Why Social Equity Cannabis Legalization is a Corporate Strategy to Monopolize the Cannabis Market

 

I am always very weary when it comes to “Social Equity” and policies like “Affirmative Action”. Not because I don’t believe that we need to create systems that empower the individual to rise above their current situations – but because for the most part the “social equity” card has been utilized by corporations to dodge responsibility while “seeming” to be working for a greater good.

 

For example, the “Climate Change” argument detracts from the real culprits that are destroying our earth; MONSTER CORPORATION AND GLOBAL ARMIES.

 

That’s right, most of the pollution that massively affect the planet comes from the very corporations pushing green agendas. They fly in their private jets to far off lands to talk about how they can “save the world”.

 

That level of sadistic psychopathy can only be mastered by the ruling elite and what’s worse is that they believe that everybody will simply “go along with it”.

 

The scary thing is that at the very least there is some portion of the population who do blindly go along with these policies.

 

However, today we’re not here to talk about the flaws of Climate Change, but rather, we’re taking a closer look at another “hype term” – Social Equity.

 

Dafuq is Social Equity?

 

You may have heard the term “Social Equity” thrown around with cannabis legalization bills, workplace policy and so forth. So for the sake to end all doubts, let’s take a closer look at the definition of “Social Equity”.

 

According to Knowledge Bank,

 

Social Equity, at its simplest, can be understood as impartiality, fairness, and justice for all people.1 This means taking into account systemic inequalities to ensure that that everyone has access to the same opportunities and outcomes.

 

In other words, it’s a retroactive system that attempts to “level the playing field” in a number of ways whether through affirmative action, and creating “special rules” for the marginalized or restricting other people from engaging with a particular activity.

 

Now, before some of you go ballistic and break down the concept of “Social Equity”, it isn’t necessarily coming from a “bad place”.

 

After all, in an ethical and open society, we would want to ensure that everybody in a legal sense is treated equally.

 

THE PROBLEM with social equity comes in relation to one of its core motivations – that everyone has access to the same opportunities and outcomes.

 

While in an ideal world, this would be a nice scenario. Everyone has access to the same opportunities and outcomes. The problem is that no outcome, even if you get all the help from the government, is guaranteed.

 

In relation to “opportunities”, by definition every individual has their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, if Candidate A, B and C all work in the exact same position at their job but Candidate A is a single person in good health, Candidate B is a single mother barely making it each week, and Candidate C is a person with a physical disability – they all might have the same opportunities, but their outcomes will differ significantly.

 

This is because you can’t engineer the outcome. You can only provide the opportunity.

 

This is the core issue with social equity – trying to engineer an artificial outcome. And this is exactly why the whole social equity experiment in cannabis isn’t working out.

 

What’s more, it seems that the only real people benefiting from these “social equity licenses” are monster corporations who are supposed to not have access to these licenses.

 

What’s happening in Arizona?

 

In Arizona, they have such a scheme where people with prior marijuana convictions can get access to Equity licenses. Essentially, this is the state’s attempt to undo the damage of the drug war. While this is a nice gesture, the biggest problem for people who have a state or federal marijuana record is that – they typically don’t have any funds.

 

Since starting up a successful cannabis venture requires a lot of money. And so, big firms are searching for people who can essentially “partner” with them for access to the equity licenses, and in turn, everybody wins!

 

Well – at first!

 

Then, after a while, the firm can buy out the license and keep it under the name holder, add it to their portfolio, and essentially muscle out the affected communities!

 

And why wouldn’t you do that. The state has this entire scheme of licenses that can’t really be touched by the affected community due to their lack of financing. Even if they got financing as well, it’s very different to run a successful cannabis business than selling weed out of the trunk of your car.

 

Having a marijuana conviction doesn’t immediately make you an expert in selling marijuana in a legal environment. In fact, one would argue that having a marijuana conviction indicates that you were impoverished enough that risking your freedom for the promise of money was “worth it”.

 

These aren’t the type of people who necessarily can run a dispensary, check payroll, pay the lights, taxes, etc.

 

Therefore, it makes sense that corporations want to jump in, float the hefty bill of running the place, and then siphon off money from these equity licensing for years to come.

 

This is why a new civil lawsuit is being issued against the state of Arizona by an advocacy group who claim the state have failed to protect these minority communities from corporate overreach.

