Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8-THC, Δ
8-THC)
is a
psychoactive
A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, psychoactive agent or psychotropic drug is a chemical substance, that changes functions of the nervous system, and results in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition or behavior.
Th ...
cannabinoid
Cannabinoids () are several structural classes of compounds found in the cannabis plant primarily and most animal organisms (although insects lack such receptors) or as synthetic compounds. The most notable cannabinoid is the phytocannabinoid tet ...
found in the
Cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...
plant.
It is an
isomer
In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formulae – that is, same number of atoms of each element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. Isomerism is existence or possibility of isomers.
Iso ...
of
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis and one of at least 113 total cannabinoids identified on the plant. Although the chemical formula for THC (C21H30O2) describes multiple isomers, the term ''THC'' ...
(delta-9-THC, Δ
9-THC), the compound commonly known as THC. ∆
8-THC is under preliminary research for its biological properties.
Effects
∆
8-THC is moderately less
potent than Δ
9-THC.
This essentially means that it has properties similar to those of ∆
9-THC, although to a lesser degree per milligram of material consumed. Delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC both contain a double bond in their molecular structure, but the location is different. Delta-8-THC has the bond in the eighth carbon while delta-9 contains it in the 9th carbon.
Although ∆
8-THC functions similarly to Δ
9-THC in many ways, it appears to be only two-thirds as psychoactive. This may be because it binds differently to CB1, the cannabinoid receptor that regulates much of THC’s mind-altering effect. ∆
8-THC may cause increased
heart rate
Heart rate (or pulse rate) is the frequency of the heartbeat measured by the number of contractions (beats) of the heart per minute (bpm). The heart rate can vary according to the body's physical needs, including the need to absorb oxygen and excr ...
,
reddening of the eyes,
dizziness
Dizziness is an imprecise term that can refer to a sense of disorientation in space, vertigo, or lightheadedness. It can also refer to disequilibrium or a non-specific feeling, such as giddiness or foolishness.
Dizziness is a common medical c ...
, dryness of the mouth and throat,
paresthesia
Paresthesia is an abnormal sensation of the skin (tingling, pricking, chilling, burning, numbness) with no apparent physical cause. Paresthesia may be transient or chronic, and may have any of dozens of possible underlying causes. Paresthesias ar ...
,
tinnitus
Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no corresponding external sound is present. Nearly everyone experiences a faint "normal tinnitus" in a completely quiet room; but it is of concern only if it is bothersome, interferes with normal hearin ...
, increased
body awareness
''Body Awareness'' is a one-act play by Annie Baker. The play premiered Off-Broadway in 2008.
Background
This play marked the Off-Broadway debut for Annie Baker. The play takes place at Shirley State College in Shirley, Vermont, which "evokes A ...
,
weakness
Weakness is a symptom of a number of different conditions. The causes are many and can be divided into conditions that have true or perceived muscle weakness. True muscle weakness is a primary symptom of a variety of skeletal muscle diseases, i ...
, muscle
tension
Tension may refer to:
Science
* Psychological stress
* Tension (physics), a force related to the stretching of an object (the opposite of compression)
* Tension (geology), a stress which stretches rocks in two opposite directions
* Voltage or el ...
or
tremor, reduced
motor coordination,
fatigue,
sleepiness
Somnolence (alternatively sleepiness or drowsiness) is a state of strong desire for sleep, or sleeping for unusually long periods (compare hypersomnia). It has distinct meanings and causes. It can refer to the usual state preceding falling asleep ...
, changes in
visual perception
Visual perception is the ability to interpret the surrounding environment through photopic vision (daytime vision), color vision, scotopic vision (night vision), and mesopic vision (twilight vision), using light in the visible spectrum reflecte ...
, altered
visual imagery
A mental image is an experience that, on most occasions, significantly resembles the experience of 'perceiving' some object, event, or scene, but occurs when the relevant object, event, or scene is not actually present to the senses. There are ...
