Most people have heard of CBD gummies, but not many of us are familiar with their alternative delta 8 gummies. For those of us who find regular edibles to be a bit too strong, delta 8 THC gummies make a great substitute. D8 gummies contain a similar active ingredient to your traditional THC gummies, but the differences are what make it such a popular choice.

Conventional edibles contain delta 9 THC, which is more potent and often triggers paranoia and anxiety in people who take it. Delta 8 is converted in small amounts from delta 9 THC. As D8’s structure is similar to D9, it is psychoactive but with a lower potency level. The upside to using delta 8 is people experience all of the fantastic health benefits of edibles with a lower risk of paranoia.

Best Delta-8 THC Gummies Brands Review

For those looking for high-quality delta 8 gummies, always research the companies before buying their products. Currently, there are only a handful of reputable businesses selling delta 8 gummies.

With this industry being so new, there isn’t much competition right now, so some manufacturers feel like they don’t need to worry about maintaining high standards. This isn’t a new problem either. It was something that happened to CBD products when they first hit the market.

To help you choose high-quality products from a reputable source, we are reviewing the top three brands. Each of the businesses we include has received stellar reviews regarding taste and quality from actual users of their gummies. These companies also proudly display their third-party lab results to prove their safety and potency.

Best Overall: Area 52 Delta 8 Gummies

Although one of the newer brands to enter the delta 8 market, Area 52 is quickly becoming the subject of articles in reputable publications, including Juneau Empire, Herald Net, and Seattle Weekly.

In addition to D8 THC gummies, they offer vape carts and tinctures. Gummies are currently available in strawberry, green apple, and pineapple flavors.

Each gummy contains 25 mg of D8 distillate. If you are a new user, it is recommended you start with just half of one of these potent gummies. Wait an hour before determining if you should take more. Most users report one or two gummies a day is ideal for achieving the desired effects.

What makes Area 52 gummies stand out as the best overall is the use of high-quality ingredients. Only natural sweeteners and flavors are used in the production process. The company also provides a certificate of analysis for each batch produced. All results are uploaded to their website.

Best for Beginners: Finest Labs Delta 8 Gummies

If you are new to the D8 gummy scene, Finest Labs has the perfect product for you. Each gummy contains only 10 mg of delta 8 distillate. These gummies use a broad-spectrum extract that combines the distillate with a specific terpene. In this case, it is a blueberry strain to give the gummy a berry flavor without any synthetic additives.

As with other reputable companies, Finest Labs publishes all of their third-party lab results on their website. Something to note about these gluten-free and vegan gummies is their psychoactive effects aren’t as intense as others. Users report feeling less severe effects in their head, but they find that their bodies are more relaxed.

Runner Up: 3Chi Delta 8 Gummies

One of the first to enter the delta 8 scene, 3Chi is still out there with a stellar reputation. In addition to the delta 8 black raspberry-flavored gummies, these guys offer high-quality vapes and tinctures too.

With their gummies, 3Chi offers consumers two options. The first one is a D8 and CBN gummy, while the other is a pure D8 THC gummy. The delta 8 and CBN option offers a one-to-one ratio. No matter which option you purchase, each gummy contains 25 mg of delta 8 THC, and package sizes are 8 or 16.

As with the other two companies mentioned, 3Chi also uploads current lab results to their website. Each time they create a new batch, they send it in for testing and upload new test results verifying safety and potency.

What is Delta 8 Gummies?

Despite what you may believe, there are two kinds of THC, delta 8 and delta 9. The most common form of THC and the one that most of us refer to when talking about marijuana and its effects is delta 9 THC. D8 THC is similar in its structure to D9, but how the atoms are arranged makes it different.

The biggest difference between these two is the double bond located on the carbon chain. For D9, the bond takes place on the ninth carbon chain, while with D8, it takes place on the eighth one.

These gummies are made by combining the active D8 THC, usually a distillate, with a candy gummy base. Using the gummy base and natural flavoring ingredients will help hide the cannabis flavor. The gummy form also makes dosing easier and extends the product’s shelf life.

Delta 8 Gummies Feeling: What Does It Feel Like?

