The Best Delta-8 Products for Depression Reviewed (2023)

By | Updated on December 20, 2023

Medically reviewed by
Saira Zulfiqar

Evidence Based 9

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Although research is scarce, some people use delta-8 THC products for depression and have reported improved mood, increased motivation, and other benefits.

Unfortunately, the delta-8 market is filled with shady companies. You have to be careful if you want to find a safe and effective delta-8 THC product, whether it be a vape cart, gummies, tincture, or something else.

That’s why I researched, compared, and tested over 15 brands to find the best delta 8 products for depression. 

4 Best Delta-8 Products for Depression

I broke down my picks into multiple product categories to help everyone find the best option.

  1. Best Overall: Extract Labs Delta 8 Extract Tank | Full review
  2. Best Gummies: Summit Delta-8 THC Gummies | Full review
  3. Best Tincture: Hometown Hero Delta 8 THC Tincture | Full review
  4. Best Disposable Vape: Purekana Delta 8 Vape Pen | Full review

Delta 8 Glossary

  • Delta-9 THC: The most common form of THC, abundant in marijuana.
  • Delta-8 THC: A less potent form of THC that can be made from hemp-derived CBD, which makes it legal.
  • CBD: A non-intoxicating cannabinoid that’s been shown to have many potential benefits.
  • Hemp: A legal variety of cannabis with high CBD and low delta-9 THC levels (0.3% or less).
  • Terpenes: aromatic compounds with a wide variety of beneficial properties (1).
  • Full-spectrum: whole-plant hemp extract containing CBD, THC, and other beneficial hemp cannabinoids and terpenes. This form of CBD is up to 4 times more potent than pure CBD (2).
  • Isolate: The pure form of delta-8 or any other cannabinoid.

Extract Labs Delta 8 Cartridge (Best Overall & Best Cart)

extract labs delta 8 vape cartridge

5/5

Potency~70% (~50% D8)
Size1 g
Total cannabinoids~700 mg
Cost per mg$0.05
TypeFull-spectrum
Flavors4
Third-Party TestView report

Use coupon code CBDTHINKER for 15% off

Pros: 

  • Full-spectrum formula
  • Four terpene-infused flavors
  • High potency
  • Organic Colorado hemp source

Cons:

  • Lacks pure delta-8 formulas

My top pick for depression goes to the delta 8 vape tank from Extract Labs.

This high-strength cartridge is full-spectrum, mixing delta-8 THC, CBD, CBG, and other beneficial cannabinoids and terpenes. Adding CBD is particularly helpful as it’s been shown to have antidepressant properties (3).

Each cartridge is compatible with any 510 thread battery and Extract Labs also sells a vape battery. They come in four unique terpene-infused cannabis strain flavors: martian candy, apple fritter, clementine, and garlic jam.

Founded in 2016 by an army veteran, Extract Labs offers CBD and delta-8 products sourced from organic Colorado hemp.

Summit Delta-8 THC Gummies (Best Gummies)

summit delta 8 gummies

5/5

THC Potency25 mg
Gummy Count30
Total THC750 mg
Cost per mg$0.07
TypeIsolate
FlavorsMixed
Third-Party TestsView report

Use coupon code SUMMIT15 for 15% off

Pros: 

  • Reputable brand
  • Assorted flavors
  • Vegan
  • Free shipping

Cons:

  • Only one potency/container size

For gummies, I recommend Summit. They come in four delicious assorted flavors: watermelon, strawberry, mango, and blue raspberry. I found these gummies delicious and effective, with a milder buzz than delta-9 THC.

They’re made with vegan, quality ingredients (like tapioca syrup instead of corn syrup, which has fewer calories).

Summit is a brand from the makers of R&R, a reputable, USDA-certified organic CBD company that’s been around since 2017. It provides complete third-party test reports from Columbia Laboratories, one of the most trusted testing labs in the hemp/cannabis space.

