Delta-8 THC products have risen in popularity in recent years. That’s mainly because it’s more widely available and less regulated than traditional marijuana, which contains delta-9 THC.
The main reason for it being legal in more places is it’s typically produced from CBD-derived hemp that’s legal to farm across the U.S. The way the current regulations are written up, as it’s produced from CBD-derived hemp that contains less than 0.3% delta-9 THC, it’s legal for purchase in most states.
Therefore, even if you’re in a state where recreational marijuana use is illegal, you may still see delta-8 products readily available for legal purchase at places like smoke shops or gas stations. As a result, more people are buying and using it.
However, the rise in delta-8 use has left many wondering if it’ll show up in drug tests and what the detection windows are. This is especially important during addiction treatment for marijuana or other recreational drugs to ensure patients are staying on track.
How long does delta-8 stay in your system? We’ll cover everything you need to know about delta-8 detection times and its effects on the body in the rest of this article.
What Is Delta-8 THC?
Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8 THC) is a naturally occurring compound, called a cannabinoid, found in marijuana and hemp plants. Marijuana and hemp plants contain over 100 cannabinoids, with delta-8 and delta-9 being two of the main ones that are psychoactive, meaning they can make you feel high during use.
So, what’s the difference between delta-8 and delta-9? It’s mostly a slight variation in the chemical composition of these cannabinoids.
Both cannabinoids are made up of a chain of carbon atoms. The difference is that delta-8 has a double bond on the 8th carbon, whereas delta-9 has a double bond on the 9th carbon.
It’s thought that the double bond is what makes users feel high and differentiates a psychoactive cannabinoid from a non-psychoactive one. However, more research is needed to confirm that.
Most research states that delta-8 doesn’t produce as strong of a high as delta-9. One study from the Journal of Cannabis Research stated delta-8 was about two-thirds of the potency. That’s why some people who use it refer to it as “diet weed” or “marijuana lite.”
Metabolism of Delta-8 THC
After using delta-8, it’ll eventually make its way through the bloodstream to your liver, where it’ll be metabolized and prepared to leave your system.
The liver contains enzymes called cytochrome P450 that help break down delta-8 THC.
During this process, it’ll get converted into the primary metabolite 11-hydroxy-Delta-8-THC and then later further broken down into 11-nor-Delta-8-THC-9-COOH. Those heavily scientific terms for those metabolites essentially mean they’re forms of delta-8 that are easier for the body to remove.
After it goes through that process and is converted into smaller metabolites, it’ll get removed through the urine.
Why Delta-8 Can Stay in Your System for a While
THC compounds can stay in your system a bit longer and may be detectable in drug tests longer, especially urine tests, due to their fat-soluble nature.
Since THC is so fat-soluble, it often gets dissolved and stored in fatty tissues and is slowly released from the body over time.
When someone uses delta-8 regularly or has a higher percentage of body fat, it can build up in those fatty tissues and stay in the system even longer.
Detection Windows in Various Drug Tests
Delta-8 drug tests may be able to detect it in your system for:
- Up to 30 days in the urine, depending on usage patterns
- Up to 48 hours in blood tests, though the window can extend with frequent use
- Up to 24-48 hours post-consumption in saliva tests
- Up to 90 days in hair tests, though they’re less commonly used than other options
Factors Influencing Detection Times
While those windows provide a good baseline, individual factors can increase or decrease detection windows. Those include:
- Frequency of use: As discussed earlier, delta-8 can get stored and build up in fatty tissues after use. With more frequent use, those stores will continue building up. Therefore, it can cause it to be detectable in your system longer the more often you use delta-8 products.
- Metabolism: Metabolic rates can vary by individual. For instance, people who are more active or have higher levels of muscle mass generally have faster metabolic rates. Those with a faster metabolism may have their body remove delta-8 from their system at a higher rate.
- Body composition: Higher body fat percentages can cause delta-8 to stay in your system longer since there are more fatty tissues available for it to get stored in.
- Method of consumption: Inhalation methods like smoking or vaping may have shorter detection windows than edibles. The reason is the body has to digest and metabolize edibles before the effects are felt, so it naturally takes the compound longer to work its way through your system.
Implications for Drug Testing
Other than just detection windows, one of the key things to consider is that most traditional drug tests don’t differentiate between delta-8 and delta-9 THC. Therefore, if you have delta-8 in your system, it might show up as delta-9 on your test, which could pose issues in areas where delta-8 is legal but delta-9 isn’t.
In those cases, further testing would be needed to determine if it was delta-8 or delta-9 that an individual tested positive for.
Considerations for Individuals in Recovery
Testing for delta-8 and other substances is often done in addiction recovery to ensure adherence to treatment programs. That’s why treatment teams need to be aware of detection windows when testing to see if a patient may have relapsed.
While delta-8 is legal in most places across the U.S., it isn’t advised for those in recovery or who have struggled with addiction previously to use it. While THC products aren’t physically addictive, you can still form a psychological dependence where you feel like you can’t function normally without it.
Delta-8 is also psychoactive and activates neurotransmitters during use, like dopamine and serotonin, just like other recreational drugs do. Those effects in the brain could trigger someone in recovery to start using or craving other substances again.
Conclusion
Despite delta-8’s legality in many places across the U.S., it can still show up on drug tests. Therefore, it’s important to practice precaution when using it.
Additionally, you can form a psychological dependence on delta-8 just like other recreational substances. So, it’s important to practice moderation and avoid excessive or frequent use.
If you or someone you care about is having a hard time stopping delta-8 use, experiencing negative effects because of it, or having mental withdrawal symptoms when not using it like increased anxiety, it may be a sign of addiction.
Genesis House offers comprehensive support for overcoming addiction. We’re a treatment center for drug and alcohol addiction and offer medical detox and residential care that can lend support.
Our treatment programs are customized to your needs, and you’ll be guided by our friendly and knowledgeable treatment staff each step of the way.
References
- Marijuana Policy Project. “Delta-8: Is It Legal?” MPP, 2018, https://www.mpp.org/policy/federal/delta-8/delta-8-is-it-legal/
- “Delta-8 Information.” Michigan.gov, 2021, https://www.michigan.gov/cra/resources/consumer-connection/delta-8-information
- Kruger, Jessica S., and Daniel J. Kruger. “Delta-8-THC: Delta-9-THC’s Nicer Younger Sibling?” Journal of Cannabis Research, vol. 4, no. 1, 4 Jan. 2022, doi:10.1186/s42238-021-00115-8. https://jcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42238-021-00115-8
- Chayasirisobhon, Sirichai. “Mechanisms of Action and Pharmacokinetics of Cannabis.” The Permanente Journal, vol. 24, no. 5, 30 Nov. 2020, doi:10.7812/tpp/19.200. https://www.thepermanentejournal.org/doi/10.7812/TPP/19.200
- Marijuana Edibles Fact Sheet. http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/sapc/MDU/DE/MarijuanaEdiblesFactSheet040416.pdf
- Shaker, Kerollos, et al. “Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure and Confirmation in Four Pediatric Patients.” Journal of Medical Toxicology, vol. 19, no. 2, 9 Feb. 2023, pp. 190–195, doi:10.1007/s13181-022-00927-x. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10050257/
