{"id":4014,"date":"2022-02-01T19:20:31","date_gmt":"2022-02-01T19:20:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/wp-home\/?p=192152"},"modified":"2022-02-01T19:20:31","modified_gmt":"2022-02-01T19:20:31","slug":"who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=4014","title":{"rendered":"Who invented delta-8 THC? A history of hemp-derived cannabinoids"},"content":{"rendered":"
Who invented delta-8 THC? A history of hemp-derived cannabinoids | Leafly<\/title> <!-- This is Index Exchange, a script\/\/3rd-party integration that interjects GAM. It needs to be 'ahead' of GTM in the DOM, which comes from Cephalopod. GTM loads GAM. This script needs to setup it's interjection stuff before GAM loads. --> <!-- End Index Exchange --> <!-- Quotes = strings--><!-- No quotes = boolean-->\t <!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v17.5 (Yoast SEO v17.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ --> <!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. --> <\/p>\n<p> <!-- BEGIN Sailthru Horizon Meta Information --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END Sailthru Horizon Meta Information --> <!-- Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- End Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- Google Tag Manager --> <!-- End Google Tag Manager --> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat --><br \/>\n <!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) --> <\/p>\n<div id=\"copy_clipboard_success\" class=\"fixed top-0 left-0 right-0\">\n<div class=\"bg-white p-lg container mt-xl flex justify-between elevation-low rounded\"> <span class=\"flex items-center\"> <span class=\"ml-md\">Link copied to your clipboard<\/span> <\/span> <button id=\"copy_clipboard_close_btn\"> <\/button> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) --> <title>Leafly<\/title> <title>Leafly \u00ae<\/title> <title>Loading\u2026<\/title> <\/p>\n<div class=\"bg-white fixed flex hidden inset-0 items-start md:h-auto md:items-center overflow-auto\" id=\"age-gate-container\">\n<div class=\"bg-white md:h-auto mx-auto p-lg text-sm w-full\" id=\"age-gate\">\n<p><label for=\"select-country\">Where are you from?<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"age-gate__info\">\n<p><button class=\"button\" data-testid=\"age-gate-no-button\" id=\"tou-cancel\">no<\/button><button class=\"button ml-md\" data-testid=\"age-gate-yes-button\" id=\"tou-continue\">yes<\/button><\/p>\n<p><label class=\"checkbox__label my-xl\"><span class=\"text-xs\" id=\"remember-user-label\">Remember me for 30 days. <br \/>I confirm that this is not a shared device.<\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<p class=\"error error--underage hidden\">Darn! You’re not old enough to use Leafly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"hidden age-gate__loading\">Redirecting you to<span class=\"redirect-domain\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-xs mt-auto\">By accessing this site, you accept<br \/>\nthe <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"tou-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/terms-of-use\">Terms of Use<\/a><br \/>\nand <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"pp-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container my-xl\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col md:col-9\" id=\"article-content\">\n<p>As cannabis legalization spreads across the United States, another industry emerged along its margins in 2021: the unregulated hemp-derived cannabinoids market. <\/p>\n<p>The best-known of these products, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/science-tech\/what-is-delta8-thc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">delta-8 THC<\/a>, is sold in unregulated smoke shops and online stores across the country.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-text-align-left\">\n<p>Today\u2019s hot cannabinoid, delta-8 THC, has been known to science for 80 years. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Delta-8 and other hemp-derived cannabinoids, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/strains-products\/youve-heard-about-delta-8-now-meet-delta-10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">delta-10 THC<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/cannabis-101\/what-is-thc-o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">THC-O<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/strains-products\/what-is-hhc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HHC<\/a>, are typically derived from CBD, which is itself derived from federally legal hemp. (Hemp is cannabis that contains less than 0.3% delta-9 THC.)<\/p>\n<p>Products using these hemp-derived cannabinoids like have found an especially receptive audience in states that haven\u2019t yet legalized cannabis for all adults.