Delta-10 THC (Δ10-THC) is an isomer of THC: it has the same atoms as the THC in cannabis, with one double bond in a different place. It hardly occurs in the plant, so products are made by converting hemp-derived CBD in a lab. Its effects in people have not been studied in clinical trials, and in the UK it falls under the Class B control of THC and its derivatives.
Key facts
- What it is
- A tetrahydrocannabinol isomer; the double bond sits at carbon 10 instead of 9
- Origin
- Made by chemical conversion of hemp-derived cannabinoids; trace amounts at most in the plant
- CB1 receptor (lab studies)
- Binds more weakly than Δ9-THC; results on whether it activates the receptor differ between studies
- Human trials
- None published on its effects (as of October 2026)
- UK legal status
- Tetrahydro derivatives of cannabinol are Class B drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (as of October 2026)
What is delta-10 THC?
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exists in several isomers, molecules with the same formula but a different structure. The THC that cannabis makes in quantity is delta-9 THC. Delta-8 and delta-10 THC differ only in where one double bond sits in the ring.
That small change affects how the molecule fits cannabinoid receptors. It also means delta-10 THC is not something you extract from hemp in any useful amount. It is made in the lab, usually as a mix of trans and cis forms (Haghdoost et al., 2023).
How is delta-10 THC made?
Producers start from CBD extracted from hemp and convert it with chemical reactions into THC isomers. Researchers describe this as part of a wider market in which CBD from low-THC hemp is used as a raw material for THC variants marketed as legal alternatives to THC (Janssens et al., 2024).
The conversion produces by-products. A US laboratory that analysed about 300 cannabis vaping liquids found unnatural THC isomers, including delta-10 THC, in many of them, and named chemical and heat treatment of converted hemp as the likely cause (Ciolino et al., 2021). Buyers of such products often cannot know exactly what they contain.
Does delta-10 THC get you high?
There are no human trials, and laboratory results point in different directions:
- In receptor binding tests, both delta-10 THC isomers bound the CB1 receptor more weakly than delta-9 THC. In that study they did not activate the receptor at all (Haghdoost et al., 2023).
- In mice trained to recognise the effect of delta-9 THC, one delta-10 isomer partly produced the same effect. This suggests it may have THC-like subjective effects (Wiley et al., 2024).
- A study of 30 THC variants found clear differences in CB1 activity between the stereoisomers of delta-10 THC (Janssens et al., 2024).
Claims that delta-10 THC is "uplifting" or "clear-headed" come from marketing, not from studies.
Delta-10 vs delta-8 vs delta-9 THC: what is the difference?
| Feature | Delta-9 THC | Delta-8 THC | Delta-10 THC |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the plant | Main form of THC | Small amounts | Trace amounts at most |
| Commercial source | Cannabis | Mostly converted from CBD | Converted from CBD |
| THC-like effect in mice | Reference compound | Fully substituted | Partly substituted (one isomer) |
| Human trials | Many | Few | None published |
| UK status | Class B | Class B | Class B |
Sources for the table: Wiley et al., 2024; Haghdoost et al., 2023; Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Schedule 2. Read more in What is delta-8 THC? and What is THC?
Is delta-10 THC safe?
Its safety has not been studied in people. US poison centres received 5,022 reports of exposure to delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC or THC-O acetate in 2021 and 2022. Most involved delta-8 THC, 30.1% involved children under six, and 38.4% had a serious medical outcome (Burgess et al., 2024).
Is delta-10 THC legal in the UK?
No. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 lists cannabinol and cannabinol derivatives as Class B drugs. It defines cannabinol derivatives as "tetrahydro derivatives of cannabinol and 3-alkyl homologues of cannabinol or of its tetrahydro derivatives", which covers THC isomers such as delta-10 THC. The Home Office confirms that cannabinol derivatives, including THC, are Class B drugs, while pure CBD is not controlled (Home Office, 2024). Our guide Is CBD legal in the UK? explains the rules for CBD.
From our production
We don't sell HHC or any other cannabinoid that intoxicates, and we don't sell THCA products that turn into THC when heated.
— Robin Roy Krigslund-Hansen, co-founder and CEO
Frequently asked questions
What is delta-10 THC?
Delta-10 THC is an isomer of THC, with one double bond in a different position from the delta-9 THC in cannabis. It is made in the lab, usually from hemp-derived CBD.
Is delta-10 THC natural?
Not in practice. It occurs in trace amounts at most in the plant, so products are made by chemically converting hemp-derived cannabinoids.
Is delta-10 stronger than delta-8?
No study in people has compared them. In mice, delta-8 THC fully reproduced the effect of delta-9 THC, while one delta-10 isomer did so only partly. In a receptor study, delta-10 THC bound CB1 more weakly than delta-9 THC.
Is delta-10 THC legal in the UK?
No. THC isomers count as cannabinol derivatives under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and are Class B drugs. Only pure CBD is outside the Act.
Will delta-10 THC show up on a drug test?
It can. A US laboratory found the delta-10 THC metabolite in 77 urine samples that had screened positive, and a common cannabis immunoassay reacted to it as strongly as to the delta-9 metabolite. Read our guide on CBD, drug tests and driving.
Related guides
This article summarises published research. It is not medical advice. Formula Swiss CBD oils are sold as cosmetics for use on the skin. They are not food supplements or medicines and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed:
Sources
- Haghdoost M, Brumar D, Geiling B, Brunstetter M, Bonn-Miller MO. Chemistry, crystal structure, and in vitro receptor binding of Δ10-THC isomers. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2023;8(S1):S1–S10. doi:10.1089/can.2023.0045
- Wiley JL, Marusich JA, Blough BE, et al. Evaluation of cannabimimetic effects of selected minor cannabinoids and terpenoids in mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024;132:110984. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.110984
- Janssens LK, Van Uytfanghe K, Williams JB, et al. Investigation of the intrinsic cannabinoid activity of hemp-derived and semisynthetic cannabinoids with β-arrestin2 recruitment assays, and how this matters for the harm potential of seized drugs. Arch Toxicol 2024;98(8):2619–2630. doi:10.1007/s00204-024-03769-4
- Ciolino LA, Ranieri TL, Brueggemeyer JL, et al. EVALI vaping liquids part 1: GC-MS cannabinoids profiles and identification of unnatural THC isomers. Front Chem 2021;9:746479. doi:10.3389/fchem.2021.746479
- Burgess A, Hays HL, Badeti J, et al. Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, delta-10 tetrahydrocannabinol, and tetrahydrocannabinol-O acetate exposures reported to America's Poison Centers. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2024;62(4):256–266. doi:10.1080/15563650.2024.2340115
- Patton AL, Muir L, Seither JZ, Walterscheid JP, Karschner EL. LC-MS-MS confirmation of 11-nor-9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8, Δ9, Δ10) and hexahydrocannabinol metabolites in authentic urine specimens. J Anal Toxicol 2025;49(2):96–103. doi:10.1093/jat/bkae091
- Home Office. Drug licensing factsheet: cannabis, CBD and other cannabinoids (updated 3 October 2024). gov.uk
- Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Schedule 2. legislation.gov.uk
