“These manufacturers claim that CBD can be extracted from hemp and that CBD isn’t THC, so it’s still considered hemp,” said Eric, an assistant public health professor at the University of California, San Diego.・ Reese states. In other words, delta-8 is chemically THC, but legally hemp.
Manufactured delta-8-THCs are usually added to gummies and arc cartridges and legally sold on the internet and in stores. However, because the product is not regulated, the contents of the label may differ from the contents of the package in terms of both the potency of Delta 8 and other unexpected ingredients such as Delta 9.
Is it dangerous?
The lack of US regulation on Delta 8 is of paramount concern to many public health professionals. Several studies, including those by the US Cannabis Council, have found contaminants in Delta 8 products. In another paper published in December by scientists at the University of Rochester, none of the 27 Delta 8 products tested contained the amount of Delta 8 they claimed. In addition, all 27 varieties probably contained potentially harmful by-products from the manufacturing process. This includes other cannabinoids such as delta-9-THC and heavy metals such as lead and mercury.
“I don’t think Delta 8 itself is more dangerous than Delta 9, but the way Delta 8 is made and the seller scares me,” said Dr. Vrana. “Because it’s unregulated and synthetic, there’s a lot of potential for things to go wrong.”
Due to these concerns, the CDC issued a health advisory on Delta 8 in September. The FDA issued a similar warning in May after receiving 104 reports of adverse events from the use of Delta 8, including hallucinations, vomiting, tremor, anxiety, dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness.
Similarly, the National Poison Control Center processed more than 2,000 calls for Delta 8 between January 2021 and February 2022, 41% of which children mistakenly misunderstood products containing Delta 8. It included that it was ingested. One of those cases died.