Delta-8 THC Products: FDA and CDC warn about health risks

On September 14, 2021, U.S. FDA and CDC issued public warnings about the possible health hazards of consuming Delta-8 THC products.    

The FDA and CDC's objective was to warn the public about the following three issues, among others. First, there is an increase in adverse event complaints to the FDA and the nation's poison control centers involving delta-8 THC products, owing to inadequate or misleading labeling and the erroneous assumption that these products are non-psychoactive. Following, there is a lot of marketing that is appealing to children, including internet marketing of items that resemble candy (gummies and other products may resemble candy). Lastly, there are concerns about contamination of delta-8 THC products as a result of production techniques.    

Delta-8 THC occurs naturally in tiny amounts in the cannabis plant and is thought to be 50-75% as potent as delta-9 THC. CBD, on the other hand, may be chemically transformed into delta-8 THC. According to the FDA, the finished delta-8 THC product may contain potentially hazardous by-products owing to the chemicals employed in the process, and there is ambiguity about additional possible contaminants that may be present or generated depending on the makeup of the initial raw material. These compounds may be dangerous if eaten or inhaled.    

Delta-8 THC products have not yet been reviewed or authorized by the FDA for safe use. Variability in product formulations and labeling, additional cannabinoid and terpene content, and varying delta-8 THC concentrations are among the FDA's concerns. Furthermore, some of these items may simply be branded as "hemp products," which may mislead customers who connect "hemp" with "non-psychoactive." The FDA also said that national poison control centers received 661 instances of delta-8 THC product exposure between January 2018 and July 31, 2021, with 660 of those cases occurring between January 1, 2021 and July 31, 2021. Among the 661 instances of exposure, accidental exposure to delta-8 THC was implicated in 41% of the cases, and 77 percent of these unintentional exposures impacted juvenile patients under the age of 18.    

The CDC cautions the public that differences in product composition, manufacturing methods, labeling, and possible misunderstanding of delta-8 THC's psychoactive characteristics may result in unanticipated consequences among users.    

 

Sources:  

https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2021/han00451.asp   

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