, enhancement of
colors
Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associa ...
or
contrasts,
time distortion, changes in
auditory perception,
euphoria,
tranquility
Tranquillity (also spelled tranquility) is the quality or state of being tranquil; that is, calm, serene, and worry-free. The word tranquillity appears in numerous texts ranging from the religious writings of Buddhism, where the term ''passaddhi'' ...
,
relaxation,
racing thoughts
Racing thoughts refers to the rapid thought patterns that often occur in manic, hypomanic, or mixed episodes. While racing thoughts are most commonly described in people with bipolar disorder and sleep apnea, they are also common with anxiety dis ...
, dreamy
introspective states, or difficulty in
thinking
In their most common sense, the terms thought and thinking refer to conscious cognitive processes that can happen independently of sensory stimulation. Their most paradigmatic forms are judging, reasoning, concept formation, problem solving, an ...
,
speaking
Speech is a human vocal communication using language. Each language uses phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if they are th ...
,
reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
, or
remembering.
A 1973 study testing the effects of ∆
8-THC in dogs and monkeys reported that a single oral dose of 9,000 milligrams per kilogram of body mass (mg/kg) was nonlethal in all dogs and monkeys studied.
The same study reported that the
median lethal dose
In toxicology, the median lethal dose, LD50 (abbreviation for "lethal dose, 50%"), LC50 (lethal concentration, 50%) or LCt50 is a toxic unit that measures the lethal dose of a toxin, radiation, or pathogen. The value of LD50 for a substance is the ...
of ∆
8-THC in rats was comparable to that of ∆
9-THC.
Both isomers of THC have been found to cause a transient increase in blood pressure in rats, though the effects of cannabinoids on the
cardiovascular system
The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...
are complex. Animal studies indicate that ∆
8-THC exerts many of its
central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
effects by binding to
cannabinoid receptor
Cannabinoid receptors, located throughout the body, are part of the endocannabinoid system a class of cell membrane receptors in the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily. As is typical of G protein-coupled receptors, the cannabinoid recepto ...
s found in various regions of the brain, including the
cerebral cortex
The cerebral cortex, also known as the cerebral mantle, is the outer layer of neural tissue of the cerebrum of the brain in humans and other mammals. The cerebral cortex mostly consists of the six-layered neocortex, with just 10% consisting of ...
,
thalamus
The thalamus (from Greek θάλαμος, "chamber") is a large mass of gray matter located in the dorsal part of the diencephalon (a division of the forebrain). Nerve fibers project out of the thalamus to the cerebral cortex in all directions, ...
,
basal ganglia
The basal ganglia (BG), or basal nuclei, are a group of subcortical nuclei, of varied origin, in the brains of vertebrates. In humans, and some primates, there are some differences, mainly in the division of the globus pallidus into an extern ...
,
hippocampus
The hippocampus (via Latin from Greek , 'seahorse') is a major component of the brain of humans and other vertebrates. Humans and other mammals have two hippocampi, one in each side of the brain. The hippocampus is part of the limbic system, a ...
, and
cerebellum
The cerebellum (Latin for "little brain") is a major feature of the hindbrain of all vertebrates. Although usually smaller than the cerebrum, in some animals such as the mormyrid fishes it may be as large as or even larger. In humans, the cerebel ...
.
A 2021 survey of 521 people who use delta-8-THC found that the most common self-reported effects were relaxation (71%), euphoria (68%), pain relief (55%), difficulty concentrating (81%), difficulties with short-term memory (80%), and altered sense of time (74%).
Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics
The
pharmacodynamic profile of ∆
8-THC is similar to that of ∆
9-THC.
It is a
partial agonist
In pharmacology, partial agonists are drugs that bind to and activate a given receptor, but have only partial efficacy at the receptor relative to a full agonist. They may also be considered ligands which display both agonistic and antagonis ...
of
CB1 and
CB2 cannabinoid receptor
Cannabinoid receptors, located throughout the body, are part of the endocannabinoid system a class of cell membrane receptors in the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily. As is typical of G protein-coupled receptors, the cannabinoid recepto ...
s with about half the potency of ∆
9-THC in most but not all measures of biological activity.