My experience: I took half a gummy and felt a notable buzz about 90 minutes later. I felt sleepy, relaxed, and a bit high, with the effects lasting for many hours.

Hometown Hero Delta 8 THC Tincture (Best Tincture)

5/5

Potency20-40 mg/ml
Volume30 ml
Total Delta-8600-1200 mg
Cost per mg$0.08
TypeIsolate
Flavors3
Third-Party TestView report

Use coupon code CBDTHINKER for 10% off

Pros: 

  • High Times Hemp Cup 2nd place
  • Two potencies & three flavors
  • Organic Texas hemp source

Cons:

  • Not as cheap as some other brands

Delta-8 tinctures are a great choice when you’re looking for longer-lasting effects and better dosage control. My top pick is the delta 8 tincture from Hometown Hero.

This tincture is available in berry, mint, and natural flavors. The berry-flavored version got 2nd place for best tincture at the High Times 2021 Hemp Cup.

Hometown Hero is a Texas vendor best known for its intoxicating hemp products. It donates to veteran organizations and grows its hemp with sustainable methods.

My experience: I tested all three flavors, but the 1200 mg berry was my favorite. I took half a dropper before bed and it helped me fall asleep. I also felt some euphoric effects.

Purekana Delta 8 Vape Pen (Best Disposable)

purekana delta-8 vape pen

5/5

Potency~83%
Size2 g
Total Delta-8~830 mg
Cost per mg$0.04
TypeIsolate
Flavors3
Third-Party TestView report

Use coupon code CBDTHINKER for 10% off

Pros: 

  • Great price
  • Pleasant flavor and potent effects

Cons:

  • Not a full-spectrum product

If you’re new to vaping or prefer the convenience of disposable pens, I like the one Purekana sells. It contains about 830 mg of delta-8 THC and comes in three cannabis-inspired flavors: berry gelato, blue dream, and watermelon skittles.

Arizona’s Purekana is an established CBD brand with several delta-8 offerings. Its products are backed by detailed third-party test results.

My experience: I tried the berry gelato-flavored vape, which had a pleasant flavor. I felt potent effects right away after only a few puffs. I felt relaxed with a bit of euphoria, dry mouth, and sleepiness.

How I Chose the Best Delta 8 Products

You must consider several factors to find safe, effective delta 8 products. Delta 8’s rapid rise in popularity means that many shady manufacturers offer low-quality products to make a quick buck.

Here are the criteria I used to find quality products:

  • Effects (to choose potent products)
  • Third-party test results (to verify the delta-8 content and lack of contaminants)
  • Product formula (to get the best effects)
  • Product potency (to make sure it’s strong enough to provide a benefit)
  • Company reputation (to verify that the company can be trusted)
  • Price (to get a good deal)

Read on for a detailed explanation of these criteria, especially if you want to choose delta-8 products on your own.

Look for Third-Party Tested Brands

Third-party tests are necessary to confirm the potency and safety of delta-8 products. They help protect consumers from products that contain less delta-8 than advertised, illegal delta-9 THC levels, or carry contaminants.

Performed by an independent lab, these tests check the levels of delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, and other cannabinoids. They can also check for pesticides, heavy metals, mold, and other contaminants. 

Contaminant tests are especially important for delta-8 because it’s usually made from CBD through a chemical process that uses solvents that must be removed afterward.

Any delta-8 company worth its salt sends its products for independent testing and posts the test results on its website. A lack of these test documents is a major red flag.

I check the test results for all of the products I review to make sure they contain the advertised levels of delta 8 and no contaminants.

I also check the delta-9 THC levels because the process used to make delta-8 from CBD can produce a sizable amount of delta-9 THC. Unless this extra delta-9 is removed, it can end up in the final product, making it both illegal and potentially unsafe.

Product Formula

Similar to CBD, delta-8 products can come with different formulas. Some products contain delta-8 isolate: pure delta-8 THC without any other active compound.