<\/p>\n<p>These cannabinoids\u2019 effects on the body (as well as the processes required to produce them) are quite varied. The most popular hemp-derived cannabinoid, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/science-tech\/what-is-delta8-thc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">delta-8 THC<\/a>, is often described as \u201cmarijuana light\u201d because of its gentler effects, while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/cannabis-101\/what-is-thc-o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">THC-O acetate<\/a> is notorious for being so potent that it has been <a href=\"https:\/\/ritterspencer.com\/the-next-risk-inherent-cannabinoid-thc-o-acetate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">likened to psilocybin<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>The legal fate of these synthesized cannabinoids reached a fever pitch in the past six months. <a href=\"https:\/\/hemptoday.net\/new-york-adopts-final-rules-banning-delta-8-thc-smokable-hemp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New York State banned the production of hemp-derived cannabinoid products<\/a>, and, as Leafly reported, Texas retailers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/politics\/texas-outlawed-delta-8-thc-but-the-fight-aint-over\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">challenged an attempt<\/a> by the state\u2019s Health Services Department to prohibit them altogether. To make matters even more complicated, around the same time, the DEA made statements in late 2021 suggesting that delta-8 THC may be legal after all. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-how-did-we-get-here\">How did we get here?<\/h2>\n<p>Have these compounds been known for years, but only sold once the federal hemp loophole opened up? Or did the loophole drive the demand to create new compounds to satisfy the market? <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-text-align-left\">\n<p>Federal hemp legalization created an entire national market for these once-obscure cannabinoids.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>As it turns out, it\u2019s more the former than the latter. Many of today\u2019s hemp-derived cannabinoids have been known for decades, but were assumed to be illegal, so nobody bothered to create products around them.<\/p>\n<p>But once they turned legal, things changed\u2014and fast.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s interesting is how quickly the innovations have started to occur in the hemp industry,\u201c says Kyle Ray, the COO of <a href=\"https:\/\/coloradochromatography.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Colorado Chromatography<\/a>, a company that produces hemp-based cannabinoids like HHC and THCV. \u201cWith these loose regulations, and not a very strong legal framework, people have left that open to extreme interpretation. People have pushed that to the limit both scientifically and from a legal perspective. They\u2019re really trying to poke the bear on this and push the boundaries of what is and isn\u2019t acceptable. \u201c<\/p>\n<p>Although hemp-derived cannabinoids have become widely popular only in the past year, they were first identified 80 years ago, just before the U.S. entered World War Two. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img width=\"461\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"timeline-of-delta-8-discoveries\" class=\"wp-image-192395 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-1.jpg,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-1.jpg,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-1.jpg,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-1.jpg,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>Illustration: Sasha Beck \/ Leafly<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"h-timeline-a-history-of-cannabinoid-discoveries\">Timeline: A history of cannabinoid discoveries<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>1941 \u2013 American chemist Roger Adams, leading a team at the University of Illinois, <a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/abs\/10.1021\/ja01853a052\">publishes a paper announcing<\/a> the first known synthesis of delta-8 THC. The following year, Adams\u2019 team conducts their first experiments on human subjects. Adams\u2019 groundbreaking research did not go unrecognized: The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acs.org\/content\/acs\/en\/funding-and-awards\/awards\/national\/bytopic\/roger-adams-award-in-organic-chemistry.html\">Roger Adams Award in Organic Chemistry<\/a> was established by the American Chemical Society in 1959. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>1944 \u2013 Roger Adams becomes the first scientist <a href=\"https:\/\/worldwide.espacenet.com\/patent\/search\/family\/024105324\/publication\/US2419937A?q=pn%3DUS2419937\">to synthesize<\/a> hexahydrocannabinol (HHC). Created by adding hydrogen molecules to THC, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/strains-products\/what-is-hhc\">HHC is recognized<\/a> for its relatively mild, soothing effects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>1949 to 1975 \u2013 THC-O (also known as THC acetate) was likely first <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nap.edu\/read\/9136\/chapter\/5#79\">synthesized by the US Army Chemical Corps<\/a> at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/news\/news-desk\/secrets-of-edgewood\">Edgewood Arsenal<\/a>, a secluded research facility on the shores Maryland\u2019s Chesapeake Bay. THC-O, which has also become popular in recent months, has a reputation for being three times more potent than conventional delta-9 THC, earning it the nickname \u201cthe spiritual cannabinoid.