Looking for a healthier way to get high with delta-8 that doesn’t involve smoking or vaping? Then, delta-8 tinctures are right for you. In this post, I’ll show you my favorite legal delta-8 tinctures and give you some tips on how to find a quality product.
1. CBD Genesis – Delta-8 Tincture
Enjoy a smooth and clear-headed high with this 1000mg delta-8 tincture. Each full pipette administers just over 30mg of flavored delta-8 oil.
The inclusion of MCT oil enhances delta-8’s effects, and you won’t find a better value tincture on the market today.
Flavors available: Watermelon, Blueberry
2. ELYXR – Delta-8 THC Tincture (1000mg)
ELYXR’s Delta-8 THC Tincture contains a premium broad-spectrum hemp extract, which is maximized with MCT oil. The natural terpene blend in each tincture creates unique effects and makes for a tasty experience.
Each ELYXR nano-infused tincture contains 1000mg (33mg/ml) of delta-8 extract. Whether you’re seeking stimulation or relaxation, ELYXR has something for everyone.
Blends: Awake (Lemon Verbena), Focus (Spearmint), Passion (Tropical Passionfruit), Relax (Blueberry Lavender Lemonade), Relief (Cherry Peppermint), Sleep (Mellow Grape)
3. Pure Xen – Delta-8 THC Tincture
Mixed with MCT oil and a natural terpene blend, these delta-8 tinctures from Pure Xen are both tasty and effective. Choose between a mild 1200mg, a moderate 2000mg, and a high-strength 5000mg oil. All tinctures come in 30ml bottles, with a variety of sativa, indica, and hybrid options on offer.
Flavors available: Blue Dream (Sativa), Gelato (Hybrid), Grand Daddy Purple (Indica), Pineapple Xenpress (Hybrid)
Mixed with MCT oil and a natural terpene blend, these delta-8 tinctures from Pure Xen are both tasty and effective. Choose between a mild 1200mg, a moderate 2000mg, and a high-strength 5000mg oil. All tinctures come in 30ml bottles, with a variety of sativa, indica, and hybrid options on offer.
Flavors available: Blue Dream (Sativa), Gelato (Hybrid), Grand Daddy Purple (Indica), Pineapple Xenpress (Hybrid)
4. CBD Farmhouse – Delta-8 THC Tincture
Get the best of CBD and delta-8 with these well-balanced tincture oils from CBD Farmhouse. With an even 1:1 ratio of CBD to delta-8, expect a measured high with calming benefits. For anxiety sufferers, this is a great way to enjoy the psychoactive effects of delta-8.
Made with full-spectrum hemp extract to bring out the entourage effect, CBD Farmhouse tinctures give you great bang for your buck. Choose between 1000mg (33mg/ml) and 2000mg (66mg/ml).
Flavors available: Natural, Peppermint
5. Pinnacle Hemp – Maxx 1:1 CBD / Delta-8 Tincture
Always a dependable hemp brand, Pinnacle has come through once again with the Maxx 1:1 CBD / Delta-8 Tincture. Combining full-spectrum hemp extract with high-grade delta-8, these Pinnacle Maxx oils are perfect if you’re looking for extra relief.
Pinnacle offers its Formula X hemp extract in two strengths: 600mg (20mg/ml) and 1200mg (40mg/ml). Each comes in a 30ml bottle, contains less than 0.3% THC, and has received third-party approval.
What are Delta-8 Tinctures?
Delta-8 tinctures are concentrated hemp-based extracts containing high quantities of legal, psychoactive delta-8-THC (delta-8). Tincture oils are a convenient, fast, and healthy way to get high and appeal to both recreational and medicinal users.
Many former smokers and vapers have switched to tinctures, which are much safer to consume and work almost as quickly. With tinctures, the delta-8 cannabinoids pass into the bloodstream and brain via sublingual absorption, as opposed to inhalation.
Simply fill the pipette with your delta-8 tincture and administer it under the tongue. Maximize absorption by holding for up to a minute – the sublingual glands at the bottom of your mouth will do all the work!
Delta-8 tinctures typically start to work within 15 minutes, with effects peaking around 60 minutes after consumption. The onset of effects is much faster than with edibles and capsules, which take up to an hour to work, albeit a little slower than smoking flowers or vaping e-liquids.
Tinctures are versatile, and sublingual absorption is not the only way to take them! You can also add them to beverages and foods, where they work more like edibles. Avoid exposing your tincture to temperatures above 340F, which is around the point where delta-8 boils.
Technically, topical application is also possible with delta-8 tinctures. Applying delta-8 to the skin won’t get you high but may provide therapeutic benefits. Preliminary research suggests delta-8 may have anti-inflammatory and pain-killing properties.
Why is Delta-8 Legal?
It seems strange that delta-8 is legal when the federal government continues to classify its notorious cousin delta-9-THC as a Schedule 1 substance. The details – or rather, the lack of them! – are found in the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp products across the US.
By legalizing all cannabinoids in hemp and only restricting delta-9-THC, the Farm Bill gave the green light to other THC isomers, such as delta-8. Studies indicate that delta-8 is not quite as potent as regular THC, but it still gets you stoned!
