Delta-9 THC
Also known as: Delta 9 THC, D9-THC, Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol
Delta-9 THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis, and it is the specific THC that the federal 0.3% hemp limit measures: hemp is cannabis with no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight.
When people say "THC," they almost always mean delta-9. It is the compound behind the high that cannabis is known for. The name describes its chemistry: the "9" marks where a double bond sits in the molecule. Delta-8 THC has that bond in a different spot, which is why it is a separate compound with its own name, and why a search for "delta 9" and a search for "delta 8" are different questions.
The 2018 Farm Bill drew the legal line at delta-9. A cannabis plant counts as hemp, and hemp-derived products are federal-legal, when it holds no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight. That is why a full-spectrum CBD oil can carry trace delta-9 THC and still be hemp. It is also why "hemp-derived delta-9" products exist: they are made from hemp and sold under that same limit, usually as edibles or drinks, where the 0.3% is measured by weight of the whole product. Those are not what we make. States set their own rules, so check /cbd-laws for yours.
Delta-9 is not the same as THCA or total THC. THCA is the raw, non-intoxicating acid form in the living plant, and it turns into delta-9 when heated. Total THC counts delta-9 plus a share of THCA, so it can read higher than delta-9 alone. On a lab report, read which one is printed. Our full-spectrum drops carry trace THC under 0.3%, and our broad-spectrum drops have THC removed, with the COA reading ND or <LOQ. Reports are at /coas. If you face a workplace drug screen, talk to your employer or doctor first.
Related terms
- THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)THC is the cannabinoid responsible for the psychoactive 'high' associated with marijuana. Hemp-derived CBD products may contain up to 0.3% THC under federal law.
- Delta-8 THCDelta-8 THC is an intoxicating cannabinoid, a close chemical cousin of the delta-9 THC in marijuana. Nearly all delta-8 sold is made by chemically converting hemp-derived CBD.
- THCA (Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid)THCA is the raw, non-intoxicating acid form of THC that the living hemp plant actually produces. Heat converts it into delta-9 THC.
- Total THCTotal THC counts the delta-9 THC already in a product plus the THC its THCA would become if heated — calculated as (0.877 x THCA) + delta-9 THC.
- 2018 Farm BillThe 2018 Farm Bill federally legalized hemp by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act. It defines hemp as cannabis with under 0.3% delta-9 THC.