Over the past decade, few industries have evolved at such a rapid and relentless pace as the CBD industry.
As most of you know, CBD was a big deal back around 2018/2019. During this period, America’s interest in CBD reached feverish levels as companies pitched the compound’s ability to help relieve everything from migraines to sleep disorders to arthritis pain.
The problem is, during the CBD craze literally thousands of companies sprung up out of thin air in an effort to jump on the bandwagon and rake in some fast cash. This led to an inflated market, and even though a lot of people are still buying and using CBD today, there simply isn’t enough market share to keep so many brands afloat and thriving.
This has led a few OG brands, i.e. those that helped pioneer the CBD industry around 2015, to get creative with exploratory new products and revolutionary new ways to use hemp extract.
‘Alternative Cannabinoids’ and the Fascinating Legal Loophole of Hemp
As you likely know, one of the big draws of CBD is that it’s legal everywhere. This is because CBD products are made from hemp – a “strain” of cannabis that is federally legal under the USA’s Hemp Farming Act.
But as we’re learning from a few pioneering companies, there’s a lot more you can do with hemp than make CBD.
You’ve probably heard of delta-8, for example. Delta-8 is essentially a chemical isomer of delta-9 THC; the natural compound in pot that we all love.
Thanks to new-age hydrogenation techniques and micro-filtering processes, companies are able to extract CBD from hemp, then chemically alter the structure of the compound to produce delta-8 THC, which produces a high that’s quite similar to that of ‘regular’ THC (albeit about half as potent).
In a legal sense, the mindset here is that as long as a product is initially sourced from hemp (a legal plant), companies can do whatever they want with the raw extract. CBD provides the foundation or the ‘working base’ for companies to create entirely new products – and even new compounds – that produce mind-altering effects.
Delta-8 and Beyond…
As we mentioned above, delta-8 products are typically about half as potent as regular (delta-9) THC from high-quality pot. But CBD companies aren’t stopping at delta-8. In fact, leading brands like PureKana are exploring several new products, some of which actually get you more high than marijuana.
PureKana’s HHC gummies, for example, produce a high that’s nearly identical to that of good weed. But some customers say it’s stronger and lasts even longer.
Similar to delta-8 products, HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) is initially sourced from hemp-extracted CBD, which is chemically altered to produce a compound that is similar in structure and function to THC.
There’s also THC-O, which some users say can be up to three times stronger than the pot you get from a dispensary. THC-O and HHC products mostly come in the form of gummies, but brands like PureKana are also starting to offer them in vapes, which is proving to be a popular market.
No one ever would have seen it coming back in 2018 at the height of the CBD craze, but it’s clear today that many of the key brands driving the cannabis industry are actually CBD brands. This is thanks to these exploratory new products that are offering customers a more accessible – and more customizable – way to get high.
HHC, Delta-8 and THC-O: Cannabis Industry Game Changers?
Of course, as popular as products like delta-8, HHC, and THC-O are becoming, they’re not going to replace the traditional marijuana market any time soon.
What they will likely do, however, is offer cannabis lovers more options when it comes to getting high.
Everyone loves good weed, but it’s true the high is often one-dimensional in terms of potency (unless of course we’re talking about concentrates, dabs, waxes, etc). For some people, a quality pot buzz is just too intense, too cerebral, and too overwhelming.
This is where products like HHC and delta-8 might bring something new to the table. They’re accessible to practically everyone (since they’re made from hemp), and the high is typically less intense than that of marijuana. For this reason, they’re likely to appeal to a far wider audience.
On the flip side, products like THC-O (which are actually more potent than regular marijuana), will likely appeal to cannabis users looking for a more intense and longer-lasting high.
All in all, these revolutionary new products from popular CBD brands like PureKana are at least worth exploring for anyone that calls themselves a cannabis lover. They’re accessible virtually everywhere (you can even order online), they offer a different type of buzz, and they just might be the next big thing in the cannabis world.