\u201d <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>1986 \u2013 Congress passes the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/21\/813\">Federal Analogue Act (FAA)<\/a>, which will have great significance in the 2020s. This law holds that any chemical \u201csubstantially similar\u201d to a Schedule I substance should be itself considered a Schedule I substance. The Federal Analogue Act is cited by some as the main legal reason hemp-derived cannabinoids with intoxicating effects similar to delta-9 THC should be considered illegal Schedule I substances.<\/li>\n<li>2001 \u2013 A team of scientists, including Raphael Mechoulam, <a href=\"https:\/\/patents.google.com\/patent\/US20040143126A1\/en\">patent their process<\/a> for converting CBD to delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC, which they refer to as isomerization.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>2010 \u2013 The \u201csynthetic marijuana\u201d drug K2, also known as Spice, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2016\/aug\/01\/k2-synthetic-marijuana-legal-drug-dangerous\">explodes in popularity<\/a>. The term is a misnomer, as K2\/Spice is in no way derived from the cannabis plant. Instead, it\u2019s made by spraying synthetic psychoactive chemicals like acetone <a href=\"https:\/\/lagniappemobile.com\/roach-spray-provides-many-dangers-drug-known-spice\/\">or roach spray<\/a> (which stimulate endocannabinoid receptors in the brain) on plant material. It\u2019s then sold falsely as marijuana, often with a disingenuous label advising \u201cnot for human consumption.\u201d The product is completely unregulated, not subject to any quality control, and has proven to be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drugabuse.gov\/publications\/drugfacts\/synthetic-cannabinoids-k2spice\">extremely dangerous<\/a> to human health. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"h-the-big-bang-congress-and-the-2018-farm-bill\">The big bang: Congress and the 2018 farm bill <\/h2>\n<p>Up until 2018, hemp-derived cannabinoids remained a negligible part of the marijuana industry\u2014legal or not. There just wasn\u2019t a reason to go to all the trouble of extracting them from hemp, as long as they were as illegal as delta-9 THC in prohibition states.<\/p>\n<p>That all changed on December 20, 2018, when President Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/news-events\/congressional-testimony\/hemp-production-and-2018-farm-bill-07252019#:~:text=In%20December%20of%202018%2C%20the,cannabis%20(Cannabis%20sativa%20L.)&text=The%202018%20Farm%20Bill%20explicitly%20preserved%20FDA's%20authorities%20over%20hemp%20products.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">signed the 2018 farm bill into law<\/a>. That bill, passed by a Republican Congress, federally legalized the cultivation and production of hemp. It furthermore legalized the transport of hemp (legally defined as a cannabis plant containing less than 0.3% delta-9 THC) across state lines. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"679\" alt class=\"wp-image-192175 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-2.jpg,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-2.jpg,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-2.jpg,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-2.jpg,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) led the passage of the 2018 farm bill, which federally legalized hemp. (AP Photo\/J. Scott Applewhite)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the spring of 2019, farmers across the country planted fields of hemp\u2014mainly with an eye toward supplying the exploding CBD market. But come fall, that green rush led to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturalproductsinsider.com\/ingredients\/delta-8-thc-saving-sagging-cbd-biz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">glut in the hemp market<\/a>. Farms were left with tons of product, and no easy way to sell it. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-too-much-hemp-so\">Too much hemp, so\u2026<\/h2>\n<p>Fortunately for the farmers, legally savvy cannabis product makers had realized that the farm bill allowed them to make and sell any cannabinoid-based product as long as its original source was hemp and the product didn\u2019t contain delta-9 THC.<\/p>\n<p>So the hemp farmers sold much of their production to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hempgrower.com\/article\/6-strategies-overcoming-hemp-oversupply-legislation-exports-delta-8-thc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hemp-derived cannabinoid producers<\/a>. Those producers sold to product manufacturers, who found an eager market of millions of cannabis consumers in non-legal states\u2014states in which hemp-derived cannabinoids were now technically legal.<\/p>\n<p>In a Feb. 2021 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/02\/27\/health\/marijuana-hemp-delta-8-thc.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>New York Times<\/em> report<\/a>, the Austin-based company <a href=\"https:\/\/hometownherocbd.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hometown Hero<\/a> observed that the number of new customers \u201ccoming into Delta 8 is staggering.\u201d Ian Laird, chief financial officer of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newleafdataservices.