More Teens Are Using Delta-8 THC. What Is It, and Is It Safe?

More teens are using a psychoactive substance called delta-8 THC…and it may be legal, a new study warns.

Survey responses from about 2,000 12th graders revealed 11% used the product last year.

Delta-8 THC is a cannabinoid derived from hemp, but it has intoxicating effects similar to marijuana.

It’s currently legal on the federal level because of a loophole in a 2018 law that removed hemp from the controlled substance list.

And while some states have taken steps to regulate or ban the product, it’s widely available as gummies and vapes in more than 20 states, as well as online.

Researchers say delta-8 THC is fairly new, so its health impact on teens is unknown.

But experts are concerned about its effects on brain development, addiction, behavioral problems and accidental overdose.

The senior author says when new drugs hit the market, teens are the first to be hurt if no regulations are in place.

He says, “We saw this with nicotine e-cigarettes and should not let history repeat itself with delta-8 THC or the other hemp products.”

The researchers say regulations are desperately needed to help control accessibility, production and marketing.