FDA notifies population about risks of consuming Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-8 THC)

By Sechat

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency responsible for overseeing food safety and pharmaceutical products, recently issued a statement on its official website drawing attention to the indiscriminate use of Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol, a cannabis derivative commonly known as Delta-8 THC. 

According to the agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: "Consumers should be aware that Delta-8 THC products have not been evaluated and approved by the FDA for safe use, and may pose a risk to public human or animal health".

Statements such as:

• > Delta-8 THC products have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA for safe use and may be marketed in a way that endangers public health;

• > The FDA has received reports of adverse events involving products containing delta-8 THC;

• > Delta-8 THC has psychoactive and intoxicating effects;

• > Delta-8 THC products typically involve the use of potentially harmful chemicals to create the claimed delta-8 THC concentrations in the market;

• > Delta-8 THC products should be kept out of reach of children and pets.

The dangers of using the compound are highlighted in the post. 

Read the full post here: 

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

What is Delta-8 THC?

While the psychoactive Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, and the non-psychoactive counterpart (CBD) are the dominant forces in the legal cannabis market, as well as the most prominent in the medical market, other cannabinoids have come into the spotlight.

One of these compounds that is rising in the hierarchy is Delta-8-THC, a less psychoactive analog of THC, praised for its "antiemetic, anxiolytic, appetite-stimulating, analgesic, and neuroprotective properties," according to the National Cancer Institute. Another point that differentiates the two compounds, from a molecular standpoint, is just the carbon bond.

The cannabinoid (Delta-8-THC) became popular thanks to Professor Raphael Mechoulam in 1995, when he conducted a study with cancer patients who, after using the compound, no longer experienced vomiting from chemotherapy treatment. This cannabinoid behaves almost exactly like the "common" THC in most aspects, but has about half the affinity for the CB1 receptors in our brain.

This results in a much smoother sensation that many people find more pleasant and more compatible with the patient's daily routine. Although the compound has proven benefits, an increasing number of U.S. states are taking steps to implement a ban on Delta-8 THC. 

Since the 2018 Farm Bill in the United States, hemp-derived products are legal nationwide, based on the fact that the plant is non-intoxicating. However, the recent marketing of Delta-8-THC raises a new issue: for those working in the U.S. hemp industry, the growing marketing of Delta-8-THC is likely both exciting and concerning in equal measure. 

While the compound may offer more opportunities for farmers and business owners working with hemp, it may also lead to restrictive legislation around the newly legalized industry.