CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — From hemp stores to mobile cannabis carts, North Carolinians can now feel the effects of a product that is legally available on the shelves of countless vape and smoke shops across the state.
The name is Delta-8; it is a psychoactive cannabinoid that occurs naturally in cannabis plants. Delta-8 is legal when it contains less than 0.3% of Delta-9 THC by dry weight. Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC only differ in their chemical structures in the position of the double bond on the carbon chain.
Mihaly Lukcas works as a hemp tender at The Hemp Store. According to Lukcas, many individuals prefer Delta-8 THC for recreational use. “Delta-8 is milligram per milligram less potent and has more anesthetic effects relative to Delta-9 THC,” Lukcas said. “Delta-9 THC, especially at higher doses, can induce paranoia and anxiety as an adverse symptom. Delta-8 can also do that, but it’s a little bit more difficult for that compound to actually achieve that just because it is less psychoactive by nature.”
As of now, the FDA continues to warn that Delta-8 THC products have not been evaluated or approved for safe use in any context, and they may be marketed in ways that endanger public health. Attorney Phil Dixon Jr., a teaching assistant professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, says he is surprised at the absence of any age restriction for purchasing Delta-8 products.
“I have a 15-year-old son. It’s not a crime for him to possess a bag of Delta-8 gummies,” Dixon says. “I get that question from law enforcement and prosecutors quite a bit, who are shocked that it’s apparently not a crime.”
According to Lukcas, Delta-8 THC has multiple medicinal properties, which is why customers come to his store seeking relief for various conditions. “We get veterans with PTSD, [as well as] physical injuries sustained during combat, who come in seeking relief. We also have grandmothers and grandfathers who can’t sleep due to surgeries that keep them awake at night. These individuals have noble and reasonable reasons to seek care and choices that are not as addictive, especially for their long-term health.”
Hunter Bolesky and Brandon Srinath are the owners of Botanna cart. They also express frustration with the stigma surrounding hemp products. “You’re not allowed to market this stuff on Instagram. Instagram will take down posts. you’re not allowed to do stuff so you can explode your business,” Bolesky says. “All of our customers and all of our supporters, we’ve garnered by word of mouth and by meeting them face to face.”
While Delta-8 products are legal and widely available in the state of North Carolina, consuming them is likely to result in a positive drug test. Due to the similar chemical structures with Delta-9 and the way our bodies metabolize them into identical compounds, having Delta-8 in your system could interfere with test results. Dixon says consumers should be cautious and informed before using them.
“If you’re trying to use legal hemp and you’re concerned about failing a drug test, you may want to really document your use,” Dixon says. “How much are you taking? Where are you getting the product from? You may want to run it by your employer, so it’s not a shock if one day you’re drug tested and it pops up as illegal Delta-9.”