Many others carry delta-8 with a smaller amount of delta-9 THC because delta-9 is produced when you convert CBD into delta-8.

You can also have full-spectrum delta-8, which will carry delta-8 plus the full range of hemp cannabinoids (CBD, delta-9 THC, and minor cannabinoids) and terpenes. 

Full-spectrum cannabis products are considered more effective than those containing only one cannabinoid thanks to the entourage effect: the synergy between cannabinoids and terpenes (1). 

In particular, I recommend using a product that contains significant amounts of CBD alongside delta-8 because early studies suggest that CBD may have antidepressant effects (3).

Product Potency

Also known as strength, potency is the concentration of cannabinoids in a product. 

For example, if your delta-8 vape cart has a potency of 95%, that’s very high as it translates to 950 mg of delta-8 per gram/ml. Similarly, a tincture with 50 mg of delta-8 per ml is stronger than one with 25 mg.

I look for high-potency products to make sure they’re strong enough to give everyone the desired effects. They also allow you to use smaller doses (fewer puffs, gummies, tinctures, etc.) to get an effect.

Company Reputation

Brand reputation is another critical factor when shopping for delta 8.

This is even more true for delta-8 than CBD because it’s in a legal gray area. That’s why I do thorough research to find the best delta-8 brands.

I look for brands that have positive customer reviews, make it easy to check third-party lab test results to verify the safety and efficacy of their products, list their hemp source, and provide other info to build trust with customers.

Price

Delta-8 products are not necessarily cheap. I try to find high-quality products that are reasonably priced. I also help you see if the prices you’re paying are low, average, or high by providing the price per milligram (mg) of delta 8. 

Generally speaking, the average prices for delta-8 products are:

  • Tinctures:6 cents per mg of delta-8 THC
  • Gummies: 8 cents per mg
  • Capsules: 8 cents per mg
  • Cartridges: 6 cents per mg
  • Distillate: 3 cents per mg
  • Disposable vape pens: 6 cents per mg

This means prices below these points are considered low, so you’re getting a good deal, whereas those above are expensive.

Delta 8 for Depression: What Does The Research Say?

Delta-8 THC has seen little scientific research. Having said that, a 2021 survey of delta-8 THC users found that out of those who take delta 8 products for health conditions, 46% used it for depression or bipolar disorder (4).

They also compared delta-8 THC favorably to delta-9 THC and pharmaceutical drugs and substituted it for both.

There’s also evidence that delta-9 THC (what most of us know as “regular” THC) has antidepressant effects (5). Since delta-8 has a similar structure to delta-9, it’s likely that it shares this effect.

Product Options

You can either take delta 8 regularly or as needed to manage your mood-related symptoms.

Similar to CBD, delta-8 can be used in three main ways:

  • Inhalation via smoking flower or vaping a cartridge
  • Orally, as capsules, gummies, or other edibles
  • Sublingually, as a tincture

If you’re looking for immediate relief, inhalation is the best method of taking delta-8. However, it will also last shorter than other methods, typically about 1-4 hours (6). The most popular inhalation method is to vape a delta-8 cartridge, although you can also use hemp flower that’s been coated with delta-8.

If you want the longest-lasting effects (6+ hours), oral products such as gummies can be a good option. However, they can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to kick in, depending on when and how much you ate.

Also, keep in mind that edibles affect everyone differently and have the most inconsistent effects of any administration method.

The third option is to use a sublingual (under-the-tongue) tincture, the same method used by CBD oil. This route will give you longer effects than inhalation and kick in faster than edibles — usually about 15-40 minutes (7). 

You can also buy delta-8 distillate, the purest form of delta-8 THC, and use it to make your own vape juice, tinctures, edibles, and more.

Dosage

The ideal dosage of delta-8 and any other cannabinoid varies from person to person. Many factors can influence it, such as your body weight, genetics, familiarity with cannabis, the severity of your depression, and the type of product you’re taking.

