Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol: a scoping review and commentary.
Addiction (Abingdon, England) June 1, 2023 Cassidy R Loparco, Matthew E Rossheim, Scott T Walters et al.
Delta-8 THC, a psychoactive substance from the Cannabis plant, has become popular in the US since the 2018 Farm Bill implicitly legalized it. A scoping review of 103 documents found that people often use delta-8 THC as a substitute for other substances. Anecdotally, it is less potent than delta-9 THC, but negative consequences have been reported. There is no federal age restriction for purchase, and products are readily accessible online, typically less expensive than delta-9 THC, and often marketed in ways appealing to children. No regulations on synthesis lead to contaminated products and inconsistent effects. Thousands of calls to US poison control centers have been due to accidental exposure among minors. Most research is anecdotal and not peer-reviewed.