Best Delta 8 THC Gummies Review: Most Potent THC Edibles (2021)

Delta 8 THC gummies are the next big thing next to CBD gummies.

In fact, they are sort of a bridge between CBD edibles and regular delta 9 THC edibles.

The active ingredient in D8 gummies is an analog of the conventional THC produced by marijuana plants — but with a few subtle differences.

Delta 8 THC is psychoactive but it’s only half as potent as the delta 9 version. It comes with all the same benefits for anxiety, pain, and sleep, but with a much lower risk of triggering paranoia. That’s the main reason why people are turning to D8 products these days.

Unfortunately, there are just a few reputable names in the delta 8 market at the time. You need to maintain due diligence when you’re ordering delta 8 THC products online.

As a booming niche, most of the companies offering delta 8 THC products feel like they’re not obligated to maintain high-quality standards simply because the competition is scarce. This is something we’ve witnessed in the early days of the CBD market as well until it became more developed and there was more competition.

In this article, we’ll review the top-rated Delta 8 THC gummy brands on the scene. Every company listed here tests their gummies for potency and safety, and have been praised by real delta 8 users for the quality and taste.

Best Delta 8 THC Gummies (Top Brands for 2021 Reviewed)

• Area52 Delta 8 THC Gummies – Best Delta 8 Gummies Overall
• Finest Labs Delta 8 THC Gummies – Best Delta 8 Gummies for Beginners
• 3Chi Delta 8 THC Gummies – Strongest Delta 8 Gummies

1. Area52 Delta 8 THC Gummies

Area52 is a relatively new brand that is quickly making its name as the rising star of the delta 8 THC space. The company offers delta 8 tinctures, vape carts, and delicious gummies in three flavors: Pineapple, Green Apple, and Strawberry.

These are very potent gummies. Each piece carries 25 mg of delta 8 THC distillate; new users can start by taking half of the gummy and assess the effects after about 1 hour. Most people find a dose of 1–2 gummies daily sufficient enough to experience moderate high. 

The best thing about the Area52 Delta 8 gummies is the quality of other ingredients. This company uses natural flavors and sweeteners, which only makes the whole experience more enjoyable. They’re just like the delicious gummies we would eat during our childhood days — but with the extra kick of “adulthood.”

As a reputable manufacturer, Area52 provides batch-specific certificates of analysis for their gummies. You can find the updated lab reports for each product on the company’s website.

2. Finest Labs Delta 8 THC Gummies

Finest Labs offers the best delta 8 THC gummies for beginners, with a convenient dose of 10 mg of delta 8 per gummy. These treats contain a broad-spectrum extract, featuring a delta 8 THC distillate and strain-specific terpenes (Blueberry). The gummies have a delicious berry flavor that has been achieved without adding synthetic flavorings and sweeteners.

Similar to Area52, Finest Labs publishes up-to-date third-party lab reports on its website. We’ve noticed a slight difference in the intensity of the psychoactive effects. With Finest Labs, they are more relaxing in the body  but less intense in the head, which can be also caused by the terpenes included in the d8 extract.

The gummies are vegan and gluten-free.

3. 3Chi Delta 8 THC Gummies

3Chi is one of the trailblazers on the delta 8 THC scene. The guys were one of the first brands to enter the market and offer a broad range of different products to choose from — including tinctures, vapes, and high-grade D8 gummies in a delicious black raspberry flavor.

The gummies are available in two versions. You can choose between pure delta 8 THC and a D8/CBN gummies. The latter option comes with a 1:1 ratio between Delta 8 THC and CBN. In both versions, the potency of d8 is 25 mg per gummy. They can be ordered in packs of either 8 or 16.

You can easily verify the d8 content as well as the purity of these gummies by checking out the lab reports, which the company updates with every new batch.

What Are Delta 8 THC Gummies?

Contrary to a popular belief, there are two types of THC – delta 9 and delta 8.

Delta 9 THC is the most common form and is the type people usually refer to when talking about marijuana products.

Delta 8 THC is a similar cannabinoid with an almost identical molecular structure — but in one slight difference in the arrangement of its atoms.

Delta 9 THC comes with a double bond at the 9th carbon chain, whereas delta 8 has this bond at the eight carbon chain.