∆
8-THC has been reported to have a
Ki value of 44 ± 12 nM at the CB
1 receptor and 44 ± 17 nM at the CB
2 receptor. These values are higher than those typically reported for ∆
9-THC (CB1 Ki = 40.7 nM) at the same receptors, indicating that ∆
8-THC binds to cannabinoid receptors less efficiently than ∆
9-THC.
Pharmacokinetics
The
pharmacokinetic
Pharmacokinetics (from Ancient Greek ''pharmakon'' "drug" and ''kinetikos'' "moving, putting in motion"; see chemical kinetics), sometimes abbreviated as PK, is a branch of pharmacology dedicated to determining the fate of substances administered ...
profile of ∆
8-THC is also similar to that of ∆
9-THC.
Following ingestion in humans,
hepatic
The liver is a major organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth. In humans, it i ...
cytochrome P450
Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) are a Protein superfamily, superfamily of enzymes containing heme as a cofactor (biochemistry), cofactor that functions as monooxygenases. In mammals, these proteins oxidize steroids, fatty acids, and xenobiotics, and are ...
enzymes including
CYP2C9
Cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily C member 9 (abbreviated CYP2C9) is an enzyme protein. The enzyme is involved in metabolism, by oxidation, of both xenobiotics, including drugs, and endogenous compounds, including fatty acids. In humans, the prote ...
and
CYP3A4
Cytochrome P450 3A4 (abbreviated CYP3A4) () is an important enzyme in the body, mainly found in the liver and in the intestine. It oxidizes small foreign organic molecules (xenobiotics), such as toxins or drugs, so that they can be removed from t ...
first convert ∆
8-THC into 11-hydroxy-Δ
8-tetrahydrocannabinol (
11-OH-Δ8-THC).
Next,
dehydrogenase
A dehydrogenase is an enzyme belonging to the group of oxidoreductases that oxidizes a substrate by reducing an electron acceptor, usually NAD+/NADP+ or a flavin coenzyme such as FAD or FMN. Like all catalysts, they catalyze reverse as well as ...
enzymes convert 11-OH-Δ
8-THC into 11-nor-Δ
8-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (11-nor-Δ
8-THC-9-COOH, also known as Δ
8-THC-11-oic acid).
Finally, Δ
8-THC-11-oic acid undergoes
glucuronidation
Glucuronidation is often involved in drug metabolism of substances such as drugs, pollutants, bilirubin, androgens, estrogens, mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, fatty acid derivatives, retinoids, and bile acids. These linkages involve glycosid ...
by
glucuronidase Glucuronidase may refer to several enzymes:
* Alpha-glucuronidase
* Beta-glucuronidase
* Glycyrrhizinate beta-glucuronidase
* Glucuronosyl-disulfoglucosamine glucuronidase
In enzymology, a glucuronosyl-disulfoglucosamine glucuronidase () is an e ...
enzymes to form 11-nor-Δ
8-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid glucuronide (Δ
8-THC-COOH-glu).
This final product is then excreted in the urine.
Physical and chemical properties
∆
8-THC is a tricyclic
terpenoid
The terpenoids, also known as isoprenoids, are a class of naturally occurring organic chemicals derived from the 5-carbon compound isoprene and its derivatives called terpenes, diterpenes, etc. While sometimes used interchangeably with "terpenes" ...
. Although it has the same chemical formula as ∆
9-THC, one of its carbon-carbon
double bond
In chemistry, a double bond is a covalent bond between two atoms involving four bonding electrons as opposed to two in a single bond. Double bonds occur most commonly between two carbon atoms, for example in alkenes. Many double bonds exist betwee ...
s is located in a different position.
