Delta 8 Vape Carts BDT vs. CDT

Today’s delta 8 vape carts are largely enhanced with terpenes, offering more than just the properties of delta 8 THC while contributing to the bioavailability of the product through synergistic value. Terpenes are secondary compounds in hemp, after cannabinoids, which offer distinctive properties of their own, and have been widely studied for their unique abilities as they occur in all essential oils derived from plants.

Delta 8 vape cartridges, and all hemp products on the market, can get their terpenes from one of two distinctive ways: directly from the cannabis plant, or from other plants that contain high levels of terpenes that these plants share in common with cannabis. So. We will be comparing botanically derived terpenes (BDT) and cannabis-derived terpenes (CDT) in an effort to determine whether or not one is superior to the other in terms of effectiveness, quality and other factors.

Getting to Know Terpenes in Delta 8 Cartridges

So, what do terpenes actually contribute to the act of vaping delta 8 THC in the form of an e-liquid cartridge? Well, possibly a lot, as it turns out. Terpenes, as we mentioned are compounds that exist alongside cannabinoids like CBD and delta 8 in the hemp plant’s flowers. In the botanical context, terpenes are produced in the trichomes, and these chemical compounds are present in all plant life, determining the flavor and aroma of individual plants while offering a defense mechanism against pests, diseases and more. When consuming he terpenes that’re extracted from plants, we experience their properties in ways that can be of particular usefulness to the human body. Many terpenes offer multiple properties that can be viewed as capable of promoting desirable effects.

Additionally, terpenes promote what’s known as the “entourage effect”. Terpenes and cannabinoids share a mutually synergistic relationship in which taking them together, as they occur in nature, promotes a stronger experience overall, with each compound boosting the bioavailability of the others.

Plus, by infusing delta 8 vape carts with a specific terpene profile, manufacturers are able to provide a wide array of popular strains, which are based on the specific configurations of terpenes in individual breeds of the hemp plant. Different strains promote unique effects, allowing the delta 8 enthusiast to customize the type of experience that they would like to have.

How are Terpenes Derived?

Terpenes, as we said, are abundant in the hemp plant, but also present in all plant life. The terpenes found in a delta 8 vape cart can be derived in one of two distinctive ways: botanically derived and cannabis-derived.

#1: Botanically Derived

Botanically derived terpenes (BDT) mean that the terpenes in a cartridge were not actually derived from the hemp plant itself, but instead, extracted from other plants. Each terpene in the hemp plant is present in other plant life as well. For example, linalool, a prominent terpene in hemp, is also highly abundant in lavender. Limonene, another popular hemp terpene, naturally occurs prominently in citrus fruit.

Botanically derived terpenes allow us to mimic the terpene profile of a particular strain of hemp by taking each terpene from a non-cannabis plant. For instance, linalool is taken from lavender, but added to the cartridge formula in the same amount that it would naturally occur in a specific strain of hemp.

#2: Cannabis-Derived

Cannabis-derived terpenes (CDT) take the terpenes directly from hemp as they naturally exist in the plant material. For example, when creating a specific strain for a delta 8 vape cartridge, the manufacturer simply takes that strain of hemp and extracts the terpenes out of the plant material so that the profile that they are left with matches that of the strain as it occurs in nature.

Comparing BDT and CDT

Now, let’s compare BDT and CDT with one another in order to understand what each one may offer to the user’s experience.

BDT

Botanically Derived Terpenes May Be More Cost-Effective

Botanically derived terpenes are more cost-effective to the manufacturer, which in turn could mean that delta 8 vape carts containing BDT are actually more affordable. For instance, to extract caryophyllene from the hemp plant, you need a good deal of hemp plant material because it’s not the most prominent chemical compound in hemp. But, caryophyllene is highly prominent in rosemary, meaning that the manufacturer can yield the ideal amount of this terpene with less raw plant material.

Botanically Derived Terpenes Likely Behave Identically to Those in Cannabis

It’s highly likely that botanically derived terpenes and cannabis-derived terpenes behave identically to one another, which would imply that the experience and effects that the user feels are exactly the same whether they go with BDT or CDT in a delta 8 vape cartridge.

CDT

Cannabis-Derived Terpenes Might Be More Diverse

It’s possible that cannabis-derived terpenes offer more terpene diversity, but this has yet to be proven. Hemp naturally contains hundreds of distinctive terpenes that occur in all different levels. Some feel that when a company uses botanically derived terpenes, that have a tendency to only extract the most prominent terpenes of the strain, simply ignoring the ones that are only present in trace levels. But, they feel that the terpenes that occur in trace levels are also important because they ultimately contribute to the specific properties of that strain.

Cannabis-Derived Terpenes May Be More Conducive to the Entourage Effect

Because it’s possible that cannabis-derived terpenes offer more terpene diversity, fans of CDT feel that ultimately, only this method allows for the true entourage effect to take place, as even those trace terpenes play a notable role in the synergistic value of the chemical composition within the delta 8 vape cart.

Cannabis-Derived Terpenes May Promote More of a Cannabis Flavor and Aroma

Also, some argue that cannabis-derived terpenes are more likely to promote the natural flavor and aroma of cannabis, but this also has yet to be proven.

Which One is Better?

Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer. For one thing, not enough studies have been done on the subject to come up with a clear idea as to whether or not one is better than the other. Secondly, both of these types of terpene profiles are relatively new, as extracting terpenes for the sake of creating delta 8 vape carts is a new practice. What we can say is that at the end of the day, you’re very likely to have the experience you’re looking for regardless of which of the two you end up choosing.