quick look
- Marijuana and hemp are the same plant, but hemp is legal because it contains less delta-9 THC, the chemical that gets people high.
- Pharmaceutical companies extract delta-8 THC from hemp, which has the same psychoactive effects as THC in marijuana.
- Experts say Delta-8 products are being sold to minors.
- Parents can protect their children from Delta-8 through education, discipleship, and communication.
Pharmaceutical companies are selling THC-infused snacks to minors, experts warn, but marijuana isn't the problem. Toxic chemicals derived from cannabis are making billions of dollars in profits for drug manufacturers.
Marijuana and hemp are cannabis sativa A plant that contains varying levels of delta-9 THC, the chemical that gets people high.
Congress legalizes hemp and other hemp sativa Plants containing less than 0.3% delta-9 were used in 2018 to argue that, as the Brookings Institution puts it, “hemp won't get you high.”
Apparently it can be done. Although hemp naturally has low levels of THC, pharmaceutical companies have figured out how to extract and concentrate all sorts of addictive chemicals from hemp. wall street journal Report — and it's all legal.
The cannabis-based chemical industry is currently worth approximately $28 billion. journalmore than $25 billion of that is thought to come from products that get people high.
Many such products contain Delta-8 THC, a chemical that is a cousin of the THC found in marijuana.[similar] psychoactive and intoxicating effects,” says the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Since hemp doesn't contain much natural THC, most Delta-8 products are made by mixing household chemicals with hemp-derived CBD (a cannabis chemical that doesn't get you high).
“Final Delta-8 THC products may contain potentially harmful contaminants, including: [potentially unsafe household chemicals] process,” the FDA warns, further noting:
Delta-8 THC products can expose consumers to much higher levels of the substance than naturally found in raw cannabis extracts. Therefore, historical use of cannabis cannot be relied upon when establishing the safety level of cannabis products for humans.
Experts believe that companies selling Delta-8 products to minors is a common strategy for drug companies to increase their profits.
Dr. Ruth Milanaik told the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in October that “Delta 8 distributors appear to be competing with each other to create packaging that appeals to adolescents.”
Just three months ago, the FDA and Federal Trade Commission jointly sent warning letters to six stores selling Delta-8 THC products that imitated popular brands of chips, cookies, candy, and gummies.
In addition to the colorful and confusing packaging, Milanaik's review of 45 websites selling Delta 8 products to children found them to be cheap, effective, and easy to obtain.
- Sixteen (36%) of the websites surveyed did not ask for the age of buyers, and 43 (96)% did not use third-party age verification software.
- 24 companies (53%) sold their products in children's packaging.
- Eleven companies (28%) sold products without Delta 8 warnings or disclosures.
- 29 companies (64%) sell some products for $10 or less, and 31 companies (69%) of the cheapest products on their websites contained 40 mg or more of Delta-8.
The apparent targeting of minors by pharmaceutical retailers has been correlated with an increase in childhood delta-8 poisonings.
More than 1,400 children were unintentionally exposed to Delta-8 in 2022, up from 775 in 2021, according to the National Toxic Substances Data System.
Children who ingest delta-8 may experience vomiting, dizziness, difficulty walking, increased heart rate, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty breathing. This drug can make some children so sleepy that they stop breathing. journal is written.
Nearly 80% of Delta-8 exposures reported to poison control from January 2021 to October 2023 ended up in the hospital.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed or frightened by the dangers children face every day, but parents are never helpless. Here are some steps you can take to protect your child from delta-8 THC and other addictive chemicals.
- educate: Children cannot protect themselves if they do not know what to look out for. Explain that dangerous chemicals can be hidden in plain sight and teach children to look for subtle information on snack packages. Warn them against eating unwrapped candy or potato chips, even if a friend recommends it.
- Disciple: Children are faced with a culture of addiction, including technology, drugs like Delta-8, and activities like watching pornography. We can protect and prepare our children for their traps by explaining how addiction works and how it traps us and removes us from a place of safety in Christ. Masu. Show true freedom through your own relationship with Jesus, and encourage your children to pursue the same abundance.
- connect: Help your children understand that no matter what sin or addiction they face, they can come to you. Fostering open communication helps children bring God's grace and healing to sins they may be ashamed of or want to hide.
Additional articles and resources:
Focus on family resources for parents
High school and middle school students continue to smoke e-cigarettes, FDA seeks to regulate illegal e-cigarettes
Research shows teens spend more than 4 hours per day on social media — here's what parents can do
Federal legalization of marijuana gains momentum.Here are the disadvantages of legalization
