Overproduction of cannabis matched insufficient demand for CBD due to the FDA’s stance on the compound, and the cannabis industry was in limbo before some innovative chemists created the industry’s savior: Delta-8-THC.

Delta-8-THC, an isomer produced by manipulating CBD isolate, has mild toxic effects similar to delta-9-THC in consumers.

While the effect is about 30% of delta-9-THC, the industry realized that delta-8 would allow them to send THC across state lines.

Today, many retailer Claims that most of their revenue comes from delta-8 products. “We’ve realized that our customers need some THC and their CBD to encourage the entourage effect, and our customers’ buying habits support this idea. Currently, over 55% of our sales come from delta-8 products,” NC State Nick Pione of Trek CBD said.

However, states are increasingly concerned that the delta-8 isomer produced from CBD is different from the one made by plants (to see why this might be a problem, read thalidomide).

States are also realizing that the process used to make delta-8 also produces hundreds of unknown isomers that have made their way into products.

As a result, some states have banned the manufacture and/or retail of delta-8 consumer products, leaving retailers in bankruptcy again.

Some in the industry believe the solution lies in making more isomers.

However, Chris Fontes, CEO trojan horse marijuana,disagree.

“Delta-10, THCP and other isomers have been banned along with delta-8, so making more isomers doesn’t help the product hit the shelves,” Fontes said. “Instead of chasing the next hot isomer, we decided to go back to naturally derived delta-9.”

Delta-9-THC is the original THC that made marijuana popular from the beginning, as long as it is hemp-derived and below 0.3% THC, all full-spectrum CBD products on the market today have some legal delta-9 already In it (about 1 mg in a full-spectrum 25 mg CBD gummy).

The folks at Trojan Horse Cannabis decided to run the numbers.

“It turns out that you only need 3.34 grams of dry weight to reach 10 mg of delta-9 and still be below the 0.3 percent limit,” Fontes said. “Our dummies typically have a dry weight of 4.5 grams, which means we can pack 13.5 mg of THC into each gummy and be legal.”

Proceed with caution and cite lack of standards test, Instead of pushing the limit, Fontes says they try to keep THC around 0.2% (by dry weight).

The standard frees distributors, retailers and consumers alike.

“We’re quickly signing up retailers, and in states where delta-8 is banned, they’re reporting that our product is actually saving their business,” Fontes said.

Fontes believes their concept will be “the next big thing”. Time will tell, but going back to basics with delta-9 could be the way forward for retailers.