In the United States, a gas station’s back wall could contain items other than just boxes of smokes. Teenagers are purchasing colorful canisters that contain delta-8, a kind of THC, which are offered for sale in stores and gas stations all around the nation.
More than 11% of more than 2,000 high school seniors in the United States who participated in a recent study reported using delta-8 within the previous year, according to data published on March 12 in JAMA. This is the first year that delta-8 use has been examined in the Monitoring the Future research, one of the top nationally representative studies of drug use trends among American teenagers. The survey team intends to track delta-8 use annually from now on since almost a tenth of senior students reported using the drug.
According to Alyssa Harlow, an epidemiologist at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles and one of the survey’s researchers, “we don’t really want to see any kids being exposed to cannabis, because it potentially increases their risk for developmental harms… and some psychiatric reactions” like suicidal thoughts.
Delta-8 is still relatively new to consumers and research, despite being widely used, particularly in the Midwest and the South. Science News spoke with Jessica Kruger, an addiction researcher at the University of Buffalo in New York, and Harlow to help shed light on the impact of the delta-8 obsession on children.
Describe delta-8-THC.
More than 100 substances called cannabinoids are found in cannabis plants. Delta-8 is among those. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or delta-9-THC, is the most well-known.
When someone consumes marijuana, the main chemical that makes them feel high is delta-9. This is due to the presence of cannabinoid receptors in the human brain, which aid in controlling mood, memory, appetite, and other physiological functions. These receptors are intended to connect with endocannabinoids, which are created by human bodies naturally; they are not intended to interact with cannabis plants. However, cannabis plant cannabinoids can still attach to these receptors and take control of the regularly functioning system.
Molecules containing delta-9- and delta-8-THC have a very similar chemical structure. The position of a double bond between carbon atoms is the only distinction. This alteration makes delta-8 less powerful than delta-9 because it binds to cannabinoid receptors in our brains less readily. However, delta-8 is still THC, it still binds to those receptors, and it still has psychoactive properties.
Since delta-8 is only present in trace amounts in cannabis plants—unlike delta-9—it is typically produced chemically from other cannabinoids, such as CBD. According to Kruger, “they’re creating [delta-8] from a naturally occurring substance by putting different chemicals in [other cannabinoids].” “A large portion of its hazardous additives and byproducts are unknown.”
Why does the government not control delta-8?
The Farm Bill was signed into federal law in 2018. It removed hemp products—which are derived from the same plant as marijuana—off the list of federally prohibited substances. Legalization of hemp was contingent upon each hemp product having less than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight. However, the bill’s wording only included 0.3 percent delta-9-THC rather than total THC, creating a space for the unrestricted manufacture and distribution of delta-8 products.
Although they can, “people tend not to smoke delta-8,” according to Kruger. People say their lungs feel severely harmed by it. This is typically observed in foods and tinctures. However, I’m also starting to notice more [vape] cartridges.
Why are teenagers drawn to delta-8?
There isn’t much regulation of delta-8 because of the Farm Bill’s legal gap. According to Harlow, “there is no [federal] minimum purchasing age for delta-8 and other THC products derived from hemp.” Additionally, they are frequently sold without age verification in establishments that young people visit.
Online merchants and gas stations are some of these easily accessible locations. “You go to a gas station, and the person selling it doesn’t really know what it is, even though it’s right there on the counter,” Kruger explains. Nothing can stop teenagers from doing anything.
Beyond accessibility, teens are the target audience for delta-8 product packaging and social media marketing. According to Harlow, “you’ll see delta-8 products that are… emulating very well-known candy and food products because there’s no regulation.”
Or, as Kruger observes, “There’s no denying that the cannabis industry is borrowing some strategies from the tobacco industry.”
What are the impacts of delta-8?
According to Kruger’s own research, delta-8 is typically “a nicer, younger sibling of delta-9.” She notes that although these may be tendencies, these sentiments aren’t absolute promises. “People tend to say that it’s not as strong, that they don’t get as much anxiety from it, and they also have a little bit more clear-headedness as they’re using it,” she adds.
Adverse effects reports to the U.S. indicate that vomiting, hallucinations, loss of consciousness, and anxiety are among the side effects. Food and Drug Organization.
Why does delta-8 concern public health officials?
All THC, including delta-8, has potential risks, but children are more vulnerable. It’s linked to suicidal thoughts, depression, and schizophrenia. The prefrontal cortex, which is crucial for problem solving and emotional regulation, thins more quickly in children who use THC than in healthy children (SN: 1/5/2024).
While any amount of THC can raise a child’s risk for developmental problems, Harlow notes that delta-8 presents special hazards in comparison to other forms of marijuana. The majority of the time, it is not necessary to label products explicitly stating their THC content or levels because so few states have passed legislation pertaining to delta-8, according to her. “There is a worry that youth may be consuming these goods under the mistaken impression that they are hemp-based products, without realizing that they contain THC.”
THC levels in the body that are harmful can result from unclear labeling and incorrect dose guidelines. Furthermore, delta-8 products could contain more than meets the eye due to the potential presence of impurities from chemical manufacturing. According to Kruger, “I really worry about these contaminants.” “I’m concerned that kids might be receiving something different. I’m also concerned about the potency.
Additionally, there have been more reports of adverse reactions to delta-8. Over 3,000 cases of delta-8 use were handled by America’s Poison Centers, a network of 55 poison centers located across the country, in 2022—an increase of 82% from the previous year. Governmental organizations including the FDA have issued warnings regarding delta-8 as a result of these factors.
What comes next, given the survey results?
According to Harlow, the purpose of this study was to gauge interest in the use of delta-8 among teenagers. Although her team is aware of this now, she adds there are still unsolved concerns that they intend to address in next polls, such as “What kinds of items are kids using? Where are they buying them? Do people purchase them online? Do they obtain them from acquaintances? Are they purchasing them from retailers who don’t verify identification?”
According to Harlow and her team’s survey, there is some indication that states that have legalized delta-8 use have lower rates of use, but they are unable to conclusively link lower rates of use to law.
However, legalizing delta-9 appears to reduce the use of delta-8, according to Kruger. “People tend to migrate to that more regulated market as it develops for cannabis products.”
Kruger is concerned about the future of THC products, particularly in the South, where Harlow’s team observed higher rates of delta-8 use. “It’s unlikely that some of these states will ever legalize until there’s federal legislation, if at all,” the speaker asserts. “I’m quite concerned about the emergence of these substitute cannabinoids. Because many of them are extremely erratic, unproven, and unregulated.
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