Young adults are more likely to self-report consuming unregulated, hemp-derived intoxicating products in states where marijuana is illegal, according to data published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Researchers affiliated with the University of Michigan and the University of South California assessed past year use of hemp-derived delta-8 THC products among those ages 19 to 30.
Consistent with prior studies, they reported that delta-8 THC consumption is far more popular in jurisdictions without regulated adult-use cannabis markets.
“Prevalence of delta-8 THC use was significantly lower in the West than the South and Midwest and lower in states with (vs. without) delta-8 THC regulations and in states with (vs. without) legal recreational cannabis use,” the study’s authors concluded.
Commenting on the study’s findings, NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: “Predictably, there exists far less demand for these unregulated products in environments where whole-plant cannabis legally regulated and available. Once again, the lesson is clear: Legalizing and regulating marijuana markets is preferable to prohibiting them. Placing marijuana products behind the counter keeps cannabis out of the hands of young people and it reduces the public’s appetite for these unregulated novel intoxicants.”
Separate data published last year in the Journal of Medical Toxicology reported far higher rates of poison control incidents involving the use of delta-8 products in states where licensed marijuana sales are prohibited. People who live in states where cannabis is illegal are nearly twice as likely to perform online searches for delta-8 THC products.
Although delta-8 THC occurs organically in the cannabis plant, it is typically only produced in nominal quantities. By contrast, the elevated quantities of delta-8 THC found in commercially available products are typically the result of a chemical synthesis during which manufacturers convert hemp-derived CBD to delta-8 THC. Manufacturers engaged in synthesizing delta-8 THC are not regulated and often use potentially dangerous household products to facilitate this process. Lab analyses of unregulated delta-8 products have consistently found them to contain lower levels of the compound then advertised on the products’ labels. Some products have also been found to possess heavy metal contaminants and unlabeled cutting agents.
NORML and other groups have urged the FDA to establish regulatory guidelines governing the production, testing, labeling, and marketing of hemp-derived cannabinoid products. In 2021, NORML issued a report on delta-8-THC and other novel, synthetically derived cannabinoids that cautioned consumers to avoid these unregulated products because they are untested and may contain impurities.
The full text of the study, “Use of delta-8 THC and other types of cannabis among young adults in the United States,” appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, “NORML’s Guide to Delta-8 THC and Other Novel Cannabinoids.”