 

 

The new legal complaint argues that the social equity program has failed to meet the standards laid out in Prop 207, the ballot initiative voters passed last year that legalized marijuana and has allowed thousands of Arizonans to expunge prior marijuana charges. Through Prop 207, voters directed the state to create a program that promoted dispensary ownership by people who were disproportionately impacted by marijuana laws — which, in Arizona, often was poor, Black and Latino communities.

 

But since the draft rules for the social equity program were released, advocates warned that major cannabis investors might easily game the system. And now, Rodriguez says that’s what she’s seeing.

 

“What the voters were trying to do was enrich communities that were impacted by the drug war.” Jimmy Cool, the lead attorney on the case, told New Times. “From our clients’ perspective, all [the program] does is enrich 26 people.” – SOURCE

 

And that’s the truth with virtually all of these schemes.

 

Why Social Equity fails!

 

It’s easy for a millionaire to sit down, analyze the problems of the poor and say, “Do this and you’ll achieve that!” The problem with the millionaire is that he or she does not share the same values, needs, and desires as that as a poor person.

 

Therefore, “thinking” from the perspective of an affluent individual can never understand the nuances needed for the affected to truly succeed. The Social Equity licensing is a solution produced by the affluent to whitewash their “drug war” guilt.

 

It’s an invention by woke-corporatism to show they care, when in reality they profited off the war on drugs and will profit on the legalization of drugs too.

 

The main problem with Social Equity is;

 

1. Limited licenses creates artificial value

2. The costs associated with cannabis is still high

3. You still need corporate to run a cannabis store

 

Since costs are so exuberant, it’s impossible for someone who spent years in jail to raise capital. Without access to banking loans, or even the experience of running a successful business – the only solution to these “equity license” holders are to partner with some money-hungry firm.

 

The solution is a 2-Tier Cannabis Industry

 

I have said this once, and I’ll say this again. The ONLY real solution is to create a distinction between corporate cannabis, and “mom and pop” operations.

 

The biggest problem with the lower strata of society is that the fees associated with the cannabis industry reflect the budgets of big corporations, while the rest of us are working on Farmer’s Market budgets.

 

Which is why we need to create a system that allows people of the lower income bracket  to be able to build a business without needing too much investment. We can also reduce the burden on these businesses by reducing the strictness on testing, etc.

 

My plan has always been;

 

$1000 for a yearly license for cannabis operations earning up to $1,000,000 in profits annually. Once the $1,000,000 thresh hold is met, then the corporate cannabis scheme can come into play.

 

This gives people the opportunity to be able to grow a business from the ground up. What this will also mean is that there would be no “Equity licenses”. Anybody would be able to get it for $1,000.

 

If you can’t get $1k together, you might not deserve a cannabis license.

This also gives these equity license holders the opportunity to grow a business from the ground up, hire local talent, and undo the damages of the drug war.

 

Yet, we must first separate the need to add in social equity into every bill, because before you know it – the corporations will gobble up all those licenses and then we’re all screwed.

 

Final Words

 

There’s a reason why Schumer hasn’t been able to pass any cannabis legislation. It’s because of these social equity laws. While it’s nice to think about those effected by the Drug War, unless you bring actual solutions that can be scaled by the affected demographic – you’re just making up millionaire solutions to the impoverished who can never attain the standards set by the elite.

 

Reduce legalization to what it is; a plant that needs to be cultivated, processed and sold, There needs to be no social equity written into the core of legalization.

 

Rather, each state could create investment clubs via taxation, however – understanding the nature of politics…unless we push back and remove their social equity language from the legalization efforts – the Arizona dilemma will only continue everywhere else in the US.

 

Make weed legal, make it cheap to get involved, and allow these small businesses a grace period to grow. And you’ll see the net benefit would far outweigh social equity laws.

 

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Trump Thinks The Death Penalty Is The Solution To Illegal Drugs

 

In a speech he delivered last week in Las Vegas, Nevada, Former President Donald Trump said that the US should replicate the drug policies of China where drug dealers face the death penalty after quick trials.

 

He discussed drastic measures which he believes are the solution for law and order in the country, praising China’s preferred method of governance. “The penalties should be very, very severe. If you look at countries throughout the world, the ones that don’t have a drug problem are ones that institute a very quick trial death penalty sentence for drug dealers,” he said.

