Journal:Delta-8-THC: Delta-9-THC’s nicer younger sibling?
| Full article title | Delta-8-THC: Delta-9-THC’s nicer younger sibling? |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Cannabis Research |
| Author(s) | Kruger, Jessica S.; Kruger, Daniel J. |
| Author affiliation(s) | State University of New York at Buffalo, University of Michigan |
| Primary contact | Email: jskruger at buffalo dot edu |
| Year published | 2022 |
| Volume and issue | 24 |
| Article # | 4 |
| DOI | 10.1186/s42238-021-00115-8 |
| ISSN | 2522-5782 |
| Distribution license | Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International |
| Website | https://jcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42238-021-00115-8 |
| Download | https://jcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s42238-021-00115-8.pdf (PDF) |
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This article should be considered a work in progress and incomplete. Consider this article incomplete until this notice is removed. |
Abstract
Background: Products containing delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC) became widely available in most of the United States following the 2018 Farm Bill, and by late 2020, those products were core products of hemp processing companies, especially where delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) use remained illegal or required medical authorization. Research on experiences with Δ8-THC is scarce, and some state governments have prohibited it because of this lack of knowledge.
Objective: We conducted an exploratory study addressing a broad range of issues regarding Δ8-THC to inform policy discussions and provide directions for future systematic research.
Methods: We developed an online survey for Δ8-THC consumers, including qualities of Δ8-THC experiences, comparisons with Δ9-THC, and open-ended feedback. The survey included quantitative and qualitative aspects to provide a rich description and content for future hypothesis testing. Invitations to participate were distributed by a manufacturer of Δ8-THC products via social media accounts, email contact list, and the Delta8 Reddit.com discussion board. Participants (n = 521) mostly identified as White/European American (90%) and male (57%). Pairwise t tests compared Δ8-THC effect rating items; one-sample t tests examined responses to Δ9-THC comparison items.
Results: Most Δ8-THC users experienced a lot or a great deal of relaxation (71%); euphoria (68%) and pain relief (55%); and a moderate amount or a lot of cognitive distortions such as difficulty concentrating (81%), difficulties with short-term memory (80%), and alerted sense of time (74%). Many did not experience anxiety (74%) or paranoia (83%). Participants generally compared Δ8-THC favorably with both Δ9-THC and pharmaceutical drugs, with most participants reporting substitution for Δ8-THC (57%) and pharmaceutical drugs (59%). Participant concerns regarding Δ8-THC were generally focused on continued legal access.
Conclusions: Δ8-THC may provide much of the experiential benefits of Δ9-THC with fewer adverse effects. Future systematic research is needed to confirm participant reports, although these studies are hindered by the legal statuses of both Δ8-THC and Δ9-THC. Cross-sector collaborations among academics, government officials, and representatives from the cannabis industry may accelerate the generation of knowledge regarding Δ8-THC and other cannabinoids. A strength of this study is that it is the first large survey of Δ8-THC users; limitations include self-reported data from a self-selected convenience sample.
Keywords: medical cannabis, cannabis, cannabinoid, delta-8-THC, subjective effects
Background
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Notes
This presentation is faithful to the original, with only a few minor changes to presentation. Some grammar and punctuation was cleaned up to improve readability. In some cases important information was missing from the references, and that information was added.
