Hemp Is Big Business, But Not Totally Safe!

 What is Delta-8-THC?  A) A New Airplane? B) A New Car?  C) A new rock band from the South? D) A new ingredient for your smoothie? or E) A hemp product that can make your child “high.”

Delta-8 THC is Tetrahydrocannabinol. It is a psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant (marijuana), a flower that grows naturally. According to Pot Guide, cannabis and hemp plants grow very small amounts of Delta-8 THC, but it’s a booming business.  You extract it from the Hemp plant by way of Co2 extraction.

It is known as “weed light.”  It can energize or relax you. It is the middle ground between hemp, CBD and THC-Delta-9 that is outlawed.  Matthew Mongelia writes in Pot Guide that “the hemp derivation and lack of Delta 9-THC ideally put Delta-8 preparations into the same class as CBD products.” The labels on most Delta 8 products say little or nothing about ingredients, dosage, potency, manufacturing or side effects.  They are not governed by the FDA.

According to Professor George Weiblen of the University of Minnesota, marijuana and hemp share some and many of the same chemicals, 144 cannabinoids, like CBD for what ails you and THC to get high.  So, is Delta 8-THC legal? Yes, for now.

The Farm Bill

The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the Farm Bill, legalized hemp and products made from it, as long as they don’t contain more than .3% of Delta-9-THC.  Somehow, Delta 8-THC is not in the Farm Bill’s regulations.  Delta 8-THC may be legal if extracted directly from hemp, but not if it’s synthesized from CBD, even if that CBD was originally extracted from hemp.  Because of this loophole, states where hemp possession is legal, can sell it. In 36  U.S. states, marijuana is legal for medicinal use.  In 14 states, it’s legal for recreational use.

The only distinguishing factor between the outlawed Delta 9-THC and Delta 8-THC are the chemical bonds.  The Delta 8 THC has a double bind on the 8^th carbon chain, whereas the outlawed Delta 9-THC has same double bond on the 9^th carbon chain.  CBD or cannabidiol or CBD is a chemical compound in marijuana. However, as noted in The New York Times, 3/1/2021, “Not Quite Marijuana, This High Slips Past Most Bans Across U.S.,” when making a Delta 8 product, it can be hard, if not impossible, to filter out all the Delta 9 from hemp.”

CBD Oil: Is it Medicinal?

Delta-8-THC comes in gummies, vape pens or buds.  The Delta 8 CBD Oil and gummies are safe to use and don’t have any known side effects.  My daughter and son-in-law live in a state that has not legalized marijuana, but has CBD stores that sell less than .03 percent of THC in their products.  Their rescue dog, “Sneekers,” so-named because of his “white boots,” has always been hyper-active.  Training, an expensive calming bed, and a Thunder Shirt never worked for their dog who made Marmaduke (from the comics) look calm.

Their veterinarian recommended putting CBD oil in “Sneekers” ears and in his food.  It has  dramatically lessened his anxiety.  For the last year, there has been less barking and frenetic activity in their house as the dog, two- and- a -half, has calmed down.  Sixty dollars a month from a CBD store can bring peace to a household!

CBD oil has also been used in humans for medicinal uses as panaceas for arthritis, diabetes, sleep disorders, anxiety, lower blood pressure, depression, cancer-related symptoms, acne. It is being studied in human research as a medicine for substance abuse, mental disorders and certain types of cancers.

There are drawbacks of using Delta-8-THC that your children should know about:

• It can sometimes spark paranoia and anxiety or trigger dizziness and headaches.
• Even CBD oil can have side effects: diarrhea, changes in appetite and weight, and fatigue.
• Vaping Delta-8 is still smoking.
• It is possible to fail a drug test with Delta-8 as those tests do not test for specific types of THC, but rather THC metabolites (result of body processing any form of THC).