Research reveals one of the first snapshots of Americans' use of cannabis-derived cannabinoids. Just over a fifth of adults are reported to use cannabinoids derived from cannabis. cannabidiol (CBD).
by new discovery was announced on Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association25.2% of adults reported using a new drug in the past year. cannabinoid, containing delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Meanwhile, 21% of adults reported using CBD. Researchers warned that these products are unregulated and could put patients at risk of adverse effects from unknown contaminants.
Use of other hemp-derived products was lower, with 11.9% of survey respondents reporting using delta-8 THC, 5.2% reporting using cannabigerol (CBG), and 4.4% using cannabigerol (CBG). % reported using cannabinol (CBN).
of 2018 Farm Bill The cultivation and sale of cannabis has been legalized, and an array of cannabis-derived products are now available online and in smoke shops, gas stations, and other retail stores. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate hemp-derived products. Therefore, there are no federal standards for testing ingredient safety or verifying the ingredients listed on a label.
Dr. Kevin F. Behnke said, “If someone picks up these products for medical use and the product contains heavy metals and pesticides and doesn't even contain active ingredients, that's not good.” . Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
More than 1,100 adults were surveyed in June 2023 as part of the National Center for Public Opinion Research's AmeriSpeak Committee.
Participants reported using CBD, CBG, and CBN, which do not contain psychoactive ingredients and are commonly available over the counter to help with sleep, anxiety, and pain issues. Delta-8 THC has also been included in research and causes psychoactive effects.
Among the emerging cannabinoids, Behnke is particularly concerned about delta-8 THC. This substance is associated with psychiatric problems such as //emedicine.medscape.com/article/805084-overview” class=”cl_ref_article”>addiction/news/20230906/delta-8-russian-roulette-of-cannabis”> is said to be related to. delusions and paranoia, painful breathing and feeling of suffocationgastrointestinal problems such as vomitingand Accidental overdose.
In states where medical marijuana is legal, residents were 56% less likely to use delta-8 THC, while in states where it is used recreationally, residents were 56% less likely to use it. marijuana States where it was legal were 55% less likely to use delta-8 THC than people surveyed in states where it was not legal.
The findings suggest that “marijuana prohibition may unintentionally promote the use of delta-8-THC,” Behnke and colleagues wrote.
Delta-8 products are sold It is sold in supermarkets and other retail stores in the form of e-cigarette cartridges, gummies, and chocolates.
In the recommendation According to a paper published in 2020, the FDA tested cannabinoid products and found that many did not contain the levels of CBD they claimed. It is also investigating reports that CBD may contain dangerous levels of contaminants.
Alice Kuo, MD, a pediatrician and professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, has observed a significant increase in patients who say they are using non-psychoactive cannabinoid products. He said he is doing so. She said many people report seeing the products as “natural.”
“My official response to patients who ask me for an opinion is that I don't have enough scientific knowledge to give an opinion. If you think it will work for you and have no side effects, then I I'm not going to tell you to stop doing that,'' Kuo said.
Although he has not received any reports from patients reporting use of delta-8-THC, Kuo is concerned about the mental and emotional effects of the psychoactive cannabinoid.
Patients were generally reluctant to admit to using other psychoactive substances, such as delta-8 THC or marijuana, and “we had to be very calm and careful when asking patients.'' , because if there was any appearance of judgment on my part, I would be blamed “by my patients,'' Kuo said.
Various study authors report receiving grants from organizations such as the Michigan Veterans Marijuana Research Program. New York State Department of Addiction Services and Supports. Medical Cannabis Research and Advocacy Alliance. Good Samaritan Legacy Health Foundation. National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. and Trip Therapeutics.
This research was supported in part by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
Brittany Vargas is a medical, mental health, and wellness journalist.
