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Analysis: Hemp-Derived Intoxicants Frequently Mislabeled, Contain Elevated Levels of Pesticides

Washington, DC: Hemp-derived intoxicating products typically contain greater quantities of THC than are allowable under federal law and some products also contain elevated levels of pesticides, according to an analysis of commercially available products by the American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL).

Researchers purchased commercially available hemp-derived products (e.g., flower, pre-rolls, and vape pens) from either retail or online stores in six states (Arizona, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York). Labs performed analytical testing of the products for purity and potency and compared their results to the products’ Certificate of Authenticity (COA).

Consistent with other studies, most products contained quantities of cannabinoids that were inconsistent with the products’ COA. In most cases, products contained far less delta-8 THC than advertised and higher levels of THC than permissible under the 2018 federal Farm Act. Seven of the 48 products tested (15 percent) also contained pesticides at levels higher than those permitted under state law. “Consumers are unwittingly consuming contaminated products,” researchers reported.

The study’s authors concluded: “The clear takeaway from this study is that the current landscape of intoxicating hemp product testing does not accurately reflect the legality of the products being sold by vendors nationwide. ... It also illustrates the need for legislators to provide a robust regulatory framework [for] the testing of hemp products that ensures honest and accurate reporting of intoxicants and contaminants by testing laboratories.”

Delta-8 THC appears organically in cannabis flowers, but it is typically only produced in minute amounts. By contrast, the elevated quantities of delta-8 THC found in commercially marketed products are often the result of a chemical synthesis during which manufacturers convert CBD to delta-8 THC. Manufacturers engaged in synthesizing delta-8 THC are not regulated and may use potentially dangerous household products to facilitate this process.

Although the 2018 Farm Bill tasked the US Food and Drug Administration with regulating hemp-derived products, the agency has thus far failed to do so. Last year, regulators with the agency responded that Congress – not the FDA – must take primary responsibility for creating a regulatory framework overseeing the commercial production and marketing of hemp-derived cannabinoid products.

NORML and other groups have urged the FDA to establish regulatory guidelines governing the production, testing, labeling, and marketing of hemp-derived CBD products. In 2021, NORML issued a report on delta-8 THC and other novel, synthetically derived cannabinoids that cautioned consumers to avoid these unregulated products because they are untested and may contain impurities.

The full analysis is available from ACIL.

Clinical Trial: Plant-Derived Cannabis Extracts Safe and Effective for Treating Refractory Nausea

Sydney, Australia: The administration of cannabis extracts containing equal percentages of THC and CBD safely and effectively relieves refractory nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing chemotherapy, according to randomized clinical trial data published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Australian investigators assessed the use of standardized cannabis extracts versus placebo in 147 patients undergoing intravenous chemotherapy. (Australian law permits physicians to prescribe cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional treatments.) Participants in the study all suffered from nausea and vomiting despite taking standard antiemetic medications. Patients consumed either extracts or placebo three times a day in addition to their prescription medications.

Compared to placebo, cannabis extracts significantly reduced vomiting frequency and improved patients’ quality of life.

Researchers concluded: “An oral formulation of THC:CBD was an effective adjunct to standard antiemetics for prevention and treatment of refractory CINV, with adverse effects including sedation and dizziness, but no increase in serious adverse events. Our data support the claim that oral THC:CBD is an effective and safe option for the prevention of refractory CINV [chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting].”

In an accompanying editorial, authors opined, “For patients receiving moderate- or high-emetic-risk chemotherapy, THC:CBD may be considered as an option for secondary prophylaxis of CINV for patients who had refractory nausea in a previous cycle despite guideline-concordant treatment.”

Both cannabis and THC are well-established anti-nauseants. An oral formulation of synthetic THC (aka dronabinol) has been FDA-approved in the United States as an antiemetic since 1985.

Full text of the study, “Oral cannabis extract for secondary prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: Final results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase II/III trials,” appears in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Study: Medical Cannabis Patients Report Improved Quality of Life, Reduced Prescription Drug Use

Norfolk, VA: Patients authorized to consume state-legal medicinal cannabis products report improvements in their health-related quality of life and less reliance on prescription medications, according to data published in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners.

Researchers affiliated with Old Dominion University in Virginia surveyed 31 patients enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program. Study participants all resided in rural Virginia.

Consistent with other studies, researchers reported: “[Patients’] health and well-being improved significantly after medical cannabis was added to the treatment regimen. Prescription medication use decreased significantly. Quality of life and symptom intensity improved significantly.”

The study’s authors concluded, “Medical cannabis should be considered an alternative treatment for patients who suffer from anxiety, depression, insomnia, or chronic pain.”

Longitudinal data published last year in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research reported that patients experience sustained improvements in pain, anxiety, and mood following the use of medical cannabis. According to a 2023 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, nearly one in four pain patients residing in states where medical cannabis access is legal self-identify as marijuana consumers.

Full text of the study, “Medical cannabis use and quality of life among Appalachian adults,” appears in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners.

Gallup: Americans Say Alcohol, Tobacco More Harmful Than Cannabis

Washington, DC: A greater percentage of Americans believe that alcohol and nicotine pose greater dangers to health than marijuana, according to national polling data provided by Gallup.

Seventy-nine percent of respondents acknowledged that cigarettes are “very harmful” to health. One-third of respondents said that alcohol was “very harmful.” By contrast, 26 percent of those surveyed said that cannabis was “very harmful.” Twenty-two percent said that it was “not harmful at all.”

The survey’s results are consistent with those of prior polls, finding that most Americans perceive marijuana to be less harmful than alcohol or cigarettes.

Respondents’ attitudes toward cannabis varied by whether they had ever consumed it. Specifically, 61 percent of cannabis consumers said that it has a “positive” effect on “most people who use it.” By contrast, only 30 percent of non-users agreed with the statement.

Detailed poll results are available from Gallup.

Analysis: THC Blood Concentrations Not Correlated With Impairment

Oslo, Norway: The presence of THC in blood is poorly correlated with behavioral impairment, according to data published in the Forensic Science International.

Norwegian researchers assessed the relationship between drug concentrations and impaired psychomotor performance in a cohort of over 15,000 individuals suspected of drugged driving and 3,684 drug-free controls. Driving performance was assessed by participants’ performance on a clinical test of impairment (CTI).

Consistent with prior literature, “The correlation between drug concentration was high for ethanol, ... but low for THC.”

Specifically, authors determined, “For THC, the median drug concentrations changed little between drivers assessed as not impaired and impaired.”

They concluded, “The lack of a close relationship between drug concentration of THC and degree of impairment at the individual level is in accordance with several observations from experimental studies [where participants engaged in the] controlled intake of cannabis.”

The authors’ findings are consistent with those of numerous studies reporting that neither the detection of THC nor its metabolites in blood or other bodily fluids is predictive of impaired driving performance. As a result, NORML has long opposed the imposition of per se THC limits for motorists and has alternatively called for the expanded use of mobile performance technology like DRUID.

Full text of the study, “The relationship between clinical impairment and blood drug concentrations: Comparison between the most prevalent traffic relevant drug groups,” appears in Forensic Science International.