Delta 8 THC gummies are made by adding the active delta 8 form of THC (e.g. a distillate) to a gummy candy base. The gummy texture and the flavoring ingredients help hide the botanical flavor of cannabis, makes dosing much easier, and offers a longer shelf-life of the extract.

What Does Delta 8 THC Feel Like?

The effects of delta 8 THC are similar to those produced by delta 9 — but they are about half as strong.

Delta 8 products are mildly psychoactive, so you can get high off of them, just as if you took a weed-infused gummy. However, the high won’t be as overwhelming as it sometimes can be when you take too much of delta 9 THC.

Delta 9 is known for triggering anxiety and paranoia in doses that exceed the user’s sensitivity of CB1 receptors and overall tolerance. That’s the most common reason why some people are hesitant about using traditional marijuana products.

Delta 8 produces fewer side effects overall, making it possible to avoid the above reactions.

How Many Delta 8 THC Gummies Should I Take?

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Most people take between 10 and 60 mg of delta 8 THC in their routine.

Like we said, delta 8 is half as potent as delta 9 – so you can roughly double your normal dose of THC to find the amount of delta 8 that works for you.

10 mg is usually enough to produce mild psychoactive effects, including stress relief, energy boost, increased motivation, and mild euphoria. This is the best dose of delta 8 THC to start at if you’re taking gummies for the first time (we recommend Finest Labs here).

Once you know how delta 8 THC affects your body, you can adjust the dose and take a little more if you’re aiming for a more pronounced high. Usually, people add about 5 mg per dose until they find what provides optimal effects for them.

Jumping straight in with a high dose isn’t a good idea if you’re just getting started. You can always take more, but you can’t take any away once you’ve already taken the gummy. Overdosing can lead to side effects like sedation, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating, and will be uncomfortable for new users.

How to Find the Best Delta 8 THC Dosage

Gummies offer a fixed dose of delta 8 per serving, which is their major benefit. If you have a gummy that comes with 25 mg of D8 (like Area52 gummies), you know that every single gummy contains exactly the same amount. You don’t need to worry about measuring and calculating — the manufacturer has already taken care of it.

However, if you’re looking for a different dose than you have in your gummies, you can always cut one in half or even quarter it for a smaller dose.

For example, if your gummies contain 20 mg each — cutting them in half will give you two 10 mg servings.

There are many occasions where you may want to modify the dose. For example, let’s say you just took a 10 mg gummy and are feeling the effects but want to add more pizzazz to your buzz. Rather than taking another full 10 mg dose, which could make the effects overwhelming — you may want to cut the gummies into halves to use 5 mg increments.

Using this method, you can adjust the delta 8 THC dosage precisely to the desired effects — just as you would with a delta 8 THC tincture.

Are Delta 8 THC Gummies Safe?

Delta 8 THC has a good safety profile. No studies have yet suggested otherwise.

Even high doses of delta 8 THC have never resulted in a fatal overdose — which is the case for all cannabinoids, including delta 9 THC.

The primary danger to watch out when it comes to using delta 8 THC isn’t the cannabinoid itself — but the potential additives and contaminants in the gummies.

Factors that Can Make Delta 8 THC Gummies Dangerous

Here we explain the potential risks of buying Delta 8 gummies from an unverified source.

Contaminants in Delta 8 THC

Delta 8 THC isn’t naturally synthesized by the cannabis plant. It’s a byproduct of delta 9 THC as it degrades with time. Most of the THC breaks down into another cannabinoid called CBN (cannabinol); only a small percentage forms the delta 8 version.

In other words, both hemp and marijuana plants contain only trace amounts of delta 8 THC — insufficient to yield high quantities from traditional extraction methods.

Marijuana comes with a much higher delta 8 THC content than hemp, but if manufacturers use this type of cannabis for extraction, it’s considered illegal on the federal level.

To find a workaround for both of these issues, most companies use a complex conversion process from the more abundant cannabinoid — CBD (cannabidiol) — into delta 9 THC and then convert the delta 9 indo telta 8.

This is a multifaceted process that requires a lot of knowledge and skill on behalf of the lab workers. Some steps call for adding toxic chemicals such as hydrochloric acid, aggressive solvents, and heavy metals.

