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Analysis: Most ‘Hemp-Derived’ Intoxicating Products Sold Online Contain Synthetically Produced Cannabinoids

San Diego, CA: Most commercially available hemp-derived intoxicating products are infused with synthetic cannabinoids, including novel cannabinoids like THCP and HHC, according to an analysis of 104 products by the San Diego/Imperial Counties Joint Labor Management Cannabis Committee.

Investigators assessed the composition and potency of 104 distinct products from 68 brands. All the products were available online and delivered to California by the US Postal Service. (Hemp-derived intoxicating products are not currently subject to federal regulations or oversight.) No age verification was required when purchasing any of the products. Most of the products were categorized as either vape products or gummies.

Researchers determined that 95 percent of the products sampled, including 97 percent of vape products, contained cannabinoids produced through a chemical synthesis rather than naturally extracted from the plant. While delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC were the most frequently identified synthetically derived cannabinoids, investigators also identified highly potent novel cannabinoids such as THCP and HHC in nearly one-third to one-half of products. Some products also tested positive for the presence of kratom, hallucinogenic mushrooms, or similar psychoactive substances.

The study’s authors cautioned that exposure to either synthetic cannabinoids or byproducts produced during the chemical conversion process can pose potential risks to consumers’ health.

They wrote: “The presence of synthetic cannabinoids in these products doesn’t just challenge their classification as ‘hemp’ – it also fundamentally distorts consumer expectations around potency. Many of the lab-made cannabinoids found in our analysis are far more potent than natural delta-9 THC, meaning a product’s psychoactive effects may be dramatically understated if potency is assessed solely by delta-9 THC content. … Novel and unknown isomers associated with chemically synthesized cannabinoids, like delta-8 THC, may present significant risks due to their unpredictable chemical and physical properties.”

They concluded: “To restore order to the market and bring clarity and certainty to consumers, all THC-containing products should be regulated as cannabis within California’s established framework. This will protect consumer safety, ensure tax compliance, and uphold the intent of the state’s cannabis laws.”

NORML and other groups have urged the FDA to establish regulatory guidelines governing the production, testing, labeling, and marketing of hemp-derived cannabinoid 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 often mislabeled and may contain impurities.

Full text of the white paper, ‘The Great Hemp Hoax,’ is available from the San Diego/Imperial Counties Joint Labor Management Cannabis Committee.

Survey: Nearly Half of Military Veterans Use Cannabis for Pain Relief

San Francisco, CA: An estimated 40 percent of veterans suffering from chronic pain consume cannabis products to mitigate their symptoms, according to survey data published in the journal Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health.

A team of investigators affiliated with the University of California at San Francisco and Yale University surveyed pain patients enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration primary care services program.

Forty percent of respondents acknowledged using cannabis products to manage their symptoms. However, the study’s authors suggested that this percentage may reflect under-reporting because cannabis use is discouraged within the Veterans Administration. Respondents were most likely to report using cannabis to manage pain or mobility (81 percent), sleep (62 percent), PTSD or anxiety (43 percent), stress (43 percent), and depression (29 percent).

Prior surveys indicate that veterans frequently consume cannabis to improve their health-related quality of life and to reduce their reliance on prescription medications.

Full text of the study, “Natural product use for chronic pain: A new survey of patterns of use, beliefs, concerns, and disclosures to providers,” appears in Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health.

Idaho: Voters May No Longer Be Able To Amend State’s Marijuana Policies

Boise, Idaho: State lawmakers have approved a resolution asking voters to provide legislators with the exclusive authority to amend state laws specific to the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana and other controlled substances.

Lawmakers in both chambers passed House Joint Resolution 4 along party lines. It asks voters to decide next year on the following ballot question: “Shall Section 26, Article III of the Constitution of the State of Idaho be amended to provide that only the Idaho Legislature shall have power and authority to legalize the growing, producing, manufacturing, transporting, selling, delivering, dispensing, administering, prescribing, distributing, possessing, or using of marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances?”

If enacted by voters, no future initiatives pertaining to how marijuana or other controlled substances are regulated will be permitted to appear on the Idaho ballot.

While the majority of Idahoans have expressed support for various drug policy reforms, such as the legalization of medical cannabis, GOP lawmakers who dominate the legislature remain steadfastly opposed to liberalizing the state’s marijuana laws. In February, Republican Gov. Brad Little signed legislation into law, making Idaho the only state to impose mandatory minimum penalties for low-level marijuana possession. That law takes effect in July.

North Dakota: Lawmakers Advance Competing Bills Permitting Edible Forms of Medical Cannabis

Bismarck, ND: Members of the House and Senate have passed competing bills through their respective chambers providing for the use of “cannabinoid edible products” by qualified medical cannabis patients. Under current law, state-registered patients may possess either herbal cannabis or infused tinctures, capsules, or topical patches.

Both measures – House Bill 1203 and Senate Bill 2294 – define “cannabinoid edible products” as “soft or hard lozenges in a geometric square shape into which a cannabinoid concentrate or the dried leaves or flowers of the plant of the genus cannabis is incorporated.” The Senate version of the bill limits edible products to no more than 5 mg per serving, while the House version imposes a 10 mg limit.

Edible cannabis products possess a longer duration of effect compared to inhaled or vaporized herbal cannabis.

Voters approved the state’s medical cannabis law nearly a decade ago. Nearly 10,000 North Dakotans are currently registered to access medical cannabis.

Separate legislation (HB 1596) fully decriminalizing low-level marijuana possession by adults was passed by the House in February and awaits further action by the Senate.