A new study looked at the side effects people report from using delta-8-THC products and found that most match the side effects seen with regular cannabis.
This suggests delta-8-THC acts on the brain in a similar way as the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, delta-9-THC.
Key Facts:
- Delta-8-THC is a compound derived from hemp that causes psychoactive effects like regular cannabis. It has become popular in the past few years as an unregulated product.
- Researchers analyzed over 2000 reports of delta-8-THC side effects posted on social media and found the most common types match side effects from regular cannabis intoxication.
- The most reported side effects were anxiety, cough, paranoia, accidental overdose, increased heart rate, panic attacks, breathing issues, headache, nausea and vomiting.
- The study suggests delta-8-THC likely acts on the brain’s cannabinoid receptors similar to delta-9-THC, causing acute intoxication effects.
Source: J Cannabis Res. 2023
What is Delta-8-THC?
Delta-8-THC, short for delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, is a compound derived from hemp plants.
It is chemically similar to delta-9-THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis that causes the “high” feeling.
Delta-8-THC produces psychoactive effects like delta-9-THC and has surged in popularity over the past few years.
It is often marketed as providing a milder high than cannabis.
The key difference is that delta-8-THC is largely unregulated, while cannabis products containing delta-9-THC are strictly regulated in states where recreational use is legal.
Delta-8-THC products can be purchased online and in stores across most of the U.S.
How the Study Was Conducted
Researchers analyzed two data sources to understand the side effects people experience from using delta-8-THC:
- Posts on the social media website Reddit – Over 2000 posts mentioning delta-8-THC side effects were sampled from the “r/Delta8” subreddit forum.
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) – 326 reports of delta-8-THC side effects submitted to the FDA were analyzed.
Researchers coded and categorized the reported side effects using standard medical terminology.
They compared the frequency of different side effect types between the social media posts and FAERS reports.
The Most Common Delta-8-THC Side Effects
The analysis found the most frequently reported delta-8-THC side effects match typical effects seen with cannabis intoxication from delta-9-THC.
The top side effects reported:
- Anxiety – the most common, reported in 16% of social media posts
- Cough – reported in 16% of posts
- Paranoia – reported in 9%
- Accidental overdose – reported in 9%
- Increased heart rate – reported in 7%
- Panic attacks – reported in 7%
- Breathing problems – reported in 6%
- Headaches – reported in 5%
- Nausea and vomiting – reported in 5%
These match the most common adverse reactions reported in surveys of recreational delta-9-THC cannabis users.
Other Frequent Side Effects Reported
Some other frequently reported side effects of delta-8-THC included:
- Dizziness – reported in 5% of posts
- Abnormal sensations – reported in 5%
- Throat irritation – reported in 4%
- Chest pain – reported in 4%
- Memory issues – reported in 3%
- Fatigue – reported in 3%
- Tremors/shaking – reported in 3%
- Depression – reported in 3%
- Withdrawal symptoms – reported in 3%
- Attention issues – reported in 2%
Many of these resemble common side effects of delta-9-THC intoxication as well.
Types of Side Effects Reported
When analyzed by general category, the types of side effects reported for delta-8-THC matched those for regular cannabis:
- Psychiatric disorders – most common category, cited in 41% of delta-8 posts and 65% of cannabis FAERS reports. Includes anxiety, paranoia, panic attacks.
- Respiratory issues – second most common, cited in 29% of delta-8 posts and 14% of cannabis reports. Includes cough, breathing problems.
- Nervous system issues – third most common, cited in 23% of delta-8 posts and 13% of cannabis reports. Includes dizziness, tremors, headaches.
This suggests delta-8-THC affects the same systems in the body as delta-9-THC, especially mental effects.
Risk of Accidental Overdose
One key risk highlighted was accidental overdose from delta-8-THC, reported in 9% of the social media posts analyzed.
Overdose can occur because delta-8 products are largely unregulated without dosage labeling standards.
Overconsumption can lead to severe intoxication symptoms requiring emergency care.
Withdrawal Symptoms Reported
A few percent of the reports mentioned withdrawal symptoms from stopping heavy delta-8-THC use, including depression, anxiety, insomnia and nausea.
This indicates delta-8-THC may cause dependence with extended frequent use, similar to regular cannabis.
Withdrawal can occur within 1-3 days after stopping use.
What the Findings Suggest About Delta-8-THC and the Brain
The similarity in side effect types reported for delta-8-THC and regular delta-9-THC-containing cannabis suggests that delta-8-THC likely acts on the brain through the same biological mechanisms as delta-9-THC.
Specifically, delta-8-THC appears to interact with the brain’s cannabinoid receptors, which are part of the endocannabinoid system.
Delta-9-THC causes intoxicating effects by stimulating CB1 cannabinoid receptors located throughout the brain.
This system influences mood, cognition, movement, pain and memory.
The matching side effect profiles indicate delta-8-THC acts like a typical cannabinoid agonist, binding to and activating CB1 receptors like delta-9-THC does.
Through this same mechanism, delta-8-THC can cause acute intoxication symptoms at higher doses.
The study findings provide real-world evidence that delta-8-THC causes psychoactive effects like regular cannabis.
Key Concerns Around Delta-8 Regulations
While delta-8-THC may produce similar effects to cannabis, it faces none of the same safety regulations that have been implemented for cannabis products in states where recreational use is legal.
Key regulatory gaps for delta-8-THC highlighted by the study include:
- No labeling standards for delta-8-THC content and dosage – leads to accidental overdoses
- No mandatory testing for contaminants – raises risk of toxic additives
- No oversight over manufacturing processes – inconsistent purity and quality
- Easy online access without age verification – availability to youth
Tighter regulations would provide more oversight for delta-8-THC production and sales to improve consumer safety.
The findings reinforce calls for legal clarification around the unregulated delta-8 products.
Implications for Medical Treatment
The similarity of delta-8-THC side effects to cannabis suggests that medical treatment can follow similar guidelines as for cannabis intoxication cases.
For acute symptoms like anxiety, fast heart rate, nausea and disorientation, supportive care is typically provided until the effects resolve.
Vital signs are monitored and medications can treat specific symptoms.
Cases rarely require extensive testing – the side effects often resolve on their own within 24 hours as intoxication wears off.
Severe symptoms may take 1-3 days to fully resolve.
Withdrawal can also be managed by slowly tapering off use over several weeks, rather than abruptly stopping heavy use.
This can minimize symptoms like depression, anxiety and insomnia.
Conclusions: Delta-8-THC
This large-scale analysis of real-world reports found that delta-8-THC appears to cause near-identical side effects as delta-9-THC-containing cannabis.
The findings suggest delta-8-THC acts on the same cannabinoid receptors in the brain as delta-9-THC to cause intoxicating psychoactive effects.
Medical treatment for delta-8-THC exposure can follow similar principles as for cannabis overdose.
But lack of oversight for delta-8-THC products raises concerns about risks from contamination and accidental overdose that should be addressed.
Tighter regulations would improve consumer safety, especially given delta-8-THC’s widespread availability and popularity.
References
- Study: Self-reported adverse events associated with Delta-8-THC
- Authors: Eric C. Leas et al. (2023)
