The cannabinoid revolution is truly here. Since cannabis has gone legal (somewhat), scientific exploration of cannabinoids has exploded. Researchers and industry experts have uncovered and studied new and fascinating cannabinoid compounds that show promise in helping aid some of humanity’s woes. And some in the industry have even started manufacturing cannabinoids, seemingly out of thin air, such as delta-10-tetrahydrocannabinol (D10).
There are hundreds of cannabinoids in cannabis plants. However, only some of them are present in appreciable amounts, such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (D9) and cannabidiol (CBD). Others, like D10, would be ultra-rare to see on any certificate of analysis, and are often only found after extraction and post-processing, if at all, in trace amounts.
However, D10 and other cannabinoids are still within arm’s reach. Although D10 can’t be extracted from cannabis practically, it can be manufactured from CBD. Through a process called isomerization, CBD molecules can be transformed into D10. Currently, isomerization of CBD into D8 has been happening on a large scale, due to the demand for the product. And now, D10 is coming onto the scene.
D10, as is the case with D8, can be considered a D9 alternative. Although it doesn’t have the same psychoactive intensity as D9, D10 does reportedly impart tangible psychoactive effects to its users. D10 is also reported to lack some of D9’s unpopular reactions, such as anxiety and nervousness. From a scientific and medicinal perspective, there’s not much information on this cannabinoid yet to flesh out its potential uses.
Legally speaking, the cannabinoid sits comfortably in a gray area. It’s still quite new for states to be banning it, like many have done with D8 (although some states, like Colorado, are already dealing with D10). However, federally, it is illegal since it is a THC analog (THC analogs are banned by federal law). Many people advocate that the cannabinoid is legal because it’s an isomer of legal CBD, but remember, so is D9.
Soon, we can expect the federal government to clarify its stance on cannabinoids and all-things-cannabis. Until then, expect to see more cannabinoids coming out of the woodwork and into the marketplace.
Image Source: By Vortioxetine – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=105245996
