Delta-8 THC use in US adults: Sociodemographic characteristics and correlates

Livne, Ofir; Budney, Alan J.; Borodovsky, Jacob T.; Walsh, Clare; Shmulewitz, Dvora; Fink, David S.; Struble, Cara A.; Habib, Mohammad I.; Aharonovich, Efrat; Hasin, Deborah S.

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107374

Cited by 25 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…Although prevalence data do not exist, research has found that most delta‐8 THC users previously used delta‐9 THC [23]. However, findings from these studies are limited by the use of convenience samples; specifically, these samples mainly included individuals in states without adult non‐medical delta‐9 THC use legalized [22, 23] or were composed of only cannabis users [37, 39]. Future research should examine factors related to delta‐8 THC use using nationally representative samples.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Delta‐8 THC has been anecdotally described as being less psychoactive (i.e. having a ‘milder high’) than delta‐9 THC with fewer negative acute side effects, including anxiety and drowsiness [2, 7, 12, 18, 21–23, 26, 27, 33, 35, 37, 39, 42‐45]. As a result, delta‐8 THC is colloquially referred to as ‘THC lite’, ‘diet weed’ or ‘work weed’ [2, 3, 12].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Reasons For Usementioning

confidence: 99%

“…To more clearly understand why delta-8 THC popularity seems to be rising, a few peer-reviewed studies have collected data from convenience samples to examine motives for using delta-8 THC [22,23,37,39]. Reasons for using delta-8 THC were similar to those for using delta-9 THC and included to reduce anxiety/stress, to selftreat medical conditions, as a substitute for other drugs and because it was presumed to be legal [22,23,37,39,40]. Some individuals reported using delta-8 THC in place of other drugs for reasons that included fewer and less severe adverse side effects, less perceived addictiveness and withdrawal potential, greater perceived effectiveness and safety, greater retail availability and lower prices [22,23].…”

Section: Reasons For Usementioning

confidence: 99%

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Delta‐8 tetrahydrocannabinol: a scoping review and commentary

et al. 2023

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Background and Aims Delta‐8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a psychoactive substance from the Cannabis plant that has been rising in popularity in the United States since the 2018 US Farm Bill implicitly legalized it. This study reviewed research from peer‐reviewed and non‐peer‐reviewed (e.g. anecdotal and news) reports related to delta‐8 THC to summarize current knowledge and implications for public health and safety. Methods A scoping review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and Google as search engines, leading to the identification of 103 documents that were summarized. The themes that emerged were (1) legality, (2) use (popularity, motives, psychoactivity/potency, benefits/consequences), (3) synthesis (byproducts, laboratory testing) and (4) retail (availability, price, packaging, youth‐oriented marketing). A second author independently coded 20% of the documents, which verified the categorization of articles by these emergent themes. Results Most research used animal/cell models or focused upon ways to identify the chemical structure of delta‐8 THC in various products. Findings suggest that people often use delta‐8 THC as a substitute for other substances. Anecdotally, delta‐8 THC is a less potent psychoactive than delta‐9 THC; however, several negative consequences have been reported. There is no federal age restriction for purchase/possession of delta‐8 THC products. Delta‐8 THC is readily accessible on‐line, is typically less expensive than delta‐9 THC and is often marketed in ways that would seemingly appeal to children. There are no regulations on synthesis, resulting in products being contaminated and/or yielding inconsistent effects. There have been thousands of calls to US poison control centers due to accidental delta‐8 THC exposure among minors. Conclusions Most research on delta‐8 THC is largely anecdotal, not peer‐reviewed and does not involve human subjects. Future research should examine delta‐8 THC use using nationally representative samples to more clearly understand the prevalence and consequences of use. Laws are needed to mitigate the risks of using delta‐8 THC, particularly quality control of synthesis and minimum purchase age.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Reasons For Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Reasons For Usementioning

confidence: 99%

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Delta‐8 tetrahydrocannabinol: a scoping review and commentary

et al. 2023

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“…Studies of Δ 8 -THC since its 2020 popularity are limited. One survey showed that one in six Δ 9 -THC users report Δ 8 -THC use ( 34 ). A survey study by Kruger and Kruger compared Δ 8 -THC with Δ 9 -THC, where participants who use Δ 8 -THC reported similarities in euphoria between the substances, consistent with Adams, Hollister, and Gillespie, without the reported side effects of paranoia and sedation experienced with Δ 9 -THC ( 10 ).…”

Section: Literature Review and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Delta-8-THC association with psychosis: A case report with literature review

et al. 2023

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BackgroundCannabis (Δ9-THC) is the most commonly consumed illicit drug. The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 removed hemp, a strain of Cannabis sativa, as a controlled substance. This law allowed the plant to be processed into its components, which contain <0.3% Δ9-THC. As a result, delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC), a federally unregulated substance, grew in popularity in 2020. Δ8-THC is readily available in most gas stations or head shops and may be considered harmless by patients. However, an increasing number of patients admitted for psychiatric hospitalization report use, with limited literature on the effects.Case presentationsThis case report describes three individual cases of patients who required admission to a university psychiatric hospital after the regular use solely of Δ8-THC. All three patients developed psychotic and paranoid symptoms concurrently with the use of Δ8-THC, with a severity exceeding their previous historical presentations. The presenting psychotic symptoms were also atypical for all three patients. New-onset violence and visual hallucinations were noted in two of the patients, one patient with no previous psychiatric history and one patient while on a therapeutic dose of his antipsychotic. In the third case, a new onset of bizarre, fixed delusions of puppies dissolving in the bathtub developed.ConclusionThis report adds to the limited body of evidence on Δ8-THC documenting a temporal association between Δ8-THC use and the development of psychotic symptoms. A strong body of research already correlates the continued use of Δ9-THC with psychosis, and Δ8-THC acts at the same CB1 and CB2 receptors as Δ9-THC. Therefore, it is hypothesized that Δ8-THC may have similar adverse psychiatric effects as Δ9-THC. These conclusions are not without speculation, due to the need for self or collateral-reporting of Δ8-THC use as urine drug screening cannot distinguish Δ8-THC from Δ9-THC, and the patients' symptoms could be explained by medication non-adherence and primary psychotic disorders. However, physicians should be encouraged to gather a specific history of Δ8-THC use and treat patients with Δ8-THC-related intoxication and symptoms.

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