If you have ever tried traditional CBD gummies made with delta 9 THC, you know what effects they produce. Delta 8 THC gummies produce similar effects but not nearly as strong. With delta 8 gummies, users report the effects being half the strength as traditional delta 9 ones.

As D8 is psychoactive, people can still achieve a moderate-high when consuming products. However, the difference is that the effects won’t be as pronounced as if you were ingesting a weed-infused gummy because D8 is less potent.

People report fewer feelings of anxiety and paranoia, which accompany large doses of delta 9 THC products. It is the experience of the pronounced effects of delta 9 that make people avoid using these products, but now D8 products allow them to prevent those unwanted reactions.

Delta 8 Gummies Dosage

Most people take anywhere from 10 mg to 60 mg of D8 THC. If you have previously taken delta 9 THC gummies, you can double your usual dose, as the D8 version is half the strength. There is no specific amount of gummies a person should take, as the effects vary based on each person.

It is strongly recommended that people start with 10 mg, especially beginners. The lower amount of D8 THC is still enough to produce the desired effects, including motivation, euphoria, and stress relief. Once you know how that dose affects you, adjust the amount based on the desired results you are hoping to achieve. Increase the amount by 5 mg until you find your desired results.

Never start with the highest dose because you cannot reverse the effects after it has been consumed. Starting small allows you to gradually increase the amount of delta 8 THC for the appropriate high. Overdosing on delta 8 THC is not only uncomfortable for most users, but it also leads to unwanted side effects such as lack of concentration, sedation, and extreme fatigue.

Finding the Best Dose

One of the biggest advantages of taking gummies is that each one comes with a fixed dose. This allows you to know precisely how much delta 8 THC you are consuming with each gummy. There is no reason to measure or calculate the dosage, as the manufacturer predetermines it.

The only way to change the dose of a gummy is to cut it in half or quarters. For example, if you have a 25 mg gummy and cut it in half, that means each part now contains 12.5 mg. The biggest reason why people want to cut their gummies is to increase their dose but not necessarily doubling it. Doubling the amount runs the risk of becoming overwhelming while adding a smaller quantity enhances what a person is already experiencing.

Are Delta 8 Gummies Safe to Take?

Numerous studies have been done on delta 8 products, including gummies, and nothing has been found to say they are unsafe. No fatal overdoses have ever occurred from overdosing D8 or D9 THC. The biggest safety concern with gummies isn’t the cannabinoid. It’s any contaminants or additives mixed in.

Is Delta 8 Gummies Dangerous?

As we have already said, the most considerable risk with delta 8 gummies is with contaminants or additives mixed in with the cannabinoid. This often happens when you purchase your products from a fly-by-night company.

Contaminants

Contaminants might be found in your gummies because of the purification process. No cannabis plant naturally produces delta 8. This form is created as a byproduct of the degradation of delta 9 THC. As hemp and marijuana plants only contain trace amounts of this substance, traditional extraction methods don’t provide a big enough yield of the product.

To extract enough delta 8 THC, manufacturers use a conversion process to convert the cannabidiol to delta 9 THC. After this, they take the D9 and turn it into delta 8 THC. The process often requires the use of harsh chemicals, including heavy metals, hydrochloric acid, and other solvents.

After the conversion process, technicians must purge the delta 8 THC of any traces of chemicals. This requires expensive lab equipment, skilled workers and must take place in a high-quality lab. Samples are routinely tested throughout the purging process. Testing continues until no trace of harsh chemicals remains.

The only acceptable way to prove that no toxic chemicals remain is through testing at a third-party lab. This is necessary to give the consumers reliable, unbiased results.

Bleaching Agents

This is another big issue with some delta 8 manufacturers. Many of them use a bleaching agent to remove any color from the distillate before adding it to the candy base.

In its pure form, delta 8 is a light pink color. For some reason, though, some companies began bleaching it to make it clear. The downfall is that this leads consumers to believe that the light pink-colored liquid is impure when the opposite is true.

Bleaching the final product introduces a new batch of toxic chemicals to the distillate. Reputable manufacturers will not bleach their extract. They know the pure form is not clear. To manufacture the purest products, they only use slightly pink extracts.

