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Opioid Lawsuit Money: Where Does It All Go?

March 17, 2023 Published by SDZ News

Johnson & Johnson and friends are paying out a lot of money for their misdeeds; even if they refuse to admit to doing anything wrong. In fact, every state in the US has at least one opioid lawsuit; with the question now of, where does all that settlement money actually go?

How much must be paid & by who?

There isn’t a finite answer to this question, as not every case against the major players like Johnson & Johnson has been settled. And we’re only talking about America right now anyway. So far, over 3,000 suits have been filed by different states and local governments over the pills which have caused a major death toll in America, Canada, and beyond.

The biggest payout comes in the form of a $26 billion settlement that was made between 46 US states and Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson. It was brokered in 2021, and dubbed the ‘National Settlement.’ This settlement does not include the four states that didn’t sign on, or anything previously decided or still ongoing. The number also doesn’t include separate lawsuits that have been waged against retailers like Walgreens.

Another of the big settlements has to do with the Native American population of America, a population hit very hard by opioids. This lawsuit was also against the four companies involved in the National Settlement, with a total of $590 million to be paid out to federally recognized tribes. It started as a settlement between AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson and just the Cherokee tribe for $75 million. This was then increased to $440 million, with a stipulation that it can be accessed by any federally recognized tribe member.

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For its part, Johnson & Johnson was also included and has two years to pay out $150 million in this particular case. Of that, $18 million is specifically for the Cherokees. To give an idea of the brazen ego of these companies; upon making this settlement, Johnson & Johnson said in a statement that “This settlement is not an admission of any liability or wrongdoing and the company will continue to defend against any litigation that the final agreement does not resolve.” I guess the company just likes paying out big sums of money.

Even more opioid lawsuits

It’ not just the pharma companies and distributors that are set to pay a lot of money. Even retailers got hit with lawsuits. CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart were staring down over 300 lawsuits over opioids, and settled for $13 billion in late 2022.

And what of Purdue specifically? The company that skyrocketed this whole issue with the creation of Oxycontin, and all the lies surrounding the usefulness and addictiveness of this drug? It also is in the process of dealing with the fallout of its blatant disregard for humanity. This company isn’t a corporation, and is privately owned by the Sackler family. The family was made to pay out $6 billion in a 2022 settlement, which goes mostly to local and state governments. And this as a part of a revised bankruptcy settlement, just to give an idea how much these little pills are hurting everyone…including those who made them.

Opioid lawsuit money

Even the federal government, which allows the opioids through regulation, is a part of it. The US Justice department made an $8 billion settlement with Purdue, which was reported in October 2022. And who gets this money? It goes to the Treasury Department, which is allocating $1.775 billion for states, tribes, and local governments for the future. And only $225 million for a “public benefit trust” to state and local communities now. It’s thought that once its all told, approximately $50 billion will be paid out from opioid lawsuits altogether on the state and local level.

Opioid lawsuit money: How is it split?

The whole point of these lawsuits is that the drugs hurt (and are still hurting) a lot of people. Now, sure, you can also say the disability damages affect a wider audience, including governments, but the thing to really remember in this, is who the victims are. And that’s primarily people who started opioids for pain issues. When you think about it, these lawsuits have less to do with people who decided to take up the drugs on their own.

So how does the money get to them? Or does it even? States are bringing in millions and billions of dollars from these opioid lawsuits, so where does the money go? This is where things get a bit complicated. And where we have to hope that the created systems, actually use the money appropriately.

Record High Opioid Deaths For a Record Low in America

The National Academy for State Health Policy is interested in this question, and compiled data to help elucidate the situation by looking at “state legislation, opioid settlement agreements and spending plans, advisory committees, and other entities charged with disbursing state funding”. According to the agency, all the states are setting up regulated structures for money dissemination; some related to the settlements themselves, and some as a part of new policy.