 

“It sounds horrible, doesn’t it? But you know what? That’s the ones that don’t have any problem. It doesn’t take 15 years in court. It goes quickly, and you absolutely – you execute a drug dealer and you’ll save 500 lives,” he explains. He went on to say that the US needed a crack down on illegal drug dealers with the strengthening of police force, whom he thinks should be present in every corner.

 

“It’s terrible to say, but you take a look at every country in this world that doesn’t have a problem with drugs, they have a very strong death penalty for people that sell drugs,” Trump said.

 

The United States is already well on the way to spreading cannabis legalization – as well as the legalization of therapeutic psychedelics, both of which have tremendous benefits for society as proven by the data. But the opioid epidemic still haunts us, taking lives each day – and the death penalty is no solution to the opioid epidemic.

Death Penalty Is Not The Solution

 

If any country has a drug problem, the presence of illegal drug pushers is merely a symptom of a bigger issue. Death penalty is never the answer.

 

For people like Trump who think it is, their moral compass is seriously off the radar. Nobody has the right to take someone’s life from them.

According to a 2018 report by Harm Reduction International, some 35 countries around the world still issue the death penalty for drug related offenses. However, while these countries choose to use capital punishment, that doesn’t mean that it’s right or that it works. In fact, the trend is that more countries are working to abolish the death penalty for crimes – not just drug-related crimes, so if the US decides to adopt such an extreme measure, it would go against the global trend. Besides, the countries that have these measures in place don’t have any proof that it works in stopping the cycle of the illegal drug trade and the pushers behind them.

 

One also has to remember that in numerous cases, many people who have had no choice but to become pushers have only done so out of desperation. They are usually tricked or forced into going against the law, and oftentimes they are only teenagers. It is simply not fair to rob a teenager of their right to live – they are not the ones the law should be after.

 

Take the case of Shahrul Izani of Malaysia, who was only 19 years old when he was convicted of drug trafficking back in 2003. He was found with 622 grams of marijuana on him and was then given the death penalty due for 2009, with many fighting for his life. Thankfully, Amnesty International Malaysia was effective in their campaigns for his clemency and instead was sent to prison, where he is scheduled to be released in 2030.

 

Malaysia doesn’t disclose their execution statistics, though according to experts, more than half of the death sentences in the Asian country have been due to drug convictions. However, Iran and Malaysia were once two countries that were prime supporters of the death penalty yet both countries have already made efforts necessary to minimize having to go to this extreme for drug-related measures. It makes no sense for a country supposedly as progressive as the United States to start going in the opposite direction.

 

Instead, we should be looking at measures that are always humane and evidence based. More importantly, any measure should seek to address the root cause of any public health crisis. Policies are needed to ensure that marginalized communities are always protected while spreading awareness and information on harm reduction policies. Treatment and medication for those who are addicted to drugs need to be provided, but these things simply do not happen in cultures that use the drug penalty to punish drug pushers with the death penalty.

 

At the end of the day, capital punishment goes against the values of a democratic system. There are many things that are unfair, unjust, and inhumane about it but in the United States (and many other countries), what makes it worse is that it’s carried out on people based on their wealth status. It’s far more common for marginalized people, people of color, and the poor to be executed compared to rich, white people.

 

Besides, going after the death penalty will only waste resources: law enforcement, taxpayer money, and more. There is no real benefit for public health and will not even stop violent crime. Experts know that the real solution to end violent crime is to provide more employment, work on a better, more lucrative economy, and increasing the police force.
 

The data is there: based on the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, states that have the death penalty have a higher murder rate compared to states that don’t. It does nothing but fool the voting public that the government is indeed working on reducing violent crime but these laws really do nothing to protect you from criminals. Nobody deserves to die – not by the hand of another man and most especially not the law.

 

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Recent complaints filed with state and federal regulators in California have alleged that Weedmaps is carrying listings of illegal marijuana retailers and products. For those that do not know, Weedmaps is one of the cannabis advertising giants, which makes these allegations very serious. Our friend John Schroyer at MJ BIZ Daily broke the in-depth story, which you can read here. Are there any truths to the allegations, what should we expect as a response from Weedmaps, and what can the possible implications be now that they are a public company and Federally regulated? These and many more are the issues that this article hopes to address so read on and let’s dive right in.