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Leaf Data Services<\/a>, estimated delta-8 consumer sales of at least $10 million. \u201cDelta 8 has really come out of nowhere over the past year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" alt class=\"wp-image-191076 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-3.jpg,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-3.jpg,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-3.jpg,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-3.jpg,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cornbreadhemp.com\/guide-to-cannabinoids-major-and-minor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span>Cornbread Hemp<\/span><\/a> co-founders and cousins Jim Higdon (left) and Eric Zipperle (right) started their organic hemp company in Kentucky after passage of the 2018 farm bill created a legal market. (Photo courtesy of Cornbread Hemp)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-states-push-back-with-bans-and-regulations\">States push back with bans and regulations<\/h2>\n<p>Since the start of 2021, delta-8 THC and other hemp-derived cannabinoids have been banned in over a dozen states. In Texas, one of the nation\u2019s most robust hemp-derived cannabinoid market, a roiling lawsuit over the legality of D-8 is making its way through the state judicial system.<\/p>\n<p>As of this writing, delta-8 THC and other hemp-derived cannabinoids are banned, or sales restricted, in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Kentucky, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and Washington.<\/p>\n<p>Yet in the same timeframe, two other states have at least partially legalized the sale of hemp-derived cannabinoids: Connecticut and Arkansas.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-timeline-the-boom-after-the-2018-farm-bill\">Timeline: The boom after the 2018 farm bill <\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>September 2019 \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/strains-products\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-delta-8-thc-with-3chi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span>3Chi<\/span><\/a> becomes the first company to sell delta-8 THC cartridges, gummies, tinctures, and concentrates, both online and in retail locations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>May 2020 \u2013 Vermont\u2019s Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets <a href=\"https:\/\/agriculture.vermont.gov\/sites\/agriculture\/files\/documents\/PHARM\/hemp\/Vermont_Hemp_Rules_effective_05_21_20.pdf\">adopts hemp rules<\/a> that ban the use of \u201csynthetic cannabinoids in the production of any hemp product or hemp-infused product.\u201d Although hemp-derived cannabinoids aren\u2019t actually \u201csynthetic,\u201d Vermont used the term to differentiate them from cannabis not derived from hemp. <\/li>\n<li>April 2021 \u2013 Washington State\u2019s Liquor and Cannabis Board <a href=\"https:\/\/lcb.wa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/rules\/Statements\/Conformed%20THC%20Isomers%20Policy%20Statement%2004282021.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span>bans products containing <\/span><\/a>\u201csynthetically derived\u201d THC, including delta-8. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>April 2021 \u2013 North Dakota legislators pass House Bill 1045, which <a href=\"https:\/\/legiscan.com\/ND\/text\/1045\/id\/2376277\">bans any hemp-derived product<\/a> including more than 0.3% THC, which includes delta-7, delta-8, and delta-10 THC.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>April 2021 \u2013 Kentucky\u2019s Department of Agriculture <a href=\"https:\/\/hempsupporter.com\/assets\/uploads\/KDAStatementApril192021.pdf\">issues a letter<\/a> \u201cadvising\u201d that the production, sale and possession of delta-8 THC and other THC isomers is illegal. After several vendors are raided in June, the <a href=\"https:\/\/cbdoracle.com\/news\/policy\/delta-8-thc-legal-kentucky\/\">Kentucky Hemp Association sues the state<\/a>, seeking a temporary injunction. In the interim, some businesses have continued to stock delta-8 THC products.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>May 2021 \u2013 New York <a href=\"https:\/\/hempindustrydaily.com\/new-york-latest-to-ban-delta-8-thc-modifies-ban-on-smokable-hemp-flower\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span>bans<\/span> the in-state manufacture of all<\/a> \u201ccannabinoids created through isomerization.\u201d <\/li>\n<li>May 2021 \u2013 Colorado <a href=\"https:\/\/cbdoracle.com\/news\/policy\/delta-8-thc-illegal-colorado\/\">bans<\/a> the purchase, use, possession, sale, distribution, and production of delta-8 and all THC isomers. (Colorado Chromatography, the business quoted earlier in this story, does not produce such compounds.) <\/li>\n<li>May 2021 \u2013 The DEA adds delta-8 to its \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov\/schedules\/orangebook\/c_cs_alpha.pdf\">orange book<\/a>,\u201d a list of controlled substances. The addition does not directly impact laws, but instead offers guidance on how agents should consider the compound. Shane Pennington, counsel at the national law firm Vicente Sederberg, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hempgrower.com\/article\/delta-8-thc-dea-drug-enforcement-administration-orange-book-what-it-means\/\">put it this way to <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hempgrower.com\/article\/delta-8-thc-dea-drug-enforcement-administration-orange-book-what-it-means\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em><span>Hemp Grower<\/span><\/em>: \u201cEven if the agency doesn\u2019t have the resources right now, or hasn\u2019t done enough research to be sure what they think the law is on something \u2026, the regulated public still wants to know what the agency <\/a>thinks.