Stealing the hype from Delta 9
Rumor has it that THC-O (pronounced āTHC Ohā) is not only three times more potent than delta 9 THC, but itās also said to be psychedelic. For someone whoās fairly THC sensitive, the potency sounds pretty terrifying, but psychedelic tooā¦? Tell me more.
I started looking into the effects, benefits, and potential risks of THC-O, before going ahead and scoring some THC-O vape carts and gummies, so that me and a few friends could try it out for ourselves.
In this article, Iām going to share my research and our experiences with you.
ā”ļø Featured THC-O products
We have done extensive reviews on some of the biggest brands on the market who sell THC-O products. Below are our current top 3 brands.
What is THC-O and where does it come from?
THC-O-acetate, to give this chemical compound itās full name, is not a natural substance and therefore does not exist in the hemp plant or anywhere else in nature on its own. This made me have a lot of questions about how a typical THC-O product is made and the relative safety of a synthetic cannabinoid like this. Hereās what I found out (keep scrolling for effects).
What is THC-O?
THC-O is an acetate ester of THC rumored to be up to 3x more potent than Delta 9. It’s a semi-synthetic compound and although the THC-O created from D-9 THC is the most studied, much of the THC-O that is being sold is made from Delta 8.
How is THC-O made?
The process of making THC-O begins by converting CBD to Delta 8 through a process called isomerization. A compound called acetic anhydride is then added to the Delta 8 THC molecules and then after the THC is acetylated, the excess acetic anhydride is then removed via distillation.
How strong is THC-O?
THC-O is said to be much stronger than Delta 9 THC, although how much stronger seems to be under debate. Some sources claim that THC-O is double the strength of regular THC, but others argue that it’s up to 3X stronger. I, on the other hand, would say that it feels weaker than Delta-9.
How long has THC-O been around?
THC-O only started appearing on our shelves in the last year or so but itās actually been knocking around since 1949. The US Army was carrying out research to investigate its use as an incapacitating agent and found that the compound decreased dogās muscle coordination twice as much as D9 THC.
Is THC-O legal?
For a couple of years, some claimed that THC-O was federally legal due to the fact that it was hemp-derived, but the DEA recently made it very clear that the legality of THC-O is no longer up for debate, that THC-O is a schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act.
A recent letter from the DEA stated that: “Delta-9-THCO and delta-8-THCO do not occur naturally in the cannabis plant and can only be obtained synthetically, and therefore do not fall under the definition of hemp.”
Further to this, many states have already banned all forms of THC outright, so regardless of what a compound’s legal status is at the federal level, any form of THC may still be illegal to possess in the state you live in. To see which states have already outlawed any and all forms of THC, check out the list provided in our article “What is Delta 8 THC and is it Legal?“, as the new state laws cover all novel THC cannabinoids.
Is THC-O safe?
The safety profile of THC-O is largely unknown at this time as there havenāt been any specific studies, but thereās also no data to suggest that itās particularly dangerous. There have been no reports of overdose or deaths on it and it doesnāt appear to be addictive.
However, the main safety concern doesnāt so much concern the compound itself, but instead the production process used to create it and the unregulated nature of the entire hemp market.
The manufacturing process of THC-O involves a whole host of acids, solvents, and reactants, and if the product is not properly washed then there is a danger that traces of these compounds could find their way into products.
In particular, THC-O needs special reagent testing, because standard residual solvent testing wonāt find traces of the compounds needed to create THC-O.
Where vaping or smoking is concerned, there is also a potential concern that, as an acetate ester, THC-O could be harmful in the same way that vitamin-E acetate is. Vitamin E acetate produces ketones at vaping temperatures, which are highly toxic and can cause lung damage, even in very small amounts.
ā”ļø Featured THC-O products
We have done extensive reviews on some of the biggest brands on the market who sell THC-O products. Below are our current top 3 brands.
My THC-O experience
After all my research, I was still curious to try THC-O for myself and scored myself a THC-O cart, some THC-O cigarettes, and some THC-O gummies from several different brands. Iāll tell you right now that THC-O does not live up to its hype, but that’s not to say that I didn’t like it.
In my opinion, THC-O has been hyped up way too much and marketed all wrong. Let me tell you moreā¦
Is THC-O stronger than Delta 9 THC?
It’s claimed that THC-O is around three times more potent than delta 9 THC, but the experience doesn’t deliver on what you’d expect. I feel way more wasted after taking a 25 mg Delta 9 gummy than when I take a 25 mg THC-O gummy.
In my opinion, websites that claim that THC-O is two or three times more potent than delta 9 THC haven’t actually taken THC-O and are just repeating what theyāve read somewhere. Iām uber sensitive to THC, so I would know.
The high you get from THC-O is also totally different from the high that you get with any of the deltas, so comparing them in potency doesnāt even seem to make sense to me.
How does THC-O feel?
