Delta-10-THC — What We Know About This Accidental Cannabinoid

We imagine you’ve seen the famous cannabis documentaries and classic Seth Rogan stoner films, so you’re probably familiar with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its ability to get you very, very high. But did you know there are other variants of THC known to cause a high too?

Well, now you do. And they’re very popular. The newest THC variant found in varieties of cannabis is known as delta-10-tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as delta-10-THC or just delta-10. It belongs to the same family as delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8-THC), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), and the newly discovered tetrahydrocannabiphorol (THCP).

Want to know more about this crazy new delta-10 cannabinoid? We’ll take a deeper dive into its discovery, uses, benefits, and what it could ultimately do for you!

The Weird and Wonderful Story Behind Delta-10’s Discovery

Delta-10’s discovery story is straight fire. No. Really. It all began with a mix of Californian bushfires, retardant dropped by aerial firefighters, and a cannabis brand attempting to make cannabis concentrates.

Back in 2020, California experienced one of the worst bushfires in recorded history, completely destroying people’s homes and surrounding scenery. In an attempt to control and eventually put out the flames, aerial firefighters released a significant amount of fire retardant, which not only landed on the fire but also across other areas too, namely surrounding cannabis farms.

Fusion Farms, a brand based in California, bought a batch of cannabis to start creating its own concentrates, not knowing residual amounts of fire retardant remained on the flower. The weird part? During extraction and distillation to remove any unwanted impurities, strange crystals began to form, almost out of nowhere.

The team decided to get these alien crystals tested using advanced technology. They noticed the crystals looked a lot like two other cannabinoids, cannabichromene (CBC) and cannabicyclol (CBL), but with some small but significant differences.

It wasn’t until a couple of months later they finally worked it out. This cannabinoid wasn’t CBC nor was it CBL. It was actually a brand new member of the THC family created by the mixture of residual fire retardant and the brand’s extraction process.

Delta-10-THC Benefits & Advantages

Since delta-10 was only discovered back in 2020, scientific data and research on its physiological, psychological, and physical benefits are lacking. There’s no preliminary research on animal test subjects nor are there any clinical studies.

Right now, we can only assume delta-10 has the same benefits as delta-8 and delta-9 insofar as how it interacts with your endocannabinoid system and its cannabinoid receptors.

You see, all delta-9 THC variants interact with both your cannabinoid 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptors, each providing you with unique benefits.

It’s, therefore, possible that delta-10 can deliver your mind and body with relief from pain, inflammation, sleep issues, nausea, reduced appetite, and anxiety symptoms (dependent on dose).

Delta-10-THC Effects (Does it Cause a High?)

Even though we’re totally in the dark about delta-10’s benefits, we do know it has the ability to cause a similar high to delta-8 and delta-9 — though this is referenced purely from anecdotal stories posted on Reddit and other message boards.

Some users enjoyed the delta-10 high, explaining how it’s similar to delta-8 but with a more potent kick to it. One user even posted a review of his delta-10 vape cart experience and hilariously said it made him want to go outside and stare at clouds.

Others, however, didn’t feel anything from their delta-10 products, not even a sense of euphoria or energy, which leads us to believe they were bogus products from shady brands.

Delta-10 legality

We have some good news and some not-so-good news on delta-10’s legality. Let’s start with the good news.

The good news about delta-10’s legality

Thanks to the famous Agriculture Improvement Act (2018 Farm Bill), delta-10 is federally legal if sourced from hemp carrying no more than 0.3% THC by dry weight. Anything above this level and it’s classified as THC-rich marijuana, which is federally illegal under Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

This means the possession, use, and distribution of delta-10 is legal under federal law, provided US states allow hemp and hemp-derived products under their own state laws.

And the bad news about delta-10’s legality

However, there’s a slight issue. The legal status of delta-8 and all other THC variants sourced from hemp is being questioned by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), forcing them into an apparent legal grey area.

In 2020, the DEA issued what’s known as a final interim rule. This ruling states all “synthetically-derived” THC variants must be placed under Schedule I of the CSA, regardless of whether it comes from hemp or marijuana.

Since varieties of cannabis (hemp or otherwise) don’t produce delta-10 in high quantities, producers must convert it from cannabidiol (CBD) through an isomerization process. This conversion is often not seen as natural, even if the CBD is sourced naturally.

Now, herein lies the problem. The DEA is super ambiguous about this. There’s no real definition of what “synthetically-derived” actually means, causing a lot of worry and concern among cannabis brands and producers.

Very Few Delta-10-THC Products Exist

Unfortunately, given that delta-10 was only discovered very recently, we can’t really recommend that many decent and legitimate products to you, especially not in the same way as CBD or delta-9. There’s also the lack of scientific studies surrounding its benefits, uses, and effects, which makes us cautious with our advice.

All is not lost, however. If in the future you want to purchase delta-10 products now or later on, we can point you in the right direction and let you know what to look for.

What to look for when purchasing delta-10 products

Legitimate manufacturing process (no synthetics created in a lab using only lab-grade materials)
Publicly-available Certificates of Analysis (COAs) to prove exactly what’s in your chosen product
Hemp sourced from organic, non-GMO farms based in the US
The website makes no outlandish health claims (e.g. cures all types of cancer, diabetes, etc)
The brand is certified by (or a member of) a hemp or cannabis association/organization