\u201d He added that no agency documents \u201cshow that [delta-8] is a controlled substance. They just show that delta-8 has been on regulator radars for a very long time.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>July 2021 \u2013 Connecticut <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nothingbuthemp.net\/post\/in-connecticut-delta-8-thc-regulated-and-legal-with-all-cannabis\">legalizes THC derivatives<\/a>\u2026sort of. As part of the state\u2019s cannabis legalization framework bill, all THC derivatives will be legal, but only available for purchase at state-licensed shops. Since those sales haven\u2019t begun yet, delta-8 THC products remain illegal for the time being.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>July 2021 \u2013 Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/(S(rc0gxrgvgbirjviu2jy4qq1m))\/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=2021-HB-4517\">House Bill 4517<\/a>, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fraserlawfirm.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/governor-whitmer-signs-law-regulating-delta-8-thc-manufacturing-and-sales-starting-october-11-2021\/\">limits the production<\/a> of hemp-derived cannabinoids to licensed Michigan marijuana producers.<\/li>\n<li>September 2021 \u2013 The FDA and the CDC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/consumers\/consumer-updates\/5-things-know-about-delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol-delta-8-thc\">issue statements cautioning Americans<\/a> against consuming delta-8 THC products, citing an uptick in \u201cadverse reactions\u201d to them. Most of those adverse reactions seem to involve people who thought they were consuming non-intoxicating CBD, but instead found themselves getting high. \u201cIt is important for consumers to be aware that delta-8 THC products have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA for safe use in any context,\u201d the agency says. \u201cThey may be marketed in ways that put the public health at risk and should especially be kept out of reach of children and pets.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Between Dec. 2020 and July 2021, poison-control centers received 660 calls from people who consumed Delta-8 THC. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/chrisroberts\/2021\/09\/17\/the-feds-are-coming-for-delta-8-thc\/?sh=85938f66d271\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">As Forbes reported<\/a>, almost all of them were minors, and had been hospitalized with symptoms including lethargy, slurred speech, erratic heart rates, sedation, and even \u201ccoma.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>September 2021 \u2013 Arkansas <a href=\"https:\/\/www.arkleg.state.ar.us\/Bills\/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2021R%2FPublic%2FHB1640.pdf\">legalizes delta-8<\/a> THC via House Bill 1640. <\/li>\n<li>October 2021 \u2013 Texas officials move to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/politics\/texas-outlawed-delta-8-thc-but-the-fight-aint-over\">ban hemp-derived cannabinoids<\/a>, but in Nov. 2021, Judge Jan Soifer grants a temporary injunction to the state\u2019s delta-8 THC vendors. As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/politics\/texas-judge-allows-legal-sale-of-delta-8-products-for-now\">Leafly has reported<\/a>, a full ruling is expected in Jan. 2022.<\/li>\n<li>November 2021 \u2013 DEA Chief of Intergovernmental Affairs Sean Mitchell says that the agency does not consider delta-8 THC to be federally illegal. \u201cAt this time,\u201d Mitchell says, \u201cper the farm bill, the only thing that is a controlled substance is delta-9 THC greater than 0.3 percent on a dry-weight basis\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yt8oWWsoLD4&t=1286s&ab_channel=FloridaDepartmentofAgricultureandConsumerServices\">during a virtual town hall event<\/a> in Florida.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/health\/delta-8-thc-poisonings-the-cdcs-warning-isnt-what-you-think\" class=\"wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-single-inline-block leafly-inline-related-story\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"border border-deep-green-alt border-l-0 border-r-0 my-xl p-md font-bold\">\n<p>Related<\/p>\n<p>Delta-8 THC poisonings? The CDC\u2019s warning isn\u2019t what you think<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-where-are-hemp-derived-cannabinoids-headed-next\">Where are hemp-derived cannabinoids headed next?<\/h2>\n<p>Despite recent rulings, the future of hemp-derived cannabinoids is far from clear. It\u2019s hard to imagine that the big legal battle in Texas will settle the issue nationwide.