That’s why healthcare experts recommend starting with a low dose and slowly raising it (8). 

For example, you might start with one puff of a delta-8 vape cart or 10 mg of a gummy or tincture and see how you feel over the next two hours. You can then gradually raise your dosage over time until you get the desired effects.

If you’ve previously used regular THC, you can also use those dosages as a starting point. For example, if you normally take 10 mg delta-9 THC gummies, you can start with a 10 mg delta-8 gummy.

Safety & Side Effects

There haven’t been many studies on delta-8, so we don’t know too much about its side effects. 

Having said that, one of the only studies on the effects of delta-8 THC reported that it caused similar but weaker side effects to delta-9 THC, including dizziness, dry mouth, red eyes, and impaired memory (9).

If you’re taking any prescription antidepressants, it’s best to consult your doctor before using delta-8 THC.

Buying Delta 8: Red Flags

I want to stress that delta-8 products are more likely to be unsafe, illegal, and inaccurate than their CBD counterparts. 

Delta 8 became popular almost overnight and is currently in a legal gray area because lawmakers never expected the cannabis industry to find a way to make intoxicating products from hemp. 

This means the delta-8 market has attracted plenty of shady companies who want to make quick money without much regard for product quality.

If you’re going to shop for delta-8 on your own, you should buy from online shops instead of physical stores. I also recommend watching out for these red flags:

  • Lack of third-party test results. This is the best and only way to confirm you’re getting a safe product with the advertised amount of delta-8.
  • Lack of a website. If you can’t even find a company’s website online, that’s a good indication they can’t be trusted. 
  • Wild health claims. Steer clear of brands that promise to cure symptoms and conditions with their delta-8 products. 
  • Products with illegal delta-9 THC levels. It’s always best to read over a product’s third-party test results to make sure they match not only the advertised delta-8 content but also contain less than 0.3% delta-9 THC, which is the legal limit for hemp products.

As a final note, you should always favor brands that do third-party testing for contaminants (heavy metals, pesticides, mold, and more) over those that only test for potency (the levels of cannabinoids).

Delta 8 FAQs

References

  1. Russo, Ethan B. “Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid‐terpenoid entourage effects.” British journal of pharmacology 163.7 (2011): 1344-1364.
  2. Pamplona, Fabricio A., Lorenzo Rolim da Silva, and Ana Carolina Coan. “Potential clinical benefits of delta 8-rich cannabis extracts over purified delta 8 in treatment-resistant epilepsy: observational data meta-analysis.” Frontiers in neurology 9 (2018): 759.
  3. Oberbarnscheidt, Thersilla, and Norman S. Miller. “The Impact of Cannabidiol on Psychiatric and Medical Conditions.” Journal of clinical medicine research 12.7 (2020): 393.
  4. Kruger, Daniel J., and Jessica S. Kruger. “Consumer experiences with Delta-8-THC: Medical use, pharmaceutical substitution, and comparisons with Delta-9-THC.” Cannabis and cannabinoid research 8.1 (2023): 166-173.
  5. El-Alfy, Abir T., et al. “Antidepressant-like effect of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids isolated from Cannabis sativa L.” Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 95.4 (2010): 434-442.
  6. Borodovsky, Jacob T., et al. “Smoking, vaping, eating: is legalization impacting the way people use cannabis?.” International Journal of Drug Policy 36 (2016): 141-147.
  7. Russo, Ethan B. “Cannabinoids in the management of difficult to treat pain.” Therapeutics and clinical risk management 4.1 (2008): 245.
  8. Lucas, Catherine J., Peter Galettis, and Jennifer Schneider. “The pharmacokinetics and the pharmacodynamics of cannabinoids.” British journal of clinical pharmacology 84.11 (2018): 2477-2482.
  9. Hollister, Leo E., and H. K. Gillespie. “Delta‐8‐and delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol; Comparison in man by oral and intravenous administration.” Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics 14.3 (1973): 353-357.

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