The complaints being addressed were filed in May with the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) and in June with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The complaints allege that the leadership of Weedmaps is allowing vast amounts of black markets cannabis activity without effecting changes they agreed to last year to not allow illegal cannabis businesses on their map or site. The complaint contends that the black market activity on the platform is directly harming the growth of licensed businesses. This is because Weedmaps is giving such operators a competitive edge through the reach and capacity of its website. The complaints also stated clearly that these acts of Weedmaps expressly undercut the legal cannabis marketplace the organization wishes to serve.

It is left for the regulators with whom the complaints against Weedmaps have been filed to establish if the allegations have merit. If this is done, the body stands the risk of facing hefty fines. This is bound to have strong implications on the cannabis industry in the U.S. because Weedmaps remains one of the prominent U.S. cannabis companies. We have not seen the end of this ordeal as this is not the first time that Weedmaps will be faced with issues over illegal ads.

A similar case surfaced four years ago which eventually resulted in such advertising being removed from their website in 2020. The company came under fire from regulators in 2018 when it issued a letter against such advertising practices. The company hid under the umbrella of protection as an online platform to reject the demands. Nonetheless, it made a U-turn to start demanding state license numbers in January 2020. Many believe this was only because the company was set to go public on the Nasdaq in 2021 before debuting on the exchange in June 2021. 

These present complaints were filed by the executives of Canex Delivery which is a Los Angeles marijuana company. In its complaint, the executives stated that they had complained to Weedmaps directly but no decisive action has been taken by the company. The CEO of Canex Jim Damask and its Chief Financial Officer Joseph Bitzer was able to provide screenshots and documents to back up their allegations.

From the allegations, Canex alleged that it lost close to tens of millions of dollars due to the activities of Weedmaps. The company went further to accuse Weedmaps of selling ads to bolster its bottom line by misleading investors. These unethically increase the revenue of Weedmaps which they report as legitimate revenue in quarterly reports, according to Canex. Weedmaps has refused to comment directly on the issues of these complaints while resorting rather to the state through its spokesperson that it has received no communications regarding it. The SEC has also chosen to not comment on the matter while the spokesperson of the DCC has stated that the California regulators are making investigations into the matter.

Most of the ads presented by Canex against Weedmaps were on behalf of Southern California Delivery companies.  Many outrightly violate state laws within California such as ads touting THC brownies and gummies of 1000 milligrams. Others violated policies of Weedmaps itself such as failing to display its company’s state license number which has been a requirement since January 2020.  Others advertised illegal operating hours with some using state license numbers that belonged to other businesses.

Going back to March, the CEO of Weedmaps stated that the company has a trust and safety team that is tasked with reviewing business listings. Beals stated that this team helps Weedmaps with vetting who is on the marketplace. The Canex executives have stated that they have been unable to reach anyone on the Weedmaps trust and safety team. While it is still not sure if this team exists or not, Canex believes that the team is just a front for Weedmaps to claim plausible deniability.

Canex provided over 50 documents to regulators to support its claims while stating that some alterations have now been made on the Weedmaps site since it took those evidences in April. The executives claim that while some ads have been removed from the site, substantial action is still yet to be taken.

A concurrent analysis by MJBizDaily as of June 28 found at least 5 operators with listings with such violations on Weedmaps. These ads belonged to Bliss, Green Guest, PB Marijuana, Star Leaf, and Zippy Leaf. The analysis also confirmed that some of the analyses identified by Canex had been removed. Some ads used licenses that had already been declared stolen by their owners while some seemed to be illegally used franchise setups.

There were some operators who came out to defend their ads as legal companies. Drew Director, the manager of High Tide defended his brand by stating it was in a management agreement with DreamCali. The stated DreamCali is one of the companies outrightly stated in Canex’s complaint as being illegal. The same DreamCali doesn’t show up in the DCC database which leaves much to be desired as to the reality at hand.

The complaint by Canex has been filed already and it is only a matter of time before the concerned parties and regulators respond. Pending that time, the early writing on the wall does not favor Weedmaps as many factors point to them being complicit.

 

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Cannabis Accessories and Meme Worthy Content: DankStop 

Since the onset of the social media era, content marketing and influencer marketing have been essential aspects of any business’s growth strategy. As social media is widely adopted by users around the world, brands are not only able to take advantage of the consumer behavior data gathered on social media, but they are also able to use this data to tailor their messaging and target hyper-specific niches of prospective patrons.

 

Due to the incredible opportunity brands have to directly communicate with existing and potential customers on social media, many brands are opting out of traditional advertising practices. Many consumers, especially younger consumers, feel old-school advertising comes off as forced and stale. Instead, many brands are cleverly posting fun & engaging content as a way to attain more brand visibility.