This difference in structure increases the chemical stability of ∆
8-THC relative to ∆
9-THC, lengthening shelf life and allowing the compound to resist undergoing
oxidation
Redox (reduction–oxidation, , ) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of substrate change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is the gain of electrons or a d ...
to
cannabinol
Cannabinol (CBN) is a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid that acts as a low affinity partial agonist at both CB1 and CB2 receptors. This activity at CB1 and CB2 receptors constitutes interaction of CBN with the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
CBN ...
over time.
Like other cannabinoids, ∆
8-THC is very
lipophilic
Lipophilicity (from Greek λίπος "fat" and φίλος "friendly"), refers to the ability of a chemical compound to dissolve in fats, oils, lipids, and non-polar solvents such as hexane or toluene. Such non-polar solvents are themselves lipop ...
(
log ''P'' = 7.4). It is an extremely viscous, colorless oil at room temperature.
While ∆
8-THC is naturally found in plants of the ''
Cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...
'' genus,
this compound can also be produced in an industrial or laboratory setting by exposing
CBD to acids and heat.
Solvents that may be used during this process include
methylene chloride
Dichloromethane (DCM or methylene chloride, methylene bichloride) is an organochlorine compound with the formula . This colorless, volatile liquid with a chloroform-like, sweet odour is widely used as a solvent. Although it is not miscible with ...
,
toluene
Toluene (), also known as toluol (), is a substituted aromatic hydrocarbon. It is a colorless, water-insoluble liquid with the smell associated with paint thinners. It is a mono-substituted benzene derivative, consisting of a methyl group (CH3) a ...
, and
hexane
Hexane () is an organic compound, a straight-chain alkane with six carbon atoms and has the molecular formula C6H14.
It is a colorless liquid, odorless when pure, and with boiling points approximately . It is widely used as a cheap, relatively ...
.
Acids that may be used include
tosylic acid
''p''-Toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA or ''p''TsOH) or tosylic acid (TsOH) is an organic compound with the formula CH3 C6H4 SO3H. It is a white extremely hygroscopic solid that is soluble in water, alcohols, and other polar organic solvents. The CH ...
,
indium(III) triflate
In organic chemistry, triflate (systematic name: trifluoromethanesulfonate), is a functional group with the formula and structure . The triflate group is often represented by , as opposed to −Tf, which is the triflyl group, . For example, ' ...
,
trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate
Trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate is a trifluoromethanesulfonate derivate with a trimethylsilyl R-group. It has similar reactivity to trimethylsilyl chloride, and is also used often in organic synthesis.
Illustrative reactions
A common ap ...
,
hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride. It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungent smell. It is classified as a strong acid
Acid strength is the tendency of an acid, symbol ...
, and
sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid ( Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen and hydrogen, with the molecular formu ...
.
Because it is possible for chemical contaminants to be generated during the process of converting CBD to ∆
8-THC, such as
Δ10-THC,
9-OH-HHC
9-Hydroxyhexahydrocannabinol (9-OH-HHC) is a semi-synthetic derivative of tetrahydrocannabinol. It is formed as an impurity in the synthesis of Delta-8-THC, and retains activity in animal studies though with only around 1/10 the potency of Δ9-TH ...
and other side products, as well as the potentially toxic chemical reagents used during manufacture, concern has been raised about the safety of untested or impure ∆
8-THC products.
![Delta-9-THC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Delta-9-THC.jpg)
∆
8-THC has a double bond (a) between the carbon atoms labeled 8 and 9. ∆
9-THC has a double bond (a) between the carbon atoms labeled 9 and 10.
The ongoing controversy regarding the legal status of ∆
8-THC in the U.S. is complicated by
chemical nomenclature
A chemical nomenclature is a set of rules to generate systematic names for chemical compounds. The nomenclature used most frequently worldwide is the one created and developed by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).
The ...
. According to a 2019 literature review published in ''
Clinical Toxicology
Toxicology is a scientific discipline, overlapping with biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and medicine, that involves the study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms and the practice of diagnosing and treating expo ...