Once the conversion is complete, every trace of the said chemicals needs to be purged from the final product. A high-quality laboratory will be able to do this using expensive and advanced lab equipment. Samples are regularly tested throughout extraction until all dangerous compounds are removed.

The only way to ensure the end product is pure and safe for consumption is to test it in a third-party laboratory — using analysis methods like gas chromatography or mass spectronomy. This should always be performed in an independent laboratory to provide unbiased and reliable results.

Bleaching Agents in Delta 8 THC

Bleaching agents are another common issue with certain delta 8 companies. They are used to clear the color of the extract prior to adding it to the gummy base.

Pure delta 8 THC comes in a slightly pink color. Unfortunately, at some point, companies have started bleaching their distillates to provide a clearer look. This has since resulted in a belief among people that the pink forms of delta 8 are impure. The majority of companies these days bleach their extracts to get rid of the pink color, which introduces a whole litany of toxic compounds to the formula.

Reputable manufacturers understand that delta 8 is not a clear substance and use the pink-colored extracts instead.

All of the gummies recommended above use unbleached delta 8 THC.

Is Delta 8 THC Legal?

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The federal government made a clear distinction between the two types of cannabis — hemp and marijuana — in the 2018 Farm Bill.

Marijuana is illegal on a federal level due to significant levels of the psychoactive compound delta 9 THC. However, the federal law doesn’t mention anything about delta 8 THC, which many people understand as the green light for legal sale.

Unfortunately, the law is a bit more complicated. The regulations continue to further state that any synthetic forms of THC are also illegal — which may cover delta 8 THC considering how it’s produced. At the moment, delta 8 THC remains in a legal grey area; some lawyers argue that it’s federally legal, others use an opposite argumentation. Ultimately, it boils down to how the DEA interprets the provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill — which has yet to be officially worked out.

Several states have already banned the sale of delta 8 THC — including Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Iowa, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Utah.

What’s the Difference Between Delta 8 THC and Delta 9 THC?

Here’s a brief summary of the differences between delta 8 THC and its delta 9 version.

D8 vs D9: Potency

Delta 8 THC produces the same type of high as delta 9 but roughly about half as potent. This means you’ll need to take about twice as high a dose of delta 8 THC to experience the same intensity of effects.

D8 vs D9: Side Effects

The most common and disturbing side effects of THC are anxiety, paranoia, and rapid heart rate.

One of the best things about using delta 8 THC instead of the conventional delta 9 form is the considerably reduced risk of all three of these reactions. This is the main reason why so many people are turning to delta 8 THC. They can enjoy all the positive effects THC has to offer — such as muscle relaxation, stress relief, and reduced pain — but without feeling over the edge as a result.

D8 vs D9: Tolerance

Tolerance is a concept according to which the effects of a substance become less pronounced with regular use. Your body will build a tolerance to just about any substance. Unfortunately, delta 8 THC has a higher rate of building tolerance than delta 9. If you take delta 8 THC gummies daily for about 4 weeks, you may need to increase the amount of d8 to get the same intensity of effects.

The best way to avoid building tolerance is to use your gummies in moderation. You can take them every other day or in doses low enough to keep the tolerance on a steady level.

On a positive note, the tolerance to delta 8 THC is reversed just as quickly as it forms. You only need to take about a week-long break to get back to your previous levels.

D8 vs D9: Legal Status

Delta 9 THC is explicitly illegal on a federal level. Only specific states allow the sale of possession of high-THC cannabis in all forms.

Delta 8 THC is theoretically legal on the federal level, but it actually remains in a grey area. It could be interpreted as legal, but some lawyers also deem it illegal.

Delta 8 THC Gummies Buyer’s Guide: What to Look for

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We’ve only been able to recommend the vendors listed at the top of this guid, but if you’d like to check out a brand not highlighted here, it’s important to know what to look for while you browse different delta 8 THC gummies.

The delta 8 THC market is relatively new, so if you’re not sure how to choose the best gummies for your situation, below you’ll find the five pillars of making a well thought out decision.

1. Third-Party Testing

This is without a doubt the most important factor to consider when shopping for delta 8 THC online. 

