Although more than 18 states have legalized recreational cannabis in the United States, two-thirds of U.S. states haven't yet regulated the industry.

Several states, including North Dakota, Ohio, and Minnesota, are running campaigns to regulate the industry in 2022.However, the craving to consume high-THC products, even in states where it is illegal, led cannabis companies to create and sell products containing minor cannabinoids with psychoactive effects.

When former U.S. President Donald Trump signed in 2018 the Farm Bill that legalized the cultivation of hemp and the sale of products derived from hemp with a THC level below 0.3%, companies used a loophole to produce psychoactive cannabinoids that live in a grey area.

While THC (also known as Delta-9 THC), the main compound of the cannabis plant, has psychoactive effects, other cannabinoids, such as CBD, CBG, and CBN, have no such psychotropic proprieties. These cannabinoids can be extracted from the hemp plant to produce many commercial products, including oil, topical, edibles, and soft gels.

But in recent years, companies in the U.S. are commercializing products containing minor cannabinoids extracted from hemp with psychoactive effects, including Delta-8 THC and THC-O acetate.Delta-8 THC is a cannabis compound that shares almost the same molecular structure as THC, still illegal in most U.S. states. It has similar psychoactive effects on humans, although less effective. But unlike THC, Delta-8 THC is not unlawful at the federal level, although it is unregulated.

The story of THC-O1 acetate is even more interesting. This cannabinoid is not a naturally occurring cannabinoid in cannabis because it is extracted from hemp's CBD. THC-O is an ester of THC. It can be synthesized through a chemical process using acetic anhydride, a high-inflammable and colorless liquid. The method to synthesize THC-O consists of extracting Delta-8 THC from CBD extracted from the hemp plant. Finally, acetic anhydride is added to the Delta-8 THC molecules to produce THC-O acetate.

These cannabinoids are not regulated, and they are supposed to be illegal because of their psychoactive effects. But as they comply with the 2018 Farm bill, they could be sold. Furthermore, little is known about these minor cannabinoids. A study on Delta-8 THC shows it provides much of the experiential benefits of Delta-9-THC with lesser adverse effects. Even less is known about THC-O, but some experts warn consumers to use it as it may be toxic due to the chemical used for the preparations.

But despite lack of information, they are becoming increasingly popular. A study2 published in early 2022 has shown that Delta-8-THC was heavily searched on Google in the U.S. 2020 and 2021. Researchers measured the public interest in Delta-8 THC by analyzing the Google queries that mentioned the cannabis compound taken into consideration for every state in the U.S. The public interest in Delta-8-THC increased rapidly in 2020 and 2021 and was exceptionally high in those U.S. states that haven't decriminalized or legalized recreational cannabis. Prohibition policies that don't allow people to consume high-THC cannabis products seem to lead consumers to try minor cannabinoids with similar effects of THC, which naturally occur in the cannabis plant.

However, such a trend may expose them to consuming unsafe products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which still excludes CBD from the dietary supplement definition, has recently notified3 the public about the risks of the Delta-8 THC products as the agency does not currently approve them. The agency also received 22 adverse event reports from people who consumed Delta-8 THC products. Regarding THC-O-acetate products, the situation is even more complicated. Some experts report that it is three times more potent than THC and significantly longer.

But what is more worrying is the lack of research on this product. There are no robust studies about THC-O acetate in this writing. Other minor cannabinoids that promise psychoactive effects are popping on the shelves. For instance, Delta-10 THC and hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) are newcomers in the cannabis market. Like Delta-8 THC, Delta-10 THC is extracted from hemp.

It is a cannabinoid marketed to help relieve stress and tension while not causing you to get intense feelings of paranoia, anxiety, or psychoactive effects. Although consumers may feel some psychoactive effects, Delta-10-THC products generally have milder effects than products containing Delta-8 THC. HHC4 was created in the 1940s, adding hydrogen molecules to Delta-9 THC, which converts THC to HHC. Experts don't have a firm position about HHC's potency as it has THC-like effects on the body and mind, but it is reported to be less potent, milligram-per-milligram, than Delta-8 THC.Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill loophole, these products are sold in the form of soft gels, oil, and gummies in all 50 U.S. states, although they are not federally regulated.

However, some states have started to ban them. In recent months, 14 states5, including New York, Colorado, and Mississippi, have blocked the sale of Delta-8, citing a lack of research into the compound's psychoactive effects. However, not all states see the compound as a health concern. For instance, in Texas, where recreational cannabis is still illegal, Delta-8 THC has become "temporarily" legal after a county judge blocked6 the state from criminalizing the hemp extract.

The cannabis industry will keep creating new products that continue to push the boundary of legality. At the same time, legislators and regulators struggle to keep pace. To avoid the lack of regulation regarding these psychoactive products extracted from hemp, federal agencies should regulate these new minor cannabinoids.

Written and Published by Dario Sabaghi in Weed World Magazine Issue 157 

Featured Image: Pexels

References:

1 https://www.forbes.com/sites/dariosabaghi/2022/01/18/what-is-thc-o-acetate-and-why-is-it-getting-attention/?sh=52f0340c5991

2 https://www.forbes.com/sites/dariosabaghi/2022/01/12/study-how-popular-is-delta-8-thc-in-the-united-states/?sh=2c8544c24cfc

3 https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/5-things-know-about-delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol-Delta-8-thc

4 https://www.hempgrower.com/article/what-is-hexahydrocannabinol-hhc-hemp-derived-cannabinoid-thc/

5 https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/delta-8-thc-legal-many-states-some-want-ban-it-n1272270

6 https://www.texastribune.org/2021/11/08/delta-8-texas-legal-lawsuit/