Avoid Diet Weeds, Says Johns Hopkins Expert

The market for hemp-derived cannabinoids is hotter than ever, but experts warn that people should educate themselves on the fundamental differences between delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC products. Highlights previously reported that delta-8 THC was first partially synthesized in 1941, but there is still much controversy surrounding this ingredient, due to the way it is extracted and converted.

Nextar reports that a Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor and other experts want to educate people about the choices they should make when it comes to cannabis.

Chemically, they are almost identical. But this small difference in this chemical structure results in a different way of interacting with your body with your [cannabinoid] receptors, says Ryan Vandrey, Ph.D., a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine who specializes in the behavioral pharmacology of cannabis.

The majority of delta-8 on the market is converted from CBD, using a natural solvent and acid as a catalyst, but people inside and outside the cannabis industry don’t seem to agree on the issue. whether delta-8 should be defined as synthetic or natural.

Vandrey also added that delta-9 THC is stronger, so why would consumers turn to delta-8?

The reason why people call the diet herb delta-8-THC [is because] This chemical difference is a little less potent compared to what it does at the receptor, Vandrey said, adding that delta-8 is about half as effective at producing the same effect as delta-9.

Does delta-8 THC get you high or is it a scam? asked a popular Reddit thread in r/weed. The consensus seems to confirm that it has fewer psychedelic effects than delta-9 THC.

Sales of hemp-derived cannabinoids, like CBD, exceed those of adult-use cannabis and are comparable to those of the craft beer industry, Whitney Economics found. There is no indication that the industry will slow down.

Representatives from NORML said Highlights that delta-8 is not a major concern, but it is more about residual chemicals and other byproducts found in gas station hemp products that you should be concerned about more. Dale Gieringer of Cal NORML specifically warned about THCO, which he said is instead one of the most particularly problematic compounds with the potential for real injury.

Peter Grinspoon, MD, a primary care physician at Mass General Hospital and instructor at Harvard Medical School, supports medical cannabis but says national medical cannabis programs do a much better job of controlling ingredients than stores selling products delta-8.

Grinspoon said the confusion caused by the federal government itself makes it difficult to distinguish between what is safe and what is not regarding hemp-derived cannabinoids.

In addition to the lack of regulation, we see regulatory inconsistency from different branches and levels of government. That’s going to make it even harder to get consistent regulations on things, he told Nexstar.

Legal experts have noted that the FDA had no plans to legalize delta-8 when the 2018 Farm Bill was passed, so time is running out for the hemp-derived cannabinoid industry. But sellers have them practically everywhere.

Delta-8 is so close to Delta-9 that it’s probably relatively safe, Grinspoon said. But even if we understood that delta-8 is safe for the delta-8 you buy at your local smoke shop, we have no idea what’s in it.

The 2018 Farm Bill paved the way for the Ninth Circuit Court to rule that certain low-THC cannabis derivatives were exempt from the Controlled Substances Act. This left a loophole for hemp-derived products that produce a psychoactive effect, but the federal government never intended to do so.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that delta-8 and similar cannabinoid derivatives have psychoactive and intoxicating effects that can be dangerous to consumers and urged Congress to take action and put in place regulations. These hemp-derived cannabinoids leave room for potentially harmful contaminants, according to the FDA.

How is Delta-8 THC made?

Delta-8 THC is only found in trace amounts in nature, so to get enough to infuse products, it must be converted from CBD. Roger Adams and a team of researchers at the University of Illinois were the first to report a partial synthesis of delta-8 in 1941.

Highlights reported exactly how this was done:

The publication Chemical and Engineering News (CEN) described the process as refluxing CBD in an organic solvent, such as toluene or heptane, with p-toluenesulfonic acid or another acid serving as a catalyst. In a controlled and regulated environment, these reactions would be carried out by chemists with PhDs to ensure that no harmful byproducts remain in products sold to consumers, but the hemp industry is notoriously underregulated and does not require any laboratory analysis.

The CEN also described the increase in delta-8 THC as worrying.

It is up to each consumer to exercise caution, or at least know the differences between delta-8 and delta-9 THC, which are significant.