Delta 8 Gummies Legality

The answer to this depends on where you live and what the D8 was extracted from. If you live somewhere that has legalized the use of marijuana recreationally, then they are entirely legal. Any gummies made with delta 8 THC extracted from a marijuana plant are illegal if you don’t.

In those states, the distillate must come from the hemp plant. Some places ban the use of any synthetic THC, which delta 8 falls under this umbrella. Always check your region’s laws and regulations before purchasing.

What to Look for Before Purchasing Delta 8 Gummies

We recommend purchasing your gummies from one of the reputable brands we listed. If you want to buy from somewhere else, you need to know what to look for in a company and its products.

Third-Party Lab Testing

When shopping online or from local stores in person, this is the most important thing to look for. A third-party lab has no affiliation with the business it is running the tests for. This is important because it allows for unbiased and relevant results. If there is no bias, they won’t hesitate to list any impurities found on the certificate of analysis. Agencies regulate these labs within their industries to ensure all rules are being followed.

Luckily, it isn’t hard to interpret the certificate of analysis, but it can be overwhelming reading through all the jargon. At a minimum, look to see if the tests are published on the company’s website or if they are willing to email them to the consumer. If not, you want to look for a different company to do business with.

What to look for on third-party lab test reports:

• Pesticides: related to the growing of cannabis plants
• Potency: concentration of terpenes, cannabinoids, and delta 8 THC
• Heavy metals: expressed in parts per million of each element
• Microbial contaminants: fungal and bacterial organisms that are a result of cross-contamination or improper storage
• Residual solvents: mainly butane, hexane, and propane, but can include other organic solvents
• Bleaches: used to remove any color in the D8 extract

Reviews From Users

With how new the delta 8 THC industry is, nobody has been around long enough to build a solid reputation. However, large communities of delta 8 THC users exist in various online forums, including Reddit. In these places, users will post honest reviews about companies they have done business with.

Unfortunately, delta 8 THC is an unregulated industry, and companies take advantage of that. It isn’t unheard of for a business to sell contaminated products or low-quality products with little to no delta 8 THC.

Always look for user reviews on third-party websites rather than the company’s website. This ensures you get a complete account of what you can expect from the manufacturer. Be mindful of fake accounts on online forums such as Reddit.

Extraction

Whether the delta 8 is coming from hemp or marijuana, it is the same thing. What does change is if it is legal to sell for consumption. Only D8 extracted from hemp is considered legal at the federal level. If it’s extracted from marijuana, it is only regarded as legal in states with legalized marijuana for recreational purposes.

When purchasing gummies derived from marijuana plants, check your local laws before purchasing. If you are buying products made from hemp extraction, you want to look at the certificate of analysis for each batch. This allows you to verify the purity and potency of the products that you are purchasing.

Added Ingredients

Gummies are pretty straightforward products, and there is no need for additional chemicals. Using a straightforward formula gives them the perfect flavor and consistency. However, some companies use additional ingredients to cut corners in an attempt to make a higher profit. Some companies will add wheat, preservatives, or synthetic flavorings, which all affect the quality.

High-quality gummies contain a gelatin base, delta 8 distillate, and natural sweeteners or fruit flavorings. To create a vegan-friendly product, a fruit pectin base is used in place of gelatin.

Amounts of Delta 9 THC

To ensure the products are legal, you will only find minute amounts of Delta 9 THC inside a D8 gummy. To verify any amounts of D9 THC, always check the independent lab results. If the amounts are high, typically above 0.3%, the product is most likely illegal. Gummies with high quantities of delta 9 THC are only legal in states that have legalized recreational marijuana.

Conclusion

Thanks to the milder psychoactive effects of delta 8 THC when compared to traditional CBD products, these products are becoming quite popular. Delta 8 gummies are among one of their most popular options, but other forms are available.

No matter what one you are buying, always do your research beforehand. This ensures you are purchasing top-quality products from a reputable company. Look for third-party lab results posted on a company’s website. These reports should be uploaded for every new batch manufactured. This is important when buying products to ensure they aren’t contaminated with heavy metals or toxic chemicals.