This means that people who consume low-quality delta-8 products are at risk of accidental poisoning. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have published recent warnings about delta-8 products. The Food and Drug Administration warns the public that cannabis products containing delta-8 THC can pose serious health risks to consumers. The public notice, issued on Wednesday, May 4, was based on reports of adverse events received by the FDA and national poison control centers over a 15-month period.
Products containing delta-8 THC, a substance that can produce intoxicating effects, are available in stores and on the Internet because of a loophole in cannabis laws that legalizes hemp-derived products in most states. The FDA has not evaluated or approved the safe use of THC delta-8 in any context, the agency said. In addition, the FDA is concerned about the proliferation of products that contain delta-8 (THC) and that are marketed for therapeutic or medical uses without approval, a marketing practice that the agency describes as misleading, violates federal law and puts consumers at risk. Ziva Cooper, PhD, director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, points to two main concerns surrounding the use of delta-8 THC: the lack of data on the effects of the compound and the lack of regulation of the manufacturing process.
THC delta-9 is classified as a Schedule 1 drug in the U.S. UU. And it's still illegal at the federal level; however, possession or ingestion is legal in the 18 states that have legalized cannabis for recreational use. It's also legal in states that have legalized medical marijuana.
Delta-8 THC, or delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, is a psychoactive substance found in the cannabis sativa plant, of which marijuana and hemp are two varieties. The compound occurs naturally in the cannabis plant in very small quantities. In addition, some manufacturers may use potentially unsafe household chemicals to produce delta-8 THC through this chemical synthesis process, according to the FDA report. In addition, he points out, there could be unsafe chemicals and impurities in the product that are not found in regulated products.
Products containing delta-8 THC are now legally available in 47 states. In California, where medical and recreational cannabis is legal, products containing delta-8 THC are available at gas stations and tobacco stores, as well as in dispensaries, he says. The FDA is also concerned about marketing, including online advertising, which makes these products attractive to children. Adverse effects included hallucinations, vomiting, tremors, anxiety, dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness.
Cooper, whose role in the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative is to study the health aspects of cannabis products and educate the public, says that it is important for consumers to know about these products, as more and different types continue to proliferate on the market. Learn more about the UCLA cannabis research initiative. This popular cannabis product claims to be milder than regular marijuana. But is it legal? And is it safe? As a subscriber, you have 10 gift items to give away every month.
Anyone can read what you share. However, recent warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration state that delta-8 is a potentially dangerous drug that has caused thousands of accidental poisonings. Some preliminary research supports the claim that delta-8 could cause a milder effect than traditional marijuana. However, since the drug is not regulated, the vast majority of delta-8 products on the market do not look like those tested in a laboratory and may be contaminated with other cannabinoids and heavy metals.
As a result, many experts advise against using it. Technically, delta-8 means delta-8-THC, as in THC, which is the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. The most common form of THC in cannabis plants is delta-9-THC, which is almost identical to delta-8-THC in its chemical structure. The similarity of the molecules means that delta-8 and delta-9 act very similarly in the body.
Most importantly, both bind to the same receptors in the brain, in particular to one called cannabinoid receptor type 1 (or CB), which produces the effect experienced when you smoke a joint or eat a marijuana gummy. However, research suggests that delta-8 has a slightly weaker binding to the CB1 receptor than delta-9, which attenuates its effect. A survey of delta-8 users supports this, and respondents reported feeling less paranoid, less anxious and having a “more pleasant high” compared to delta-9-THC. The most common experiences using delta-8 were relaxation, euphoria, and pain relief.
People reported that they had some difficulty concentrating, problems with short-term memory and an altered sense of time, although not to the same extent as with regular marijuana. The supposedly milder effect is one of the main attractions of delta-8 for users. The other is their legal status. The lack of regulation in the United States surrounding delta-8 is the biggest concern for many public health experts.
Several studies, including one conducted by the United States Cannabis Council, have found contaminants in delta-8 products. In another article published in December by scientists from the University of Rochester, none of the 27 delta-8 products analyzed contained the amount of delta-8 that they claimed. In addition, all 27 contained potentially harmful byproducts, presumably from the manufacturing process, including other cannabinoids, such as delta-9-THC, and heavy metals, such as lead and mercury. Because of these concerns, C, D, C.
It issued a health advisory on delta-8 in September. It issued a similar warning in May after receiving 104 reports of adverse effects from the use of delta-8, such as hallucinations, vomiting, tremors, anxiety, dizziness, confusion and loss of consciousness. Dana Smith is an award-winning health and science writer who lives in Durham, NC. .