 

Instead of marketing products or services outright, brands can use their creativity to post exciting content as a new way to get their name in front of potential customers. Content marketers understand that it can be better to establish a relationship with potential customers authentically, over shared interests, instead of coming off too salesmen-like. When brands post fun content from their social media accounts, a large percentage of the people who come across that content become intrigued by the brand. Nowadays, more often than not, this leads to higher conversion rates than traditional advertising. Additionally, brands can partner with influencers who already have a large audience that intersects with their target audience; this allows brands to reach prospective customers by way of a voice they already trust.

 

While influencer marketing and content marketing are a commonplace practice now in 2022, this was not always the case. Interestingly enough, many brands were averse to creating content on social media or partnering with influencers in the early days of social media. 

 

One brand that was not afraid to jump directly into this disruptive marketing practice is DankStop. DankStop is a cannabis e-commerce brand using drop shipping to efficiently deliver a wide array of cannabis-related accessories at scale. Selling everything from rigs, vaporizers, bongs, grinders, and more, cannabis enthusiasts can find all of the accessories they could ever need at DankStop.

 

Since the company’s inception, DankStop has been known for creating viral and meme-worthy content on its social media pages. In addition to their strong product inventory and great prices, the DankStop team knows that their early investment in content marketing played a major role in the company’s growth and success. Now DankStop is known as both a valuable marketplace of cannabis accessories as well as one of the most fun and internet-savvy brands in the space.

 

DankStop took the time and resources to organically build its social media reach and audience. Limiting reposts as much as possible, DankStop built a huge following with original skits and memes related to cannabis culture and the cannabis industry. DankStop was not only a market disruptor in the sense that they were an early innovator of content marketing in general, but the company also helped normalize cannabis content on social media as well. When DankStop started posting this type of content, there was still a large stigma surrounding all things cannabis.

 

In addition to creating meme-worthy content, the DankStop team strategically utilized search engine optimization (SEO) and Guerrilla marketing techniques, like initiating conversations on Reddit, in order to further drive engagement to their social media accounts and to their e-commerce platform. Finding success on their own, DankStop was recently acquired by High Tide, further propelling their reach and potential. 

 

As the cannabis market continues to grow and as content marketing strategies get more creative, we are excited to see what DankStop does next.

New York Gives $5 Million to Community Colleges for Cannabis Industry Job Training

The New York State Government recently announced a new grant to sponsor the education of New Yorkers interested in having a career in the budding cannabis industry. The earmarked training, set to hold in various community colleges,  would teach applicants much-needed skills and quality education on what they need to succeed in the industry.

 

New York Cannabis Industry

In New York, adult recreational marijuana use was legalized last year, allowing those over 21 to smoke in public and carry up to three ounces of marijuana with them. The state’s cannabis industry has gradually taken shape under Hochul’s leadership since he entered office last August following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation.

 

Earlier this year, the state said that the first round of dispensary licenses would go to individuals previously convicted of pot-related offenses or family members of individuals with such convictions. The first crop of legal cannabis in New York is almost ready for harvest, and the first batch of production permits has been granted to the established hemp farmers in the state.

 

As with every other canna legal state, New York has shown readiness to correct the wrongs and festivities wrought by the failed war on drugs. This latest development is another concerted effort to provide redress to the disadvantaged.

 

Good News for New Yorkers

On the 18th of this month, the state of New York, through its Governor, announced that four community colleges would be beneficiaries of millions of dollars in grants. The primary purpose of this fund is to improve short-term accredited cannabis-related programs that give a sure pathway to employment in the state’s newly established cannabis sector.

 

The four colleges set to receive these funds belong to the City University of New York (CUNY) and the State University of New York (SUNY) systems. They will receive five million dollars to establish degree-eligible and non-degree programs or courses. They will also be tasked with enhancing stackable credentials as well as microcredentials that help build much-needed skills within the New York cannabis industry.

 

The cannabis industry is a large one and is yet to reach even a quarter of its potential. The state government believes that New Yorkers need to be equipped with the skills to take the budding industry to the next level. The state’s cannabis sector is projected to generate multi-billion revenues in the coming years and create thousands of jobs. The money is a part of the Empire State’s ongoing preparation for the debut of its new, strictly regulated cannabis sector later this year.