That said, controversy continues to swirl around delta-8. While legal at the federal level, more than a dozen states have now banned the substance, including Colorado, New York, and Washington.
What to Look For When Buying Delta-8 Tinctures
Not all delta-8 tinctures are made the same, and there are a few things you need to keep an eye out for when shopping. Tincture effects differ quite significantly depending on the cannabinoid concentrations and the presence of terpenes.
Furthermore, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate hemp products, you have to watch out for scammers. Delta-8 is booming right now, and all kinds of bad actors are looking to take advantage of the hype.
My top five list is a great place to start when deciding on a delta-8 tincture. But if you want to see what else is out there, here are a few pointers to help you establish what’s hot and what’s not!
Third-Party Approval
Independent laboratory testing makes it easy to steer clear of scammers. With no official, government-regulated standards on delta-8 products, third-party testing brings credibility to the best brands. It also singles out those companies looking to pull a fast one.
Third-party testing covers a few areas, including legality, potency, and safety. When a delta-8 brand submits a tincture for testing, the lab technicians will check how much delta-8 and CBD is present and whether it has less than 0.3% THC. Some tests also look for other legal cannabinoids, such as cannabinol (CBN) and cannabigerol (CBG).
A lab test will also detect if the tincture contains any heavy metals, residual solvents, pesticides, or bacteria. The presence of these is usually caused by companies using low-quality extraction methods to cut costs. Safety checks are even more important with delta-8 because the substance undergoes chemical processing.
Legit, third-party-approved brands make the lab report easy to find. Adopting a transparent approach to business sets these companies apart from scammers. Only buy delta-8 tinctures from brands that have met third-party testing requirements.
Ingredients
Many delta-8 tinctures contain medium-chained triglyceride (MCT) oil. This acts as a carrier oil, diluting the hemp extract and enhancing the bioavailability of the cannabinoids. Tinctures with MCT oil are more potent than those without and generally offer better value for money.
Not all tinctures have terpene blends, but those that do will produce a specific set of effects. Let’s revisit the ELYXR delta-8 tinctures featured in my top five earlier on.
We have the ‘Awake’ blend, which contains limonene, alpha-pinene, and valencene, all terpenes with energizing properties. But ELYXR also makes a ‘Sleep’ blend, with linalool, borneol, and nerolidol terpenes delivering sedative effects.
I love terpenes. They add flavor to tinctures and help me fine-tune my delta-8 high. But make sure that you pick the right ones for you!
Cannabinoid Concentrations
The amount of delta-8 in a tincture influences whether you experience a mild high or an intense one. You may just want moderate effects so you can enjoy some euphoria while going about your day. But you might prefer a more potent trip that takes you deep into the psychoactive realm.
Either way, check how much delta-8 is in your tincture by scanning the label and the lab report. Also, find out the amount – if any – of CBD included. As a non-psychoactive substance, CBD limits the intoxicating effects of delta-8 but does have therapeutic properties.
How to Store Your Delta-8 Tinctures
Delta-8 tinctures come in a tinted glass bottle, and there’s not much to do in regard to storage. Just keep the cap on firmly after use and store it at a height if you have children.
Resealing the bottle tightly prevents oxidation and evaporation, ensuring your tincture retains maximum potency. I recommend storing away from direct sunlight, ideally in a cupboard or any other dry, dark, cool place.
How Long do Delta-8 Tinctures Last?
Delta-8 tinctures taken sublingually last for around three hours, whereas tinctures taken orally can last for up to eight. The timeline of effects varies a lot depending on how you take tinctures.
The high from sublingual absorption starts and peaks fairly quickly before wearing off after a couple of hours. In contrast, swallowing delta-8 tincture oils as edibles results in a more gradual but longer-lasting high – but the effects may take an hour or so to kick in.
How you consume tinctures is entirely down to personal preference. But if you are new to delta-8, I suggest going easy at first. Get an idea of just how strong delta-8 is before moving up to a higher dosage.
If taking sublingually, wait around an hour before topping up; if taking orally, wait for at least two. Give your first dose time to fully kick in, or you may end up with a more intense high than planned. In the event of a bad trip, take some CBD to reduce the psychoactive effects.
Purchasing Delta-8 Online vs. Shops Near Me
With the explosion of interest in delta-8, the chances are that many shops local to you are stocking it. But instead of heading to the store, let me tell you why the best place to buy delta-8 is right here, on the web.
You’ll find much better prices at a specialist online vendor than at your local headshop. Brick-and-mortar stores have higher operating costs and have to charge more as a result.
With no physical store to pay rent and other bills for, online stores can sell the same delta-8 products for less. You can even avoid shipping costs if you spend more than a certain amount!
In most cases, buying online is also much safer. Genuine hemp stores that know what to look for aren’t going to risk stocking dodgy products from questionable companies.
But convenience stores, gas stations, and other non-specialist shops just trying to turn a quick profit aren’t so diligent. Finding lab reports is also a challenge when shopping offline, whereas all legit online stores will have them ready and waiting for you.
Choice and convenience are also big factors. Physical stores rarely have big selections, unlike online vendors. There’s much more to choose from online, and you can spend as much time as you like weighing up the pros and cons of different products. And if you have any questions, many stores provide instant assistance with built-in live chat features.
