Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Nicholas Florko
Published on 2024-03-12 17:50:41
In the past year, approximately 11% of high school seniors have reported using Delta 8 THC, as per a recent report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Delta 8 THC is a form of cannabis that has gained popularity due to a loophole in a 2018 federal law, allowing it to be sold nationwide without the same restrictions as traditional marijuana. Unlike regulated marijuana sold in licensed dispensaries, Delta 8 products are available online, in gas stations, smoke shops, and in states where marijuana is prohibited. There is no federal minimum age requirement to purchase Delta 8 products.
Manufacturers of popular tobacco vape brands, such as Puff Bar, have begun producing their own Delta 8 THC vape products. Additionally, Delta 8 products are often sold in edible forms resembling popular snack foods like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, gummy worms, and Pop Rocks.
The data was gathered as part of the 2023 Monitoring the Future survey, which is conducted annually and funded by the National Institutes of Health. This survey provides some of the first concrete evidence that Delta 8 products are being used by adolescents. While 11.4% of respondents reported using Delta 8 in the past year, with 68.1% using it more than three times and 16.8% using it more than 40 times, the usage rate among high school seniors is still lower compared to traditional marijuana use. Approximately 30% of survey respondents reported using traditional marijuana in the last year, with over 90% of Delta 8 users also reporting marijuana usage.
The rise in Delta 8 popularity has raised concerns among NIH officials, such as Nora Volkow, the director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse. Volkow emphasized that the accessibility of Delta 8 products to teens is worrisome, as there is limited research on the health effects compared to traditional marijuana. The FDA has warned that Delta 8 products may contain harmful contaminants absent in traditional marijuana due to the manufacturing process involving solvents like heptane.
Several states have already banned Delta 8, with more than a dozen instituting statewide bans. State bans have shown to lower usage among high schoolers, according to the JAMA analysis. The FDA has also taken steps to regulate Delta 8 companies, issuing warning letters to companies selling Delta 8 edibles with unsafe additives. The Federal Trade Commission has sent cease-and-desist letters to companies selling Delta 8 products resembling popular snack foods for violating federal laws on deceptive practices and health risks.
In conclusion, the growing popularity of Delta 8 among adolescents has raised concerns about its accessibility and potential health risks. Regulatory efforts by states and federal agencies are being implemented to address the issue, but more research is needed to understand the full impact of Delta 8 on young users.