As the biggest payout as of yet, the National Settlement includes both the ability for states to create their own policies, while also defining some aspects of the payment structure. For example, this settlement includes a timeline for payouts, which stipulates 18 months. The money is split due to factors like overall population; how many overdoes deaths the location had, as well as how many active use cases there are now; and how much of the medications made their way into the location.

What about once a state has the money? The settlement agreement goes on to stipulate a standard rate for dissemination past that point, with 15% of the payment going to a State Fund, 70% to an Abatement Accounts Fund, and the last 15% to a Subdivision Fund. Should a state want to change this policy, it can challenge it. While all this applies to the biggest lawsuit, many settlements have similar instructions.

The ’State Fund’ is money which is “awarded directly to the state, with final spending authority residing with legislative appropriation, attorneys general, the Department of Health, or the state agencies responsible for substance use services.” The Subdivision Fund (Local Share) is money paid “directly to participating political subdivisions, including participating cities and counties.” And the Abatement Fund is to “distribute funding across the state.”

Essentially, each state is tasked with coming up with “unique process and administrative structures for allocating funding across state and local entities, identifying abatement needs, obtaining input from the public and experts, providing guidance on priorities and spending activities, and promoting transparency around the use of funds.” And these processes can be used for any opioid lawsuit money from future or already on-going cases.

Opioid lawsuit money, and how it can be used

With the National Settlement as the example, there are some stipulations as to how the money can be used once a state takes it in. This is where we need to make sure that these avenues lead to something useful; and that they don’t get corrupted. Which means watching over the process from beginning to end.

When Your Doctor Is Your Dealer: Why Opioid Measures Won’t Work

The main point is that at least 70% of this money must be used for ‘opioid remediation efforts,’ which essentially means policies that target the problem and attempt to solve it. As per the wording of the agreement:

“Care, treatment, and other programs and expenditures (including reimbursement for past such programs or expenditures except where this Agreement restricts the use of funds solely to future Opioid Remediation) designed to (1) address the misuse and abuse of opioid products, (2) treat or mitigate opioid use or related disorders, or (3) mitigate other alleged effects of, including on those injured as a result of, the opioid epidemic.” It’s not, however, more specific than this, leaving the individual locations to figure out what these measures should be.

The money must also be used to set up Opioid Settlement Remediation Advisory Committees. These committees are designed to provide some guidance for the remediation process; they only deal with the 70% allocated to the Abatement Accounts Fund.

The problem is that such systems have shown to be corruptible time and time again. To combat this (in some form) there is a guideline set up to try to deter unrelated spending. It stipulates a requirement to report all use of the funding money, including unrelated costs like payments to lawyers, investigation costs, court fees, and administrative fees. However, a requirement to report, doesn’t mean the funds won’t still be used for these purposes. If reported unrelated costs are still covered, the simple action of reporting does not mean the funds won’t be misused. We’ll have to keep an eye out.

Moving forward

Will any of this work, or are we simply filling government coffers, to be blown like so much other government money? The way I see it, there are two ways to look at progress. The first is if those who have been hurt, get repaid for their losses. And the second is in how it works to change the current landscape. Considering most new regulation focuses on decriminalizing drugs and setting up safe use sites, instead of looking at alternatives like ketamine; its certainly hard to see a path for positive change. And realistically, so long as the doctor is the dealer, can we actually expect this problem to go away?

It’s best to remember that no state pursuing an opioid lawsuit has barred the sale of opioids in the state; even with lawsuit money rolling in. Not even one made a guideline for making them harder to get. Kind of a contradiction, and one that shouldn’t be ignored if people really expect that governments are working on their behalf.

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Myanmar, Thailand, and the Growth of Meth in Southeast Asia

March 7, 2023 Published by SDZ News

Opioids are all over the US, cocaine is still heavily associated with Colombia, and Syria is spoken of as the new hub for captagon manufacture. Now, Myanmar joins the ranks, as one of the biggest producers of meth; with Thailand as one of the biggest buyers.