'', the term "
synthetic cannabinoid" typically refers to a
full agonist
An agonist is a chemical that activates a receptor to produce a biological response. Receptors are cellular proteins whose activation causes the cell to modify what it is currently doing. In contrast, an antagonist blocks the action of the ago ...
of
CB1 and
CB2 cannabinoid receptor
Cannabinoid receptors, located throughout the body, are part of the endocannabinoid system a class of cell membrane receptors in the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily. As is typical of G protein-coupled receptors, the cannabinoid recepto ...
s.
According to the review, "The psychoactive (and probably the toxic) effects of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists are likely due to their action as full receptor agonists and their greater potency at CB
1 receptors."
Because ∆
8-THC and ∆
9-THC are
partial agonist
In pharmacology, partial agonists are drugs that bind to and activate a given receptor, but have only partial efficacy at the receptor relative to a full agonist. They may also be considered ligands which display both agonistic and antagonis ...
s of cannabinoid receptors,
rather than full agonists, these compounds are less potent and less toxic than many synthetic cannabinoids. Although it has not been definitively proven if full agonism is the reason for toxicity as ∆
9-THC has been shown to act as a full CB
1 agonist on specific CB
1 receptors located in the hippocampus section of the brain. and the synthetic cannabinoid EG-018 acts as a partial agonist The classical cannabinoid dibenzopyran structure class of drugs which includes THC interact with a different spot inside of the CB
1 receptor than synthetic cannabinoid compounds of unrelated chemical classes such as Naphthoylindoles do which may contribute to toxicity.
History
The
partial synthesis of ∆
8-THC was published in 1941 by
Roger Adams
Roger Adams (January 2, 1889 – July 6, 1971) was an American organic chemist who developed the eponymous Adams' catalyst, and helped determine the composition of natural substances such as complex vegetable oils and plant alkaloids. He isolat ...
and colleagues at the
University of Illinois
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Univer ...
. In 1942, the same research group studied its physiological and psychoactive effects after oral dosing in human volunteers.
Total syntheses of ∆
8-THC were achieved by 1965. In 1966, the chemical structure of ∆
8-THC isolated from cannabis was characterized using modern methods by Richard L. Hively, William A. Mosher, and Friedrich W. Hoffmann at the
University of Delaware
The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 mas ...
. A
stereospecific synthesis of ∆
8-THC from
olivetol
Olivetol, also known as 5-pentylresorcinol or 5-pentyl-1,3-benzenediol, is an organic compound found in certain species of lichen; it is also a precursor in various syntheses of tetrahydrocannabinol.
Occurrence
Olivetol is a naturally occurrin ...
and
verbenol
Verbenol (2-pine-4-ol) is a group of stereoisomeric bicyclic monoterpene alcohols. These compounds have been found to be active components of insect pheromones and essential oils. Isomers
Four stereoisomers of verbenol are known. For the ''cis'' ...
was reported by
Raphael Mechoulam
Raphael Mechoulam ( he, רפאל משולם, bg, Рафаел Мешулам; born 5 November 1930) is an Israeli organic chemist and professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. Mechoulam is best known for h ...
and colleagues at the
Weizmann Institute of Science
The Weizmann Institute of Science ( he, מכון ויצמן למדע ''Machon Vaitzman LeMada'') is a public research university in Rehovot, Israel, established in 1934, 14 years before the State of Israel. It differs from other Israeli unive ...
in 1967. ∆
8-THC was often referred to as "Delta-6-THC" (Δ
6-THC) in early scientific literature, but this name is no longer conventional among most authors.
Legality in the United States
In 1937, ∆
9-THC was effectively made illegal with the passage of the
Marihuana Tax Act
The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, , was a United States Act that placed a tax on the sale of cannabis. The H.R. 6385 act was drafted by Harry Anslinger and introduced by Rep. Robert L. Doughton of North Carolina, on April 14, 1937. The Seventy-fift ...