 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said in a news release on Monday that “New York’s new cannabis economy is creating exciting opportunities, and we will guarantee that New Yorkers who seek careers in this burgeoning sector receive the quality training they need to be successful.” “Diversity and inclusion make New York’s workforce a competitive, powerful asset, and we will continue to take meaningful actions to help ensure everyone has the opportunity to engage in the cannabis sector,” said the governor of New York.

 

Selected schools

Borough of Manhattan Community College (a CUNY campus) will serve as the lead campus with the partner, Lehman College. This school will receive 2 million dollars and train over 300 interested New Yorkers.

 

On the other hand, three SUNY schools have been selected for this program. They will each receive $1 million. These schools are;

• Schenectady county community college will serve as the lead campus to partner with Fulton-Montgomery community college, Columbia-Greene Community College, and Adirondack Community college.  At least 300 participants will be included in this program.

 

• Orange County Community College, which will serve as the lead campus and partner with Sullivan County Community College, Dutchess Community College, Ulster County Community College, Rockland Community College, and Westchester Community College.  This partnership is set to serve up to 4,000 trainees.

 

• Niagara county community college to partner with Erie Community College, Jamestown Community College, and Genesee Community College. This union would also cater to 4,000 participants and more.

 

According to the state’s press release, The New York State Department of Labor and the Office of Cannabis Management has promised to support efforts to expand learning opportunities by connecting cannabis businesses and job seekers to these crucial training programs. Those chosen schools will also partner with local employers in the cannabis industry and receive their input on curriculum development.

 

Additionally, the press release pointed out that the cannabis credentialing program aligns with Governor Hochul’s continued commitment to delivering new employment opportunities to New Yorkers. Most especially those from historically disadvantaged towns, providing local employers with highly skilled, locally sourced employees.

 

More Juicy Details

According to Hochul, quoted in a news release, “Emerging York’s new cannabis economy is offering exciting opportunities, and we’ll make sure that New Yorkers who want professions in this expanding sector receive the quality training they need to be successful.” She also mentioned that the state would continue taking proactive measures to make sure everyone gets the chance to work in the cannabis sector because diversity and inclusiveness are what make New York’s workforce a competitive, valuable asset.

 

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado (D) stated that the government strives to get the cannabis sector up and operating in New York State as soon as possible. “We must ensure that we have a properly trained workforce and a path for employment prospects,” stated Delgado. With the help of this fund, SUNY and CUNY will be able to develop new programs or improve current ones that focus on employment in the cannabis business.

 

Last Words

According to the news release, universities will assist social equity candidates in accordance with Office of Cannabis Management standards (OCM).

 

Job seekers, employers, and community college training programs will be linked through the effort by OCM and the state Department of Labor (DOL). Following completion of the classes, DOL will help applicants with creating resumes, preparing for job interviews, and advertising local career opportunities. Executive Director of OCM, Chris Alexander, commented that it’s great to see community institutions in the SUNY and CUNY systems assisting students in acquiring the skills required to compete in this expanding sector.

 

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Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol is a hallucinogenic compound seen in the cannabis Sativa plant, of which hemp and marijuana are two varieties. Delta-8 THC is just one in over 100 cannabinoids naturally gotten from the cannabis plant, although not in significant amounts from the plant. For this reason, concentrated amounts of delta-8 THC are commonly created from hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD).

 

Consumers should be informed that the FDA has not examined or authorized products containing delta-8 THC for safe use in any situation. They should be kept out of the reach of children and dogs in particular since they may be sold in ways that endanger the public’s health.

 

Products that contain Delta-8 THC have become widely accessible in most parts of the US after the 2018 Farm Bill and later in 2020 where major products of hemp processing corporations, particularly where the use of delta-9-THC was still illegal or needed medical authorization.

 

According to NCBI research, there is a growing unregulated market for delta-8- THC, but there is no practical appraisal of the interest of the public in this compound.

 

Below are five things the FDA thinks you should know about delta-8 THC to protect those you care about and yourself from products that could pose health risks.

 

1. PRODUCTS WITH DELTA-8 THC ARE YET TO BE APPROVED OR EVALUATED BY THE FDA FOR SAFE CONSUMPTION AND MAY BE SOLD IN WAYS THAT ARE RISKY TO PUBLIC HEALTH.

