Trenton, NJ--In response to growing public concern, New Jersey lawmakers are contemplating a ban on unregulated Delta-8 THC products, which are often attractively packaged and sold in local convenience stores.
[Image via Spotlight News]
According to an NJ report, Delta-8 THC, a less potent cannabinoid than Delta-9 THC found in marijuana, remains unregulated under the state's cannabis laws. This has led to increased products containing high compound concentrations, often inaccurately labeled, causing concerns among cannabis experts and parents alike.
The report noted that Washington Township resident Michael Gillespie reported a distressing incident where his 15-year-old son experienced dizziness and passed out in a forest after consuming 600 milligrams of Delta-8 from sour watermelon gummies, resulting in an extended police search. "I was shocked these products were in our local stores,” Gillespie said, per the report.
The report noted that federal authorities had linked over 2,000 accidental poisonings between January 2021 and February 2022 to Delta-8. A 2018 congressional bill saw a rise in legal hemp products, including those with Delta-8. The compound remains unevaluated and unapproved by federal or state agencies.
In the report, Brett Goldman, Chair of the New Jersey Cannabusiness Association's hemp committee, highlighted the public health concern surrounding this issue. He criticized the lack of enforcement by the FDA, DEA, and state and local law enforcement that enables the sale of Delta-8 products in various forms.
The report noted that the proposed bill aims to amend the recreational cannabis law, making Delta-8 illegal except in hemp products with less than 0.3% of the compound. After nearly an hour of testimonies, the Assembly Health Committee unanimously voted the bill forward. The legislation, however, needs a companion bill in the Senate.
Learn more in the NJ report.