This National Poison Prevention Week, the Alabama Department of Public Health is looking to raise awareness of the dangers of products containing delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as delta-8 THC. In a 7-month period in 2021, the National Poison Control Center received 660 exposure cases involving delta-8 THC. Many of these involved unintentional exposure in patients less than 18 years old, and a number of those patients required hospitalization.
A variety of products containing delta-8 THC are now available online and at retail locations such as gas stations and convenience stores. These products are often packaged and labeled in ways that may appeal to children, appearing in the form of gummies, cookies, chocolates, and other candies. Exposure to delta-8 THC has been reported in children as young as 2 years old. These cases underscore the importance of keeping products containing THC out of the reach of children.
Delta-8 THC is a psychoactive substance that originates in the Cannabis sativa plant (of which hemp and marijuana are two varieties). Because delta-8 THC is not found in significant amounts in plants, potentially harmful chemicals are often employed in the manufacturing process used to create more potent concentrations of the substance in these consumer products. The locations in which this manufacturing process takes place are often uncontrolled or unsanitary.
Currently, the United States Food and Drug Administration does not evaluate or approve any products containing delta-8 THC. The agency has, however, received numerous adverse event reports involving such products, with accounts ranging from vomiting and hallucinations to loss of consciousness.
If you think you are having a serious reaction to a product containing delta-8 THC, call your local or regional poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1, or seek medical attention at your local emergency room. Consumers are also encouraged to report adverse events to MedWatch.
National Poison Prevention Week, recognized during the third full week of March each year, was established by Congress in 1961. It's a way to elevate awareness of the many ways accidental poisonings can take place, and how to prevent them.