Title : No risk, no fun: Current trend and risks associated with delta-THC use
Abstract:
Cannabis and cannabis derivates are enjoying wide popularity in the U.S. While many developments came to a hold during the Covid-19 pandemic, the legalization of cannabis further progressed along with an expanding market for Delta-THC.
Cannabis is federally a schedule 1 substance but hemp derivates are exempt from this law through the 2018 Farm Bill. The substances classified as hemp derivates include the Delta-THC and CBD. Due to this legal loophole, they are easily accessible and sold at local convenience stores, gas stations or online. The sales of Delta-THC in the last 2 years have exceeded over 2 billion dollars.
The most used Delta-THC are Delta-8-, 9- and 10-THC. Delta-THC’s effects are similar to marijuana as they induce euphoria, feeling stoned and can cause anxiety and psychosis. The effects on cognitive alertness differ as Delta-8 -and 9-THC are sedating while Delta-10-THC is rather activating. Altered sense of time as well as short-term memory deficits and poor concentration are associated with any of the Delta-THC. In addition, cardiovascular effects including tachycardia and hypertension have been reported.
Legally, the THC content of these substances is supposed to be less than 0.3% THC. The majority of Delta-THC do not undergo any laboratory testing prior to marketing. Conducted tests of products have shown discrepancies with worrisome results with deviations from the claimed content on the label by up to 150%.
There is no standardized method established to synthesize Delta-THC. Chemically, the Delta-THC are molecularly close relatives. First, manufacturers must extract CBD from hemp and then convert it to psychoactive cannabinoids. For this chemical synthesis process, unsafe household chemicals are frequently used. Those potentially leave residual substances in the Delta-THC, so that the substance can contain toxic solvents, for example acetone, heavy metals, or lead. These toxic byproducts can lead to harm in the user and potentially cause lung damage if smoked or vaped.
Along with the increasing popularity of Delta-THC, there are also increasing cases of toxicity being reported. During the time between January 2021 and February 2022, the DFA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) reported over 2,300 calls to national poison control centers. Every third person who called poison control required a medical evaluation in a hospital setting, while one person required an inpatient admission. Due to these safety concerns, seventeen states have banned the sales of Delta-8-THC while seven others have restrictions in place.
This presentation is a systematic review of literature discussing the available data on Delta-THC for psychiatric and medical use. Utilized sources were Pubmed, Ovid, Medline, PsychInfo, EMBASE.