Myanmar and its history with drugs

Myanmar (Burma), is a country in the west part of mainland Southeast Asia. As of 2017 it had approximately 54 million inhabitants; and borders Bangladesh, India, China, Laos, and Thailand. Like many other poor countries, it was taken over by a big world power, Britain, which held control from 1824-1948. Since then, there has been much civil war, and military dictatorship. This has overridden all attempts at democracy; including coup d’é·tat efforts whenever someone is elected democratically. This happened after the most recent 2021 elections. This environment has led to an instability that allows mass illicit drug trades to thrive.

This is not the first time Myanmar has been associated with major drug production. Back in the 1960’s and 1970’s, Myanmar made a name for itself as one of the biggest opium producers in the world. According to UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), most of the opium cultivation took place in Shan State, a large rural area on the East side of the country, which borders China, Laos, and Thailand. There are a number of armed groups (militias, rebels, and insurgents) within the area to protect the drug trade.

Myanmar held its place as a top opium producer for many decades; though things started to decline in the 1990’s. This was mainly due to an effort by the ruling military junta called the ‘Tatmadaw.’ The group employed tactics like aerial spraying to kill large crop farms, and other methods to exterminate opium farms.

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Why did it happen? The Myanmar government had not done much until that time, essentially turning a blind eye to the trade. And it might have continued that way, if not for international pressure from countries like China (which uniformly hates opium due to the opium wars), and the US (which we already know loves to get involved in other country’s issues, whether it has a reason or not.)

The US probably gave a reason, like fear of it being trafficked to the US. Which is funny considering the country subsequently started the much worse synthetic opioid epidemic, and continues to allow this through regulation. But then, it can’t collect tax money from an illegal industry, only from a legal one.

Crackdown on opium in Myanmar leads to rise of meth

The crackdown worked, as lots of crops were exterminated. But that also meant that a lot of people were left without a job, and a source of income. And many of those people were not happy to see their business disappear into thin air.

At Your Own Risk: Top 5 Death Toll Drugs

In an act reminiscent of Colombia using its established cannabis lines to get cocaine into America, in Myanmar, these opium pathways led to the production and trafficking of another drug, methamphetamine. Opium requires fields to grow poppies, which are harder to hide. Meth, on the other hand, is made in hidden labs, making it that much harder to root out. All that’s needed are some chemicals like pseudoephedrine, and the product is easily made without eyes on it.

As the Shan State is located right next to China, its easy to import the chemicals needed for production. Regardless of how much China might not like opium, the country is a major supplier for the raw materials of worse drugs like meth; which go to places like Myanmar and the US. And fentanyl, which gets produced in Mexico to be shipped up to the US.

How much meth is produced in the country? As always with illegal industries, we don’t know exact answers. All information comes from arrests and seizures, and those numbers are used to estimate total production amounts. For example, let’s assume that its assumed that only one in 10 shipments gets intercepted, and each shipment averages 10 kg. If there are five interceptions, it would be calculated as 50 shipments of 10 kg, or 500 kg total. How precise is this? Not very, but it still gives some idea. Best to remember there’s no official reporting for illegal industries.

Meth production in Myanmar

UNODC estimated in a 2019 report, that in Myanmar, the meth trade is worth approximately $61 billion yearly. In fact, meth offers the country larger profit margins than dealing in opium and heroin. As happens with such industries, organized criminal entities have gotten involved, and the purest forms of the drug get trafficked to higher-priced countries like Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Thailand, and its resulting meth issues

The rising production and industrialization of meth, has brought a lot of money into Myanmar. It’s also predictably causing meth issues in other countries, like the neighboring Thailand. While I often write about Thailand for its progressive cannabis policies, and eye on a magic mushrooms industry; the current meth situation is now a growing problem in the country. And in this case, it’s a drug without a ton of medical benefits, though they do exist. Something exemplified by a Schedule II placement in the US…(while cannabis is Schedule I.)

