THC isn't one compound so much as a small family. Delta-9 THC is the one most people mean, but you'll also see delta-8, delta-10, THCA, THCV, THCP and THC-O on product labels and websites. This guide sorts the types of THC by what each one is, whether it comes from the plant or a lab, and how Michigan regulates it as of October 2026.
Types of THC: what they are and why there's more than one
THC is short for tetrahydrocannabinol. The versions on the market share the same basic skeleton and differ in small ways:
- Where a double bond sits. Delta-9 and delta-8 differ only in the position of a single double bond.
- How long the side chain is. THCV has a three-carbon side chain, standard THC has five and THCP has seven.
- Whether an acid group is attached. THCA carries an extra carboxyl group that heat removes.
- Whether a lab has added something. THC-O acetate is THC with an acetate group attached, which the plant doesn't make.
Small changes like these affect how strongly each compound binds the body's CB1 receptors, and how it's produced. Our guide to what cannabinoids are covers the wider family.
The THC family at a glance
| Type | What it is | Where it comes from | Research so far |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta-9 THC | The main intoxicating compound in cannabis | Made by the plant, from THCA | The most studied |
| THCA | The acid form of delta-9, not considered intoxicating until heated | Abundant in raw flower | Chemistry well understood |
| Delta-8 THC | An isomer of delta-9; intoxicating | Trace amounts in the plant; most is converted from hemp CBD | Limited, with adverse event reports to the FDA |
| Delta-10 THC | Another isomer | Made in a lab, mainly from hemp CBD | Very little |
| THCV | A cousin with a shorter side chain | Made by the plant, usually in small amounts | Early, small studies |
| THCP | A cousin with a longer side chain, identified in 2019 | Found in the plant only in trace amounts | Lab and animal studies |
| THC-O acetate | THC with an added acetate group | Made only in a lab | Very little, with safety concerns when vaped |
Delta-9: the main intoxicating form
When people say THC, they usually mean delta-9. It's the compound behind most of cannabis's intoxicating effects, and licensed flower, vapes and edibles are built around it. It's also by far the most researched member of the family.
In the plant, delta-9 mostly starts out as THCA and forms when heat is applied, either during processing or when you light up. Its effects depend on the dose, the format and the person, so the milligrams or percentage on the package matter more than any strain name.
Delta-8 and delta-10: converted isomers from the hemp market
Delta-8 occurs naturally in cannabis, but the plant makes very little of it. To produce it in quantity, manufacturers chemically convert CBD extracted from hemp. The FDA warns that this process can leave potentially harmful byproducts and that some manufacturers may use unsafe household chemicals. It also notes that it hasn't evaluated or approved any delta-8 product as safe to use.
Delta-8 is intoxicating. The FDA notes its psychoactive effects and received 104 reports of adverse events from people who used delta-8 products between December 2020 and February 2022. It has also warned that some products labeled simply as hemp may mislead consumers.
Michigan settled the question in 2021. Since October 11, 2021, the state has treated delta-8 as marijuana, so only businesses licensed by the Cannabis Regulatory Agency may sell it. Licensed products may contain no more than 10% delta-8. Our article on delta-8 vs. delta-9 compares the two in detail.
Delta-10 is a further isomer, and the plant makes little or none of it. What's sold is made in a lab, mainly by converting CBD from hemp. Published research on it is scarce, and its effects and safety are poorly understood.
THCA: the raw acid form and what heat does to it
Growing and freshly harvested cannabis makes very little delta-9 directly. It makes THCA, which is generally considered non-intoxicating. Heat from a flame, a vaporizer or an oven strips off THCA's carboxyl group and turns it into delta-9. That's why raw flower can test high in THCA and still produce a familiar high once it's smoked or baked.
THCA-rich flower is sometimes marketed as hemp, on the argument that only delta-9 should count toward the legal limit. Michigan doesn't accept that reading: under state law, cannabis with more than 0.3% THC, counting THCA, is marijuana that only licensed marijuana businesses may sell. A federal law passed in November 2025 also counts THCA toward the hemp limit; as of October 2026, it's set to take effect in late 2026. Our THCA vs. THC guide explains the chemistry.
THCV: the "varin" with a different profile
THCV, or tetrahydrocannabivarin, belongs to the varin group of cannabinoids, which carry a three-carbon side chain instead of THC's five. Most cannabis contains only small amounts. Researchers studying these molecules have found that side-chain length is a key factor in how strongly they bind the CB1 receptor.
Human research on THCV is still early and small. Packaging that promises appetite control, energy or focus is getting ahead of the evidence. If a product lists THCV, look at how many milligrams it contains and approach it as you would any other cannabinoid product. Our THCV guide goes deeper.
THCP and THC-O: newer, less studied, with safety cautions
THCP, or tetrahydrocannabiphorol, was identified in 2019 by Italian researchers in a medicinal cannabis variety, where it appeared only in trace amounts. It has a seven-carbon side chain, and in lab tests it bound the CB1 receptor about 30 times more strongly than delta-9. Strong binding in a test tube doesn't tell you how a product will affect a person, and the effects tested in that study were in mice, not people.
THC-O acetate is made in a lab by reacting THC with a chemical called acetic anhydride; the cannabis plant doesn't make it. Researchers have shown that THC-O can form ketene, a gas that's toxic to the lungs, when it's heated to vaping temperatures. Ketene is also the suspected way vitamin E acetate caused the 2019 outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries. Our advice: skip THC-O, especially in vapes.
Legal status: federal hemp rules vs. Michigan's approach
Federal and state law draw these lines differently, and both have been moving. Here's where things stand as of October 2026.
Federal law. Since 2018, federal law has defined hemp by its delta-9 THC content: 0.3% or less by dry weight. Sellers of delta-8 and THCA flower have leaned on that narrow definition. In November 2025, Congress passed a new definition that counts THCA and excludes products with cannabinoids the plant can't naturally produce or that were made outside the plant, such as THC-O. It also caps finished hemp products at 0.4 mg of total THC per container. As of October 2026, it's set to take effect in late 2026.
Michigan law. Michigan handles intoxicating THC through its licensed system. Delta-8 has been treated as marijuana since October 11, 2021, and any cannabis above 0.3% THC, counting THCA, is marijuana. Either way, only licensed marijuana businesses may sell it, and licensed products may contain no more than 10% delta-8.
For a side-by-side look at the plant itself, see our guide to hemp vs. marijuana. Wherever you buy, don't travel across state lines with cannabis.
Which types show up in edibles and evening products
In licensed stores, most edibles are made with delta-9 THC, because edibles need activated THC rather than raw THCA. Manufacturers start with decarboxylated flower or extracts, so the THC is ready to work once you eat it.
Some products blend in CBD, CBN or other minor cannabinoids, and products sold for evenings often feature CBN. Research on what CBN does at the amounts used in these products is limited, so read the milligrams rather than the marketing. In Michigan, licensed products may also contain delta-8, at no more than 10%.
Choosing products: lab results and licensed sources
The surest way through the THC family is to buy from a licensed store and read the package.
- Buy licensed. At High Society, we work with trusted vendors to stock products that have passed Michigan's testing standards.
- Read the label. Check which cannabinoids are listed and how much of each, in milligrams or percent.
- Be wary of unregulated products. Intoxicating hemp products sold outside the licensed system may not be tested to the same standard, and converted cannabinoids can carry byproducts from the process.
- Skip THC-O. There's too little research and a real concern when it's vaped.
- Ask questions. Our budtenders can explain what's in a product before you buy.
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