A third-party lab is defined as a facility that has no affiliation with the company it runs the tests for. This is the only way to ensure that the lab reports are relevant and unbiased. If the laboratory finds impurities, they will be shown on the certificate of analysis (COA). Third-party laboratories are usually regulated by agencies within their own industry to ensure they’re working in accordance with all the rules for providing accurate and reliable tests.

Interpreting lab tests doesn’t require a diploma in chemistry, but you should at least check that all the tests are published on the company’s website — or at least sent via email.

If there are not tests available, neither on the website nor from the manufacturer directly, it’s a good idea to look for another brand — one that will deliver the anticipated standards.

The most important figures on a third-party lab report include:

• Potency — the total concentration of delta 8 THC, delta 8, other cannabinoids, and terpenes

• Pesticides – the presence of the most common and problematic pesticides involved in growing cannabis plants

• Microbial contaminants – bacterial or fungal organisms that could develop due to improper storage or as a result of cross-contamination

• Heavy metals – the presence of heavy metals (expressed in ppm of each element)

• Bleaches – unique to delta 8 (see the section about the safety of delta 8 THC)

• Residual solvents – checks for organic solvents such as butane, hexane, or propane

2. User Reviews

The delta 8 THC space is very new, so the majority of the companies on the market haven’t been around long enough to have a firmly established reputation.

However, delta 8 THC has a large community on forums like Reddit. A lot of these users will post reviews about the companies they order delta 8 THC gummies from.

There are a lot of manufacturers taking advantage of the unregulated industry. It’s common for some companies to sell low-quality products that contain little to no delta 8 THC at all, or are contaminated with toxic chemicals listed above. 

It’s important that you look for user reviews on a few third-party websites, such as expert blogs, online rankings, and social media groups or forums. Doing so will provide you with a bigger picture of the company you want to order from. 

You should also watch out for fake accounts on these forums, especially on Reddit. Companies that have no problems with writing fake positive reviews may also post fake negative reviews about their competition.

3. Extraction Method

Delta 8 THC is the same molecule no matter the source.

However, the plant it has been extracted from DOES affect its legality.

The only federally accepted delta 8 products (except for places where marijuana is legal for recreational use) are made from hemp plants. Hemp-derived products are technically legal in all 50 states as long as they contain a total of 0.3% THC or less.

Marijuiana-derived delta 8 THC gummies may be illegal in your place, so it’s best to double check the local laws and select the method that is accepted in your state or territory. 

If you purchase from a company that uses hemp-derived delta 8, make sure it also provides batch-specific certificates of analysis from a third-party laboratory in order to verify the product’s potency and purity. 

4. Additional Ingredients

Gummies are a very simple product — there’s no need to infuse them with different chemicals to give them a good flavor and consistency. Yet some companies are cutting corners when it comes to the quality of their delta 8 THC gummies, adding all kinds of strange things like synthetic flavorings, preservatives, or wheat.

High-quality gummies should only contain a delta 8 THC distillate and a gelatin gummy base along with fruity flavorings and sweeteners. Companies that want to cater to vegan users use a fruit pectin base instead of gelatin.

5. Delta 9 THC Content

Most delta 8 THC gummies available for sale have only trace amounts of delta 9 THC in order to maintain their legal status. You should always check the lab reports to verify the delta 9 content in your product. If it’s too high, you may be accidentally ordering an illegal product. 

Some companies don’t even care about keeping delta 9 THC levels low, and it’s actually pretty common to find concentrations like 15% in the final product. Such d8 gummies are only legal in states that have recreational marijuana laws.

Wrapping it Up: What Are the Best Delta 8 THC Gummies in 2021?

Delta 8 THC is a hot topic these days. It has become popular thanks to its milder psychoactive effects compared to conventional THC products and for its lower risk of causing side effects such as anxiety and paranoia.

The two most common forms of delta 8 THC are gummies and vapes.

When browsing through different delta 8 THC gummies, always look for a quality proof to make sure the company is testing every batch of product in an independent laboratory. Doing so will help you avoid contaminants like pesticides, solvents, and bleaches, which may have been picked up during extraction.

If you’re in a hurry, check out our brand recommendations listed above. Area 52, Finest Labs, and 3Chi offer a broad selection of premium, third-party tested delta 8 products.

 

The reviews and statements published here are those of the sponsor and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position or views of Observer.