The latest research has discovered a correlation between states where marijuana is legal and a decreased prevalence of Delta-8 THC – a psychoactive compound.
The study, published in the Journal of Medical Toxicology, found that reported incidents of Delta-8 THC exposure to US poison centers were significantly less in states where either Delta-8 THC was illegal or marijuana use was regulated.
This surprising find comes against the backdrop of a steep 79% increase in the reports of Delta-8 THC exposure to poison centers across the US between 2021 and 2022. The report found the higher rates of exposure were primarily in southern states where none permit the lawful purchase of recreational marijuana from recognized establishments. In fact, states where cannabis was deemed illegal bore over two-thirds of the reported exposures, solidifying a statistically significant discrepancy in exposure rates compared to states where marijuana use was legal.
Regulation’s Impact on Delta-8 THC Exposure
The study was spearheaded by experts from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Ohio State University College of Medicine’s Pediatrics Department, the University of Colorado School of Medicine, the Central Ohio Poison Center, and the Child Injury Prevention Alliance. They scrutinized data collected from the National Poison Data System across the entire US from the beginning of 2021 until the end of 2022.
To comprehensively examine the impact of marijuana legislation and the regulations surrounding Delta-8 THC on exposure rates, the states were categorized based on these factors during the study period. Under this classification, Delta-8 THC was divided into three categories: unrestricted, outright banned, or restricted but not banned, with restrictions including limiting sales to those over 21 years of age.
The team concluded there were markedly lower rates of reported Delta-8 THC exposure in states where cannabis use was legal, either for medicinal or recreational purposes, in contrast to states where cannabis use was outlawed. “Exposure rates reported to Poison Centers for Δ8-THC were significantly reduced in states where Δ8-THC was illegal or where cannabis usage was regulated,” the researchers affirmed in the study, thereby suggesting the need for nationwide uniform regulation of Delta-8 THC.
This research comes at a time when discussions at state and federal levels are intensifying around the regulation of Delta-8 THC and other cannabinoids derived from hemp. Advocates from some marijuana companies are lending their support to a nascent proposal to revise the legal definition of hemp in the 2024 Federal Farm Bill, aimed to preclude cannabinoids manufactured or synthesized outside of the plant. Language in the proposed amendment also addresses a spectrum of issues involving hemp industry businesses and the marketing of hemp-related products like CBD.
The results of the research highlight the critical need for homogeneity in the regulation of Delta-8 THC across the US, as this could aid in averting incidents of exposure, particularly in states still enforcing the prohibition of cannabis use..