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the growing possibility of federal cannabis legalization throws the future of hemp-derived cannabinoids into question.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf cannabis was federally legal in 50 states, you think there\u2019d be any THC-O or delta-8 or HHC out there? I don\u2019t think any of them would be on the market unless it was way cheaper [than conventional cannabis and delta-9 THC],\u201d says James Stephens, a cannabis researcher who works at the California-based cannabinoid biosynthesis company <a href=\"https:\/\/creoingredients.com\/media-new\/\">Creo<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But if the industry is permitted to progress, it will continue to evolve. Kyle Ray, of Colorado Chromatography, suspects that customized blends of cannabinoids that allow consumers to fine-tune their experience could be on the horizon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think in the next decade or so you\u2019re going to see [hemp-derived] blends rise in popularity,\u201d he tells Leafly. \u201cI think flower is still going to reign supreme, and live extract distillates will be the next most popular, followed by gummies, [but] I think there\u2019s going to be a niche subset of people who prefer these cannabinoid blends because you can customize your experience based on your mood. I think that\u2019s the direction we\u2019re headed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>James Stephens, of Creo, agrees that more manageable products are likely coming, but sees them being produced in new \u201cform factors\u201d like beverages and tablets, and in modified, less potent compounds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe canna-curious is what everyone is going to try to chase,\u201d he tells Leafly. \u201cThere\u2019s going to be a desire to go towards form factors that are fast-acting and clear out of your system faster, like alcohol. I think that\u2019s where you\u2019re going to see a ton of chemistry go. I think the next phase is ppl working hard to chemically modify cannabinoids to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re going to see people do it [with or without regulatory approval] and release it into the market\u2026That\u2019s where I really see the industry pouring a lot of effort in the next 3-5 years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And if producers are stymied, as we\u2019ve learned from the history of hemp-derived cannabinoids, they will be sure to seek out another solution, however temporary it may be.<\/p>\n<div id=\"author-box\" class=\"p-lg my-xxl bg-white rounded border border-light-grey elevation-low\">\n<div class=\"mb-lg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids.jpg\" alt=\"Max Savage Levenson's Bio Image\" class=\"lazyload inline-block mr-md rounded-full border border-light-grey\"> <\/p>\n<p>Max Savage Levenson<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"text-sm\">Max Savage Levenson likely has the lowest cannabis tolerance of any writer on the cannabis beat. He also writes about music for Pitchfork, Bandcamp and other bespectacled folk. He co-hosts The Hash podcast. His dream interview is Tyler the Creator.<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"text-sm font-bold underline text-green\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/author\/max-savage-levenson\">View Max Savage Levenson’s articles<\/a> <\/div>\n<div class=\"leafly-sailthru-signup p-lg my-xl bg-white rounded elevation-low border border-light-grey\">\n<p class=\"text-xs pt-lg\">By submitting this form, you will be subscribed to news and promotional emails from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\">Leafly<\/a> and you agree to Leafly’s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/tos\">Terms of Service<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>. You can unsubscribe from Leafly email messages anytime.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat --> <!--\nPerformance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: https:\/\/www.boldgrid.com\/w3-total-cache\/ Served from: _ @ 2022-02-01 22:51:36 by W3 Total Cache\n--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Who invented delta-8 THC? A history of hemp-derived cannabinoids | Leafly Link copied to your clipboard Leafly Leafly \u00ae Loading\u2026 Where are you from? noyes Remember me for 30 days. I confirm that this is not a shared device. Darn! You’re not old enough to use Leafly. Redirecting you to By accessing this site, you accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. As cannabis legalization spreads across the United States, another industry emerged along its margins in 2021: the unregulated hemp-derived cannabinoids market. The best-known of these products, delta-8 THC, is sold in unregulated smoke shops and online stores… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4015,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marijuana_information"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/who-invented-delta-8-thc-a-history-of-hemp-derived-cannabinoids.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4014","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4014"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4014\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}