Is Synthetic THC a Threat to Marijuana- Derived THC?

Synthetic THC comes in various forms, a popular version is the now famous delta-8-THC. Not much is required to create synthetic THC. It all starts with hemp which is now legal at the federal level, thanks to the Agricultural Act of 2018 which removed hemp from schedule 1 of the controlled substances act (CSA).

Cannabidiol (CBD) is extracted from hemp and then it is taken through chemical process (addition of solvents and heat) to produce different kinds of synthetic THC such as D8 and D10. These THC look-alikes have psychoactive properties meaning that they can give consumers that much desired “marijuana high.”

These synthetic forms of THC are added to different cannabis products such as candies and vape oils which are then sold as hemp products in gas stations, convenience stores, and even on online platforms.

Synthetic forms of THC may not provide a robust high like the one offered by THC. However, Consumers have reported several desirable traits of a delta-8 high. One users described the Delta 8 high to be energetic and “less flooring” than THC.

Now that it’s possible to “get high” on synthetic or hemp-derived THC, what happens to good-old original THC from marijuana?

Even though marijuana-derived THC is more powerful than the synthetic forms, it is way more expensive to produce. Since marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, the industry is heavily regulated. Consequently, cultivating legal marijuana is an expensive affair, even without factoring in the extraction costs. Those who had invested heavily in establishing legal marijuana grows are seemingly paying heftily for the rise of synthetic THC.

There has been an uproar from licensed growers in different states moving the regulatory agencies to act. The Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board recently seized about 1,600 pounds of synthetic THC from different producers including Unicorn Brands.

Licensed cannabis grows now face an existential threat due to the cheaper versions of THC which are produced cheaply from hemp. If this trend is to go on, legal marijuana grows might soon be rendered obsolete resulting ln humongous financial losses for the licensees.