, which made cannabis illegal on the federal level. Over the course of the 1970s, 11 states
decriminalized marijuana, with others reducing related penalties. President Ronald Reagan re-enacted mandatory sentences for cannabis-related offenses.
The
2018 United States farm bill signed into law in December 2018 states that, "The term “hemp” means the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.", ∆
8-THC products
partially synthesized from compliant sources (including
industrial hemp
Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial or medicinal use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest growing plants o ...
and derivative
cannabidiol
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid discovered in 1940. It is one of 113 identified cannabinoids in cannabis plants, along with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and accounts for up to 40% of the plant's extract. , clinical research on CBD incl ...
extracts) have been sold by a range of digital and
brick and mortar
Brick and mortar (also bricks and mortar or B&M) refers to a physical presence of an organization or business in a building or other structure. The term ''brick-and-mortar business'' is often used to refer to a company that possesses or leases r ...
retailers, including
head shops
A head shop is a retail outlet specializing in paraphernalia used for consumption of cannabis and tobacco and items related to cannabis culture and related countercultures. They emerged from the hippie counterculture in the late 1960s, and ...
and gas stations. Common products range from bulk quantities of unrefined
distillate
Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distillation is the heat ...
to prepared
edibles and
atomizer cartridges infused with cannabis-derived
terpenes
Terpenes () are a class of natural products consisting of compounds with the formula (C5H8)n for n > 1. Comprising more than 30,000 compounds, these unsaturated hydrocarbons are produced predominantly by plants, particularly conifers. Terpenes ar ...
. They are usually marketed as federally legal alternatives to their ∆
9-THC counterparts.
However, the legal status of ∆
8-THC at the federal level is in question with some believing that the Oct. 2020 DEA IFR addressing "synthetics" applied to Delta-8 and other hemp derivatives allowed by the Farm Bill.
While most states have not arrested significant numbers of people for ∆
8-THC, a handful have been arrested and charged, leading to confusion as to its legal status in those states.
Despite claims of legality by manufacturers, independent testing of products from retail often reveals significant levels of ∆
9-THC, well above the legal threshold. One store owner in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin is facing a sentence of up to 50 years for selling delta 8 products with illegal amounts of ∆
9-THC. Other raids and arrests have happened due to delta 9 THC content of these products in North Carolina. Catoosa County Sheriff Sisk has announced intent to prosecute stores distributing delta 8 THC with non-compliant ∆
9-THC levels, and has stated “the products the sheriffs office has purchased and tested all contain significant levels of ∆
9.” and that they have “evidence needed to move forward with prosecution and seizures." There are also issues related to incidental manufacture of delta-8 THC, as delta 9 is produced as an intermediate product in the process of acid catalyzed ring closure of cannabidiol.
∆
8-THC products have been sold in regulated recreational cannabis and
medical cannabis industries within the United States for over 2 years.
∆
8-THC has not been approved by the FDA.
Side effects and safety
∆
8-THC is typically synthesized from cannabidiol extracted from hemp
as the natural quantities of ∆
8-THC found in hemp are low. The reaction often yields a mixture that contains other cannabinoids and unknown reaction by-products. As a result, most products sold as ∆
8-THC are not actually pure ∆
8-THC.
[ Little is known about the identity and the health effects of the impurities.][
The safety profile of regular, long-term delta-8-THC use is unknown. There have been at least 104 adverse event reports made regarding ∆8-THC,] National poison control centers received 2,362 exposure cases of delta-8 THC products between January 1, 2021 (i.e., date that delta-8 THC product code was added to database), and February 28, 2022. 58% of these exposures involve adults.
When using ∆8-THC, side effects may occur, such as dry mouth (colloquially known as "cottonmouth"), fatigue, and bloodshot eyes. ∆8-THC may be used as disposable vapes, edibles, or atomizer cartridges. People who consume ∆8-THC edibles are more likely to experience severe side effects compared to other methods of ingesting.
Research
∆8-THC has been studied as a potential treatment for glaucoma
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that result in damage to the optic nerve (or retina) and cause vision loss. The most common type is open-angle (wide angle, chronic simple) glaucoma, in which the drainage angle for fluid within the eye rem ...
