation all over again.

It’s actually pretty easy to tell the difference, though, between hemp flower that is high in delta 8 and hemp flower that is high in CBD or another cannabinoid. In this guide, you’ll learn how to distinguish delta 8 bud from CBD bud.

Let’s start with some simple definitions of terms:

What is CBD bud?

The term “CBD bud” usually refers to hemp flower that has been bred to be high in CBD, not THC. Even though CBD and THC couldn’t be more different as cannabinoids go, CBD bud looks and smells pretty much the same as weed, leading to (usually harmless) misunderstandings here and there.

What is delta 8 bud?

Delta 8 bud is similar to CBD bud in that it’s different from weed. The two types of hemp also look, smell, and taste very similar. D8 flower is entirely different from CBD flower, though, in terms of its effects.

Usually sprayed with additional delta 8 to achieve increased potency, delta 8 bud contains high concentrations of the cannabinoid delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, an analog of THC that is usually classified as hemp at the federal level. This cannabinoid has effects that are much more similar to those of delta 9 THC than they are to CBD.

Is delta 8 bud different from CBD bud?

Yes, hemp flower containing delta 8 THC is very different from hemp flower containing CBD. Here are the primary differences between these two varieties of smokable hemp:

• CBD flower is non-intoxicating
• Delta 8 flower has effects like THC
• CBD flower is usually all-natural
• Delta 8 flower often contains converted cannabinoids

One way in which CBD flower and delta 8 flower are alike is that they’re usually classified as hemp. The DEA has its own position on modified cannabinoids, but it’s clear that any naturally derived delta 8 is considered industrial hemp as per the 2018 Farm Bill.

How do you tell the difference?

If you find yourself needing to tell the difference between CBD flower and delta 8 flower, there are a few ways. We’ll start with the most direct method and work our way down:

• Effects

Well, you could always smoke it and see how you feel. Unless your THC tolerance is extremely strong, you should be able to tell the difference between hemp flower that contains CBD and hemp flower that contains delta 8 THC in a heartbeat.

Light up your flower, inhale, exhale, and take a moment. How do you feel? Are the creeping tendrils of THC intoxication making their way toward your brain, or do you find yourself being lulled into a sea of CBD contentment?

Only use yourself as a guinea pig if you trust the flower you’re smoking regardless of the cannabinoid it contains. You have other options, too.

• Labeling

In most cases, it shouldn’t be necessary to smoke hemp flower to tell whether it contains CBD or delta 8. Any self-respecting hemp flower manufacturer cares about its customers enough to clearly indicate which cannabinoids its products contain. Doing any less would be unethically negligent.

Even if you have to do some digging, you should be able to turn up lab reports without much effort. These professional molecular composition reports will tell you everything you need to know about the cannabinoids your hemp flower contains.

• Appearance (sometimes)

Since the majority of delta 8 products are made using cannabinoid isolate, it’s sometimes possible to distinguish the difference between delta 8 and CBD buds by appearance. It takes a trained eye to spot these small telltale signs, though.

Delta 8 nugs vs. CBD nugs — FAQ

To wrap up, let’s examine some of the most common questions regarding the differences between CBD flower and delta 8 flower:

Is delta 8 the same thing as CBD?

Far from it. Delta 8 and CBD are very different even if they come from the same plant. CBD is non-intoxicating and mild, but delta 8 THC is much more like its conventional cousin by exerting effects of the decidedly intoxicating variety.

Does delta 8 flower contain CBD?

Some delta 8 flower might contain CBD as well. Secret Nature Super Spectrum, for instance, contains high concentrations of both CBD and CBG along with delta 8 and other rare cannabinoids. Other products might just contain straight delta 8 — carefully inspect the labeling to make sure you’re buying the cannabinoids you want.

Will delta 8 make you high?

We’ll put it this way — delta 8 is like delta 9 THC, not CBD. Most people who use delta 8 report that this cannabinoid does, in fact, exert intoxicating properties, but they also say that these intoxicating properties are different from those of delta 9.

As a result, delta 8 has become increasingly popular as a treatment for THC tolerance, which is reasonably common along habitual users. With delta 10 THC also starting to crop up here and there, we certainly haven’t heard the last of THC variants with minor — yet relevant — twists.

Is delta 8 flower strong?

Delta 8 is definitely strong as far as cannabinoids go, but the strength of your delta 8 flower has a lot to do with its cannabinoid potency as well. Since delta 8 is usually sprayed on in isolate form, it’s possible to achieve very high potencies, but some delta 8 flower is relatively weak nonetheless.

If you want to make sure your delta 8 flower is potent, insist that its delta 8 THC concentration be higher than 10%. Flower with around 15% delta 8 is even better, but anything higher than 20% is likely so saturated with isolate that it might taste terrible.

Is delta 8 flower any good?

We’ll level with you — the major bulk of delta 8 flower available online is terrible. There’s huge demand for delta 8 right now with very little interest in checking the fine print, so producers are focusing on profits first and quality second.

If you want high-quality delta 8 flower, make sure it is:

• Indoor-grown
• Pesticide-free
• High-potency
• Lab-tested
• Well-reviewed
• Reasonably priced

Will delta 8 become legal?

Well, we wouldn’t exactly say delta 8 is illegal right now, even. It might seem like evasive legalese, but it’s the truth that the situation with delta 8 is complicated. In reality, nobody knows exactly what to do with this cannabinoid, and the legality of delta 8 seems to derive largely from its origin, not its composition, which is usually a silly way to police a consumable substance.

In short, yes, we hope the legal situation surrounding delta 8 will become clearer. Don’t believe everything you hear, though, regarding this cannabinoid’s legality — use your own discernment.