 

The FDA is aware of the escalating worries regarding goods containing delta-8 THC that are now being sold offline and online. The FDA has not examined or cleared these items for safe use in any situation. Variations in product compositions and branding, the presence of other cannabinoids and terpenes, and varying delta-8 THC concentrations are some of the issues. Furthermore, some of these goods may simply be referred to as “hemp products,” which may confuse customers who mistakenly believe that “hemp” means “non-psychoactive.” The FDA is also worried about the rise in the number of products containing delta-8 THC that are advertised for therapeutic or medicinal uses while not having FDA approval. It is an infringement of federal law when unapproved products with unsupported therapeutic claims are sold, and since these items haven’t been shown to be safe or effective, they may also put consumers in danger. Because patients and other consumers might employ them in place of medications that have been proven effective in treating severe and even fatal conditions, fraudulent marketing of untested remedies raises substantial public health issues.

 

2. THE FDA HAS GOTTEN NEGATIVE REPORTS OF EVENTS INVOLVING PRODUCTS CONTAINING DELTA-8 THC. It

 

A total of 104  negative occurrences in patients who used delta-8 THC products from December 1, 2020, to February 28, 2022.

Reports indicate that 77% of these 104 negative occurrences involved adults, about 15% did not record age, and 8% involved pediatric patients who are less than 18 years old. Another 55% required assistance (e.g., evaluation by medical services) or admission into the hospital. And 66% characterized the negative occurrences after consumption of delta-8 THC-containing food products, for example, gummies and brownies. Some of these occurrences include confusion, hallucinations, anxiety, vomiting, tremor, dizziness, and loss of consciousness.

 

3. DELTA-8 THC HAS HALLUCINOGENIC AND INTOXICATING EFFECTS.

 

Similar to delta-9 THC (i.e., the substance responsible for the “high” individuals may feel from consuming cannabis), delta-8 THC possesses psychoactive and euphoric properties. The FDA is aware of media reports claiming that products containing delta-8 THC get users “high.” The FDA is especially worried because goods containing delta-8 THC likely expose consumers to significantly higher concentrations of the chemical than are found in raw hemp marijuana extracts. As a result, it is impossible to determine the level of safety for these products in people based on previous cannabis use.

 

4. PRODUCTS CONTAINING DELTA-8 THC USUALLY INVOLVE THE USE OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CHEMICALS TO MAKE THE CONCENTRATIONS OF DELTA-8 THC CLAIMED IN THE MARKETPLACE.

 

Because hemp naturally contains relatively little delta-8 THC, other cannabinoids in hemp like CBD must be converted into it using extra chemicals (i.e., synthetic conversion). This process raises the following problems:

 

This chemical synthesis method is used by some producers to create delta-8 THC from potentially hazardous household substances. The final product’s hue may be altered using additional chemicals. Due to the chemicals utilized in the procedure, the finished delta-8 THC product may contain potentially dangerous by-products (contaminants), and there is uncertainty regarding other possible contaminants that may be present or created depending on the makeup of the original raw material. These compounds, including some utilized to generate (synthesize) delta-8 THC and the byproducts produced during synthesis, can be dangerous if ingested or inhaled.

 

5. PRODUCTS CONTAINING DELTA-8 THC MUST BE KEPT AWAY FROM CHILDREN AND PETS.

 

Producers are packing and branding these delta-8 THC-infused products in manners that may get the attention of children (chocolates, candies, cookies, gummies, etc.). These products are available for purchase online, as well as at various retail stores, such as gas stations and convenience stores, where there probably aren’t any age limitations on who can buy these products. There have been a lot of alerts to the poison control center affecting pediatric patients who all had been exposed to products containing delta-8 THC. In addition, poison control centers for animals have noted a quick overall growth in the accidental vulnerability of pets to these products. So, this product should be kept out of reach for children and pets.

 

 

BOTTOM LINE

NCBI found that with fewer side effects, delta-8 THC may offer many experiential advantages of delta-9 THC. Even though these investigations are hampered by the lawful statuses of both delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC, a future systematic study is required to verify participant accounts. Collaborations between the academic, governmental, and cannabis industry sectors may hasten the development of knowledge about Delta-8 THC and other cannabinoids.

 

The FDA clearly states that they have not yet carried out sufficient evaluation on products containing delta-8 THC and, as such, have not approved the sale or availability of such products for consumption, standing with the fact that delta-8 THC is a dangerous substance.

 

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