Delta-8 THC use in US adults: Sociodemographic characteristics and correlates

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107374

Addictive Behaviors

Volume 133, October 2022, 107374

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107374 Get rights and content

Highlights

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One in six cannabis users reported Delta-8 THC use.
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This investigation identified several important correlates of Delta-8 THC use.
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Delta-8 THC is commonly perceived to have therapeutic benefits.
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Delta-8 THC use is lower in states with restrictions on sales of Delta-8 THC.
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Findings begin to inform public health policy around Delta-8 THC use.

Abstract

Background

Use of novel cannabis products whose primary active compound is Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-8 THC), an isomer of Delta-9 THC has recently surged. While Delta-8 THC has psychoactive effects and is potentially harmful, little is known about its use. We examined sociodemographic characteristics, motivations, and consumption patterns of Delta-8 THC in US adult cannabis users.

Methods

Cannabis-using adult online survey participants (N = 4,348) provided information on Delta-8 use, and other characteristics. We assessed frequencies of sociodemographics, patterns, and correlates of Delta-8 THC use. Regression models estimated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of associations between past 30-day Delta-8 THC use, sociodemographic and other characteristics.

Findings

Among past 30-day cannabis users, 16.7% reported Delta-8 THC use. The most common consumption method was vaping concentrated formulations of Delta-8 THC (41.2%). Primary motivations for use were its legal status and perceived therapeutic benefits. Males were more likely than females to report Delta-8 THC use (aOR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.2, 1.7). Respondents residing in states with restrictions on sales of Delta-8 THC products had lower odds of Delta-8 THC use (aOR = 0.7, 95% CI 0.57, 0.86).

Conclusions

Findings provide initial insight into the current state of Delta-8 THC use in the US. Given the limited knowledge on use of Delta-8 THC, and considering emergence of reports indicating its harmful effects, there is urgent need for nationally representative data to investigate correlates of Delta-8 THC use (e.g., effectiveness of state-specific restrictions on its products). Such information can guide public-health policy around Delta-8 THC use.

Introduction

The 2018 Agriculture and Nutrition Improvement Act (ANIA) removed hemp with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of ≤ 0.3% from the US Controlled Substances Act, paving the way for the legal cultivation, sale, and distribution of hemp and its byproducts (U.S D of A. Farm Bill. Usda. https://www.usda.gov/farmbill. Published, 2018, Congress HR.-115th. Agriculture Improvement Act of, 2018). However, the ANIA does not specifically address Delta-8 THC, an isomer of Delta-9 THC, present at low concentrations in most cannabis plants, including hemp (Institute, 2021); therefore, ANIA effectively allows for the unregulated distribution of Delta-8 THC products, federally. At the state level, the legal status of Delta-8 THC varies: as of 12/20/2021, 20 US states had imposed some level of restrictions on the sale of Delta-8 THC products (Cornwell, 2021, Gleb, 2021), while the remaining states allowed the unlimited sale of these products online and in retail outlets including marijuana dispensaries, convenience stores, and gas stations (Delta, 2021).

Media reports indicate that US sales and use of Delta-8 THC products have recently surged (Delta, 2021, Delta-8 THC: A Tale Of American Ingenuity. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthoban/, 2021, Richtel, 2021, Delta-8-THC: How the Less-Potent Weed Cannabinoid Is Legal - Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/delta-8-thc-legal-weed-explained-, 2021, Delta-8: A legal high. themountaineer. https://www.themountaineer.com/news/delta-8-a-legal-high/article_8, 2021, How long will delta-8 remain legal Leafly. https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/how-long-will-delta-8-remain-legal. Published, 2021). Although some past studies indicate that the psychoactive effects of Delta-8 THC are weaker than those of Delta-9 THC (Hollister et al., 1973), recent reports indicate that Delta-8 THC is frequently discussed on social media sites (e.g., Reddit) as an alternative to Delta-9 THC in its potency and its psychotrophic effects (Weekly, 2022). Furthermore, recent federal/state reports stipulate that use of Delta-8 THC may cause significant toxicity as its levels in marketed products remain higher than in naturally occurring hemp extracts (U.S. Food Drug Administration, 2021). Additionally, Delta-8 THC products are easily available to consumers, including adolescents, often in packaging with insufficient warning labels (U.S. Food Drug Administration. 5 Things to Know about Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol – Delta-8 THC. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/5-things-know-about-delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol-delta-8-thc. Accessed September 20, 2021, Johnson-Arbor and Smolinske, 2021, Babalonis et al., 2021). In fact, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health Advisory recently issued an alert regarding the unregulated marketing of Delta-8 THC products, and their increasing availability and risk for negative outcomes (Institute, 2021). Similarly, the US Cannabis Council recently issued a position paper (Cannabis, 2021) stating that unregulated distribution of Delta-8 THC products may pose serious individual and public health risks. Despite the growing distribution of Delta-8 THC, much remains unknown about its use among people who use cannabis.

The current lack of knowledge about Delta-8 THC product use warrants additional research that will provide data regarding patterns of use (e.g., frequency and methods of consumption) and their correlates (e.g., sociodemographic characteristics, reasons for use, ways of obtaining). Such information can shed light on possible risk factors for Delta-8 THC use as well as motivations and perceptions around it. Further, considering reports indicating the potential harmful effects of Delta-8 THC (Hollister et al., 1973, Babalonis et al., 2021), there is a need for additional information on how its patterns of use are affected by state-specific Delta-8 THC regulatory restrictions. Moreover, given its federally legal status, it is possible that Delta-8 THC products are in high demand as a licit alternative to cannabis use. Therefore, further information on the effect of cannabis legislation on sales of Delta-8 THC products is warranted.

As an initial effort to learn more about Delta-8 THC and factors influencing its use, we asked about Delta-8 THC use in an online survey of 4,348 US adult cannabis users to determine: 1) awareness of the availability of Delta-8 THC products and their legal status; 2) patterns of past 30-day use of Delta-8 THC; 3) methods of consumption of Delta-8 THC; 4) motivation for use of Delta-8 THC; 5) ways of obtaining Delta-8 THC products. Among cannabis users, we also examined associations between Delta-8 THC use, sociodemographic characteristics, and cannabis use-related correlates (e.g., methods of cannabis).

Section snippets

Sample

Potential participants aged ≥ 18 years living in the US were recruited between 05/25/2021–07/31/2021 using keyword-targeted web-based advertisements (see Supplementary Appendix). Web-based health surveys have emerged as suitable, rapid, and cost-effective methods for population-level data collection (Whitaker et al., 2017), particularly among hard-to-reach populations such as substance users (Topolovec-Vranic and Natarajan, 2016, Jt et al., 2018). Participants provided informed consent;

Discussion

In this large online sample of individuals with past 30-day cannabis use recruited via social media, the prevalence of past 30-day Delta-8 THC use was 16.7%. The likelihood of Delta-8 THC use was higher in male compared to female cannabis users. The prevalence of Delta-8 THC use decreased monotonically with age, in that those in younger age groups were more likely to report past 30-day Delta-8 THC use than those aged 65 + years. These findings suggest that additional research on Delta-8 THC use

Conclusion

This study provides a snapshot of the current state of Delta-8 THC use among an online-recruited sample of adults who use cannabis in the US, thus adding to the sparse literature on Delta-8 THC use. Considering the lack of high quality data on the potential harms and benefits of Delta-8 THC, there is a serious need for future investigation of the perceived mental health benefits of Delta-8 THC, the role of social media in promoting its use, and the effectiveness of restrictions on Delta-8 THC

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Acknowledgments

Funding is acknowledged from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA050032, T32DA031099) and the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

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