, cornea
The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Along with the anterior chamber and lens, the cornea refracts light, accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical power ...
l injury, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Although it is a minor constituent of medical cannabis
Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana (MMJ), is cannabis and cannabinoids that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. The use of cannabis as medicine has not been rigorously tested due to production and governmental restrictions ...
, no large clinical studies have been conducted on delta-8-THC alone as of 2022.
See also
* Ajulemic acid
Ajulemic acid (1',1'-Dimethylheptyl-delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol-11-oic acid) (DMH-D8-THC-11-OIC) (AB-III-56, HU-239, IP-751, CPL 7075, CT-3, JBT-101, Anabasum, Resunab, Lenabasum) is a synthetic cannabinoid that shows anti-fibrotic and anti-inf ...
* Cannabinoid
Cannabinoids () are several structural classes of compounds found in the cannabis plant primarily and most animal organisms (although insects lack such receptors) or as synthetic compounds. The most notable cannabinoid is the phytocannabinoid tet ...
* Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among List of names for cannabis, other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both Recreational marijuana, recr ...
* ''delta''-3-Tetrahydrocannabinol
* ''delta''-4-Tetrahydrocannabinol
* ''delta''-7-Tetrahydrocannabinol (''delta''-5-tetrahydrocannabinol)
* ''delta''-10-Tetrahydrocannabinol (''delta''-2-tetrahydrocannabinol)
* ''delta''-6-Cannabidiol
* 11-Hydroxy-Delta-8-THC
11-Hydroxy-Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-Δ8-THC, alternatively numbered as 7-OH-Δ6-THC) is an active metabolite of Delta-8-THC (Δ8-THC), a psychoactive cannabinoid found in small amounts in cannabis. It is an isomer of 11-OH-Δ9-THC, ...
* Endocannabinoid system
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a biological system composed of endocannabinoids, which are endogenous lipid-based retrograde neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors (CBRs), and cannabinoid receptor proteins that are expressed ...
* Hexahydrocannabinol
Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) is a hydrogenated derivative of tetrahydrocannabinol. It is a naturally occurring phytocannabinoid that has rarely been identified as a trace component in ''Cannabis sativa'', but can also be produced synthetically by hy ...
* 7,8-Dihydrocannabinol
7,8-Dihydrocannabinol (7,8-DHC) is a trace component of cannabis. Despite its structural similarity to active cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinol, its pharmacology has not been studied.
See also
* 8,9-Dihydrocannabidiol
* De ...
* Tetrahydrocannabinol
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis and one of at least 113 total cannabinoids identified on the plant. Although the chemical formula for THC (C21H30O2) describes multiple isomers, the term ''THC' ...
* Tetrahydrocannabutol
Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabutol (tetrahydrocannabinol-C4, THC-C4, Δ9-THCB, (C4)-Δ9-THC, butyl-THC) is a phytocannabinoid found in cannabis that is a homologue of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component of Cannabis. Structurally, they ar ...
* Tetrahydrocannabiphorol
Tetrahydrocannabiphorol (THCP) is a potent phytocannabinoid, a CB1 and CB2 agonist which was known as a synthetic homologue of THC, but for the first time in 2019 was isolated as a natural product in trace amounts from ''Cannabis sativa''. ...
* THC-O-acetate
THC acetate ester (THC-O-acetate, THC acetate, O-acetyl-THC, THC-O, ATHC) is the acetate ester of THC.
Physical data, chemistry, and properties
THC acetate ester (THC-O or THCOA) can be synthesized from THC, or from THCA.
The acetylation of TH ...
* THC-O-phosphate
References
External links
CDC ALERT (September 14, 2021)
FDA ALERT (May 4, 2022)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tetrahydrocannabinol, delta-8-
Benzochromenes
Phytocannabinoids
Heterocyclic compounds with 3 rings
Oxygen heterocycles