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Teenagers use delta-8 THC.Hemp This is closely related to the psychoactive chemical found in marijuana, in large numbers.
From February to June 2023, researchers Surveyed 2,000 high school students read about Delta 8 and marijuana to get a better understanding of their attitude toward these substances. According to a study Published Tuesday In the Journal of the American Medical Association, more than one in 10, or 11.4%, of high school seniors reported using Delta-8 in the past year. Meanwhile, 30.4% reported using marijuana. Of those who used Delta-8 in the past year, 35.4% used it 10 or more times.
While delta-8 is legal in 22 states, it has not been adequately studied. This latest research, conducted by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, is one of the first to examine the prevalence of its use among adolescents.
Adolescent use of Delta-8 follows “the same pattern” seen in the past, said Adam Matthew Levinthal, the study’s senior author and a professor of population sciences and public health.
“When a new addictive drug hits the market and is marketed, young people are the first to be affected if public health is not protected,” he said. “We have seen this with nicotine e-cigarettes and must not allow history to repeat itself with Delta-8 THC or other cannabis products.”
The substance is also usually synthetic, since significant amounts of delta-8 cannot be found in the hemp plant. But the manufactured form is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the FDA website, the organization received 104 reports of adverse events in patients who took delta-8 THC products between December 1, 2020 and February 28, 2022, including medical events such as hallucinations, vomiting, tremors, anxiety, and dizziness. Confusion, loss of consciousness.
Calls to poison control centers were much greater, with a total of 2,362 exposures to delta-8 THC products between January 1, 2021 (the date this product code was added to the database) and February 28, 2022.
The use of marijuana for recreational purposes has been legalized in 24 statesBut this is highly unlikely in the South and Midwest. Unsurprisingly, the study found that delta-8 use among teens was higher in areas where marijuana is not legal.
In states where delta-8 is banned or severely restricted, rates of use are lower among teens. But outside of the 22 states that sell delta-8 legally, it’s also widely available online in various forms — from drinks to gum and more — and demand for the substance, often regardless of location, is somewhat conditional.
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