Minor cannabinoids derived from hemp plants have been making waves in the 420 community as of late and most stoners are thankful for innovations in the field that make these products possible. One of the newest extracts to hit the scene is the ultra potent THC O. Known as the “spiritual cannabinoid” due to its unique hallucinogenic effects, many are asking the question, what is Delta THC O? We’re here to answer this question and others you may have in addition to sharing some top THC O products to purchase online and try for yourself.

THC-O, what is it?

If you’re wondering, what is THC-O? You are not alone. THC-O is a THC analog, in other words a “chemical twin” of Delta 9 THC, which is the regular THC you’re accustomed to. This synthetic cannabinoid produces psychoactive effects and will get you high, unlike some of the other hemp derived cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD) or cannabigerol (CBG), which will not get you stoned. To really answer the question, “what is THC-O,” you first need to understand cannabinoids. Each cannabis plant naturally produces over 100 known active chemical compounds called cannabinoids, though most are found in very trace amounts making it very difficult to study. Delta 9 THC is the most well-known and sought after naturally occurring cannabinoid and the only one that will get you high straight from the plant itself with no outside intervention. With new extraction technologies, scientists are able to synthesize or extract larger quantities of these lesser cannabinoids than before, so there are now several other cannabis products on the market that are able to provide psychotropic effects, which rely on hemp-derived cannabinoids such as THC-O, Delta 8, Delta 10, HHC, and others.

What does THC-O mean?

Tetrahydrocannabinol-O-acetate (THC O) is also referred to as THC O acetate, ATHC, or Delta THC O by cannabis enthusiasts. The first part of the name, tetrahydrocannabinol, is usually shortened to the acronym THC and in most conversations, refers to the psychoactive compound you know and love. THC O is an acetate ester of THC, which means it has a very similar chemical structure to THC, but is not an exact replica (there are two more carbon, two less hydrogen, and one additional oxygen in the chemical structure of THC O vs Delta 9 THC). This may start to sound like a science lesson, but hang in there, it’s actually pretty simple to understand the basics regarding this new and increasingly popular psychedelic cannabinoid. Since THC-O is a synthetic cannabinoid, it should never be made at home as it requires a complex multi-step process using volatile and highly flammable chemicals and specialized lab equipment.

What is THC O made from?

This is a really fascinating question since THC-O acetate actually begins as CBD, which is typically extracted directly from federally legal hemp plants, just like the CBD you’d find in most stores. It is categorized as a synthetic cannabinoid since the extract undergoes chemical synthesis when acetic anhydride, a colorless liquid, is added. This highly corrosive compound is commonly used to create certain fibers, plastics, dyes, pharmaceuticals, and even explosives and is one of the main reasons why you should never try to create THC O on your own. Learning about the lengthy process of how this cannabis extract is made in a lab will help to answer the question of, what is delta THC O. It will also give you a great foundation to make your own decision if you’d like to try THC O products or not. Here’s a quick summary of how this synthetic cannabinoid is obtained:

1. CBD is extracted from the hemp plant – Most commercial manufacturers within the cannabis industry use carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction methods to obtain CBD from federally legal hemp plants. This requires an expensive closed-loop extraction system that sends pressurized, liquid carbon dioxide over the organic material, which removes cannabinoids including CBD. The carbon dioxide is then brought back to gas form where it evaporates, leaving behind just the cannabinoids as an extract. CBD isolate is then obtained by removing all other cannabinoids present.
2. A chemical reaction turns CBD into Delta 8 THC – Once the CBD isolate is obtained, it is turned into delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-8 THC), which can already get you stoned. This is done by dissolving the CBD into heptane or another non-polar organic solvent. Hydrochloric acid is added and the mixture is heated to roughly 100 degrees celsius (212 degrees fahrenheit) and mixed for several hours. Once the chemical process is complete and Delta 8 THC is created, the mixture is neutralized by adding sodium bicarbonate.
3. Acetic anhydride is added to transform Delta 8 THC into THC O – The final step in the process is to convert the Delta 8 THC into THC O acetate, which is done by mixing the extract with acetic anhydride until the chemical reaction takes place. The THC O then needs to be refined to ensure that there are no chemicals left behind during the previous steps in the process. The only way to ensure that the THC O extract is safe is to send it off for testing at a third-party laboratory. As already mentioned, never try making THC O acetate at home since you never know if the final product will be safe to use, plus acetic anhydride is very dangerous to work with.