THC-O is a slow burner. In fact, it may take you a while to figure out that youāre even affected. The first time I tried it was in a vape with some friends and we didnāt notice anything at all. Knowing what I know now, I realize that we were all far too cautious that first time because we were all expecting it to be like delta 9, but hella stronger.Ā
I had some friends round and after an hour or so, everyone gave up trying to feel something from it and switched to their other preferred ānoids. Can you imagine us all sitting there for that hour though? Iām saying āhold on tight guys, this is going to be mentalā ā¦ (clock ticks š¦)
I wondered if the vape was a dud, so I moved onto the gummies and while Iāll say that I definitely do get high from them, the psychoactive effects are very different from any other cannabinoids Iāve tried (which is a lot). It will only make sense after youāve tried it, but the high you get from THC-O is more lucid and trippy than any other type of THC Iāve tried.Ā
I feel super relaxed (one time my housemate even commented on my supremely chill vibes) and I become extremely prone to deep (and positive) thoughts. I feel more in awe of the world around me, so this is a wicked cannabinoid to go adventuring on. Hikes, funfairs, casinos… In fact, all the same activities I like tripping to!
I feel high, but in a child-like and playful way, definitely more clear-headed and capable than if I’d taken any other type of THC. The fact that I can still form sentences after a 25mg gummy is proof of that, whereas a 25mg D9 gummy would have me straight on the struggle bus.
I realize that what Iām describing doesnāt sound like any high you know (clear-headed, lucid?), but there’s no doubt that that’s what it is, but it’s a totally new way of feeling high. Itās pretty cool.
Overall, I really like the way THC-O makes me feel, but (as I said) I am sensitive to THC. One of my friends (who smokes a lot of D9), says that one THC-O gummy did nothing for him, but this might be because his tolerance to THC is a lot higher than mine. Heād probably need a lot more gummies than Iām willing to part with (HA!) at the moment.
Honestly-speaking, if you want to feel super high, I would still recommend Delta 9 THC. But if you’re interested in experiencing more of a psychedelic or spiritual experience, then I highly recommend trying THC-O.
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Is THC-O psychedelic?
psyĀ·cheĀ·delĀ·ic (adjective) – relating to or denoting drugs (especially LSD) that produce hallucinationsĀ and apparent expansion of consciousness.
I would say that THC-O has psychedelic qualities. You shouldn’t go into it expecting a full-on acid experience as you won’t start hallucinating and seeing the walls breathe, but it can make you feel like your mind has been opened up to a larger or new kind of awareness.
I know quite a few people now that have tried THC-O and have also connected with hundreds of other experienced users online. Iāve learned that not everyone whoās tried THC-O experiences this āexpansion of consciousnessā. This seems to be vaguely connected to both your tolerance level of THC and your previous experience with other psychedelics.
A lower tolerance to THC in general seems to produce more pronounced effects, which makes it more likely that youāll feel this transcendence. A background in psychedelics may also open you up to the possibility of flashbacks or some kind of deja-vu of the “come up”.
I can definitely see that THC-O has certain psychedelic properties and have personally felt more “connected to the universe” after taking it, but I also think the same of THC in general (when you smoke or take a lot of it).
Read about my experience with Delta 10
How long does it take for THC-O to kick in?
THC-O is a slow burner, which is why dosing can be much harder than normal and why I struggle with the vape. THC-O is a prodrug, which means it has to be metabolized before the you feel any effects from it. When you vape THC-O, you should feel effects in around 20 minutes and when you take THC-O gummies, it may take more like an hour to kick in.
I would recommend leaving a little longer than that before taking a second dose, just to err on the side of caution. Perhaps 30 minutes for vaping and 1.5hrs for edibles, because too much is never fun (although we can laugh about it later).
How long does THC-O last?
The effects of THC-O usually last for several hours, but it will depend on how you consume it. If you vape THC-O, the effects may come on in 30 minutes and last 1-3 hours. If you take a THC-O gummy, then the effects have a slower onset and usually stick around for around 4-6 hours.
Whatās the difference between THC-O and Delta 8?
When you compare THCO-O vs delta 8, effects-wise, Iād say that delta 8 is much more similar to delta 9 THC, but itās a smoother, more mellow high. THC-O feels different for me as the high is less obvious to begin with, producing a more clear-headed, transcendental kind of high.
In short
I really like THC-O, but elsewhere online the potency is totally over-hyped which spoils it for a lot of people, when they don’t get what they’re expecting. Regular Delta-9 THC is, without a doubt, still the more potent cannabinoid for me.
Strength-wise, Iād probably place THC-O in roughly the same area as delta 8, but it has a totally different offering that would be great for occasions where you want to feel high, inspired by deep, random thoughts, but not be totally intoxicated.
The level of introspection you can achieve with THC-O makes it an ideal accompaniment to mediation and yoga practice, and I also know a lot of people who like taking THC-O before going to parties and clubs. In fact, it’s already being dubbed the new club cannabis because of it’s apparent lack of intoxication of the senses.
