A new study examining trends in calls to poison centers across the country for exposures to delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center, shows a sharp rise in exposures, including among children, and variation among states and regions. The study, published in the Journal of Medical Toxicology , found that the rate of delta-8 THC exposures reported to poison centers across the country increased by nearly 80% from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022, with the U.S.
South accounting for more than two-thirds of exposures. The rate of delta-8 THC exposures reported to poison centers was significantly lower among states where delta-8 THC was banned and among states where cannabis use was legal. Products containing delta-8 THC are often referred to as "diet weed" or "hemp products," which leads to a misperception that they are safer alternatives to the more regulated and more abundant delta-9 THC.
"All cannabis products , including delta-8 THC, can be extremely toxic for young children . Children represented more than half of exposures in this study, with nearly 1 in 3 exposures being children younger than 6 years. Children younger than 6 accounted for half of non-critical care unit admissions and 58 percent of critical care admissions," said Hannah Hays, MD, co-author of the study, medical director of the Central.