Yes, delta 8 THC is legal in Massachusetts. Of course, if you know anything about cannabis-related products, you also know there’s usually a “but” when it comes to their legal status. Read on to find out all the “buts,” caveats, and the dos and don’ts of purchasing delta 8 THC in Massachusetts.

Is Delta 8 THC Legal in Massachusetts

As of right now, delta 8 THC is legal in Massachusetts. 

The state has aligned with the federal law and the 2018 Farm Bill, which proclaims hemp and all its derivatives federally legal. This means that, unlike marijuana, hemp-related products can be transported across state borders.

What does delta 8 THC have to do with hemp, you might ask? 

Well, despite sounding and feeling a lot like delta 9 THC — the THC we all know and love — the majority of delta 8 THC products on the market are the result of CBD synthesis, or in other words, are hemp-derived. 

So, if you live in Massachusetts, you can purchase delta 8 THC both in-person, from a brick-and-mortar dispensary, and online, from companies within and outside the state.

The same goes for delta 10 THC, which the law treats no differently.

Do I Need a Medical Card in Massachusetts to Order Delta 8 THC?

No, you don’t. Delta 8 THC is a division of the hemp industry, which has nothing to do with marijuana as far as the law is concerned and requires no medical card whatsoever.

Delta 8 Vapes & the PACT Act

The PACT (Prevent All Cigarettes Trafficking) Act was mainly designed to end untaxed cigarettes running amok on the Internet. However, it evolved into the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act, which shifted its focus toward preventing minors from purchasing vaping products.

This is all to say that vendors of vape products, including delta 8 THC vapes, absolutely must verify the age of their customers. So, a delta 8 THC online site without a verification form is a major red flag and most likely a sign of an overall lack of professionalism and who-knows-what other unethical practices under the surface.

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

Delta 8 THC and delta 9 THC are isomers, which means they have the same chemical formula, but a different chemical structure.

The numeric difference in the titles refers to the position of a characteristic chemical double bond. It’s located on the eighth and ninth carbon chains, respectively. This seemingly theoretical and insignificant difference has manifested into two major practical implications.

The first one is the legal status of delta 8 THC, which we covered above.

The second one is in the actual effects, which differ on two levels — potency and nature.

According to anecdotal evidence, the strength of delta 8 THC is between half and two-thirds of THC’s. But even if you were to, say, double the amount of delta 8 THC consumed, you still wouldn’t get the effects of THC — and for many, that’s actually a good thing. Delta 8 THC is a unique alternative rather than a poor man’s THC.

Delta 8 THC is gentler by nature. The high is calmer and cleaner, leaving you more functional, clear-headed, and largely out of THC’s infamous side effects’ reach. This makes delta 8 THC a very versatile and non-intrusive alternative.

How to Use Delta 8 THC

In terms of use, delta 8 THC products are no different than any other cannabis extracts. They come in vape cartridges, oils, tinctures, gummies, capsules, distillates, and more. However, the best ways to take delta 8 products should be based on your preferences for flavor, potency, duration of effects, and more.

There’s no reason to remember every single delta 8 THC product since they can be virtually infinite. Rather, it’s important to understand the categories these products fall into, as they come with different pros and cons. 

Edibles (Gummies, Candies, Food)

Edibles are metabolized in the gut and liver. There, they go through first-pass metabolism, which takes a big cut out of their contents, like an entrance fee. As a result, edibles have a low bioavailability. On top of that, their route is longer and therefore takes longer for the effects to kick in.

Pros:

• User-friendly
• Discrete
• Accurate dosing
• Portable
• Effects last a long time

Cons:

• Long onset
• Low bioavailability
• Diet restrictions can make it hard to find products

Sublingual (Tinctures, Sprays, Oils)

Products administered under the tongue are sublingual consumption. The oral mucosa is replete in capillaries, which absorb molecules and suck them directly into the bloodstream. You have to keep the oil drops under the tongue for 60 to 90 seconds before swallowing; otherwise, you’re basically turning them into edibles.

In a way, this sublingual area is a shortcut, which provides two major benefits: a shorter time of onset and a higher bioavailability, as the first-pass metabolism in the gut and liver is bypassed.

The only drawback is that uniform accuracy might be a little hard to achieve since it’s harder to tell exactly how much you’re taking, even with a measured dropper. Nevertheless, that’s a negligible price to pay.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Portable
• Faster than edibles

Cons:

• Taste
• Dosing can be tricky
• Effects are not instant

Inhalation (Vaping, Dabbing, Smoking)

Inhalation also provides a pretty direct route to the bloodstream via the lungs and gives a short onset of delta 8’s effects. Moreover, the lungs are large in surface area and highly permeable, which makes for high bioavailability. In other words, inhalation ticks the two most important boxes.

However, the problem with this method is that it’s not discreet, many people dislike smoking since it can cause health problems, and the effects don’t last as long. Still, for those needing immediate relief, inhalation is the best way to go.

Pros:

• Almost immediate effects
• It’s easy to tell if you need more or not

Cons:

• Not discreet
• Smoking can cause health problems
• Effects don’t last long
• Dosing is difficult

Where to Buy Delta 8 THC: Online

As mentioned above, you can buy delta 8 THC in person from a brick-and-mortar dispensary or online. And contrary to what you may think, online is actually the more hands-on approach that such a complex product requires. 

Moreover, as a business model, online delta 8 THC purchases have several advantages over physical stores — some delta 8 THC-specific, others universal.

Online Shopping it Easier

The reason why shopping for delta 8 THC online, from the comfort of your couch, is perhaps more hands-on is precisely that: comfort.

As a branch of the notoriously underregulated hemp and CBD sectors, the delta 8 THC niche is full of phony or simply incompetent players. Legitimate companies voluntarily submit their products to third-party tests to separate themselves from the pack. This ensures quality and safety.

The optimal circumstances for examining a company is in your home on your own time. You can read reviews, look over lab tests, and carefully weigh different products’ pros and cons based on the unique scale of your individual needs. Knowing you’re buying high-quality products that suit your needs is the ultimate comfort.

Online Offers Better Product Selection

Moreover, online delta 8 THC purchases give you direct access to manufacturers. So what, you might ask? 

Manufacturers have a wider selection of fresher products, as they can scale production dynamically. Physical stores pre-stock their shelves and are limited by the confines of the location. And at the end of the day, delta 8 THC is federally legal — might as well take advantage of it and choose from the best vendors throughout the country.

Buying Online is Cheaper

Last but certainly not least, online purchases of delta 8 THC, or pretty much any product for that matter, are cheaper. This is because the vendors cut all kinds of operational costs, from electricity to staff salaries, equipment, rent, and more. And the lower their operating cost is, the lower the cost of their products will be.

What’s the Future of Delta 8 THC in Massachusetts?

The only certain thing about the delta 8 THC industry is that nothing is certain. Marijuana-related laws and regulations change constantly. 

Delta 8 THC, in particular, has found itself in a legal gray area since the introduction of the 2020 Interim Final Rule, an amendment of the 2018 Farm Bill. It deemed that all synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols are still Schedule I controlled substances, or in other words, federally illegal. 

This new law hasn’t halted delta 8 THC’s momentum one bit. After all, Massachusetts didn’t initially deem the compound legal but changed its stance post factum. More and more states are moving toward legalization. This means more competition, which brings higher quality.

Regardless, stick with trustworthy vendors when shopping for delta 8.