Effects of THC O

If you clicked on this article because you wanted to know what is THC O, then you should definitely learn about THC O’s potency and effects because it is not at all like smoking THC vape cartridges, taking a dab, or hitting a bong. Smokers say that THC O is an entirely different cannabis experience, partially due to the extract’s high potency. It can induce powerful visual effects or hallucinations that can be described as a psychedelic experience. Because of this, some people call THC O the “spiritual cannabinoid”. While not studied well, it’s generally believed that THC O is roughly three times stronger than regular THC and a lot stronger than Delta 8, which is now banned in several states. Novice cannabis users and anyone who hasn’t tried this specific cannabinoid before should start out extremely slowly because as we all know, you can always take another hit or eat more THC O edibles, but there’s no way to go back once you take too much. THC O at small doses will not produce psychedelic effects. One thing to note is that since it is a prodrug and won’t activate until metabolized by the body, you’ll start to feel effects after twenty to thirty minutes no matter the method of consumption. So if you eat edibles or smoke a THC O vape, the effects will set in around the same time, unlike regular cannabis products. According to smokers, THC O is great for deep thought and introspection with some comparing it to a very small dose of LSD. Other potential THC O effects include:

• Extreme restlessness
• Feeling unable to stop doing a certain task such as cleaning or homework
• A very powerful body and mind buzz
• Deep relaxation
• Couch lock
• Powerful euphoria
• Munchies

Is THC O legal?

The views regarding cannabis use have shifted over the years and 2018 was a turning point for the legal cannabis industry. That year, former president Donald Trump signed the Farm Bill into law, which legalized the cultivation of hemp plants at the federal level, which in turn legalized hemp derived products such as smokable extracts, textiles, food and beverages, rope, biofuel, and paper. This caused a boom in CBD manufacturing as well as other delta THC’s made from hemp. These minor cannabinoids are becoming increasingly trendy in states that haven’t legalized recreational marijuana yet and customers can order these products online instead of having to find a dispensary. Since marijuana is still listed among other controlled substances and is a Schedule I drug according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, this places THC O acetate and other lesser cannabinoids derived from hemp in somewhat of a gray legal status. Technically, THC O is federally legal due to the 2018 Farm Bill, however several states have begun to regulate hemp derived products, including some states that have legalized marijuana for recreational or medicinal purposes. Always check your state and local laws prior to placing an order for THC O acetate and other minor cannabinoids so there’s no issue with your order. To be compliant with state laws, we will not ship Delta THC products to the following states:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Kentucky
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• Montana
• North Dakota
• New York
• Rhode Island
• Utah
• Vermont
• Washington

Is THC O safe?

Since THC O is very new to the scene, there’s essentially no regulation and a lack of scientific research done to prove the safety of this trendy cannabinoid. Chemist and cannabis researcher, James Stephens, studied THC O and found that the quality of THC O products vary widely as they are not regulated. He explains the importance of only consuming high quality extracts from reputable brands, “if you’re using low-quality extract material and low-quality reagents you bought online from Alibaba or whatever, you’re likely to get way less pure of a product than if you’re using clean [and pharmaceutical-grade] reagents and do a lot of downstream purification steps.” It’s crucial to research the company beforehand and only purchase from reputable brands that provide third-party lab tests for contaminants. Lucky for you, we’ve done our research and only provide high quality THC O vape carts and other products on our website. You can view the lab tests by clicking the “certificate of analysis” button in each product description.

THC O products to try

Now that you’ve got answers to some of the most important questions about this new cannabinoid, like “what is THC-O,” it’s time to try out a few high-quality THC O acetate products for yourself. These are just a few of our faves!

Puff THC O Vape Carts

This 1 gram THC O cart is available in sativa, indica, or hybrid with 11 strains to choose from including Do Si Dos, Maui Wowie, Grape Ape, Northern Lights, SFV OG, and more. This cartridge fits almost any rechargeable vape pen due to the universal 510 thread, so don’t forget to add one to the shopping cart as well.

Stone Head Delta Vaporizer

Stone Head creates tasty disposable vape pens prefilled with a 2 gram cartridge of THC O, HHC, or THC P. When it comes to THC O, choose between popular cannabis strains like Wedding Cake, Super Lemon Haze, Blue Dream, Skywalker OG, and Sour Pebbles. If the pre-charged vape pen happens to run out of juice, it can be recharged with any USB C cable.

Good Vibez Delta 8 + THC O Gummies

Get the best of both worlds with Delta 8 plus THC O gummies in mouthwatering flavors like Blue Razz (indica), Mango (hybrid), or Watermelon (sativa). Each jar contains 20 gummies that have a potency of 25 mg each for a total of 500 mg of cannabinoids per container.

Stone Head Delta Flower

Prefer to take bong hits or roll your own joints? Look no further than THC O dry herb from Stone Head. Available in six strains, you can take your pick of sativa, indica, or hybrid flower and smoke it just like you’ve always had.

For smoking accessories to elevate your next session, check out the EF420 online shop for a great selection of luxury vaporizers, dab pens, e-rigs, big bongs, glass pipes, rolling papers, dab rigs, grinders, and more!