According to a VOA news report from January, 2023, since Myanmar started production, meth use in Thailand shot up 30% in the last year alone. This makes sense. The drug is now cheaper with production right next door. And as a neighboring country, Thailand is much easier to get it to, than say, America. A nationwide survey in Thailand, led by Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University, recently turned back results that meth increased among 18-65 year olds. It said numbers went up from approximately 44,500 last year, to 57,900 this year. These numbers are low, says the head of the University’s Center for Addiction Studies, who explained that many won’t admit to use.

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Other surveys by Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board, which uses much wider sampling, found that the number is actually in the hundreds of thousands. This makes more sense with a population of around 72 million; and the production country next door for easy access. In Thailand, the drug is sold as tablets, and called ‘yaba’ which translate to ‘crazy medicine.’

To give an idea on price changes and availability, it’s now possible in some parts of Thailand to buy a tablet for between $0.50-$0.90 in the low-grade market. This is approximately ¼ the price it used to be. The premium market also saw a shift, with top shelf crystal meth prices decreasing from between $50-60 to as low as $14-29.

In order to deal with this very quickly exploding problem, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul mentioned instituting a new policy in January, which was introduced February 2^nd. If it passes, this law stipulates that a person in possession of even a single meth pill, can be prosecuted as a dealer. Current law dictates that possession of 15 tablets or less classifies the possessor as a user, which means they can accept treatment to avoid jail time. Dealers on the other hand, face up to 15 years in prison, with an extra five added on if they are found selling to minors.

Thailand might arrest for just one meth pill

No formal change was made yet. The new update must be approved by the cabinet before going into effect. As of February 22^nd, no formal proposal from the Public Health Ministry was submit; at least according to a government spokesperson, via VOA. We’ll have to wait and see if this policy becomes a real thing. Regardless of legal actions, the country is already increasing border patrols on its borders with both Laos and Myanmar.

Does the hype match the danger?

For many drugs, the policies out there don’t match the danger level of the drugs in question. Think about how many people died in the cannabis trade, for a no-death toll drug. Perhaps this is the ultimate example of laws and the hype, not matching the actual danger level. This isn’t that different from what’s going on with Syria and the captagon trade. Captagon is an amphetamine-like drug, which I couldn’t find one death statistic for. So big trade or not, its not the most dangerous drug. Especially considering how much usage there is. Does this make it good? No. But does it make the response to it insane? Yes!

Yet, what was it reported that Jordan is doing? Allowing a shoot-to-kill policy for anyone trafficking it over the border. Which means there’s an automatic death/injury policy, for moving something which itself isn’t attached to a death toll. Ultimately, while drugs can be dangerous without a death toll, when looking at the moves of big countries, and the wars they wage on illegal drugs; much more damage is caused through that violence, than any drug that doesn’t kill anyone.

The Lowdown On Syria As The New Captagon Narco State

I don’t remember seeing anything about major health issues involved with captagon, insinuating this is about governments not wanting to lose profits to illegal markets, whether from manufacture in a home country, or import from another. On the other hand, sometimes its good to limit some drugs. The US would be smart to limit opioids, which it has never done. In the case of meth? You’ve certainly got a death and disability toll; though the jury’s out on whether the violent actions to prevent it, match the actual threat.

While drugs like cannabis and psychedelics have no real death threat, methamphetamine was responsible for anywhere up to 23,837 deaths in 2019 in the US, according to NIH (National Institute on Drug Abuse). This number is actually for all psychostimulants, which include cocaine. And it doesn’t rule out that other drugs were also used. Another organization, NIHCM (National Institute for Health Care Management) put the number at 23,776 for 2020, which it separated from cocaine numbers; though the deaths could still involve other substances. So yes, meth causes death, meaning in this case, its not just hype, there’s actual danger involved.

Conclusion

It’s hard to say what will happen next with Myanmar and its new meth industry, or Thailand and its new meth problem. Perhaps one of the more interesting things to get out of all this, is the incredible need people seem to have to get high, almost regardless of substance. These trades exist because of how desperate people are for something that feels good. Doesn’t it make more sense to build better systems to make sure people of a country are treated well? Might make some of these drug issues…go away.

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DEA & FDA: The Confusion Over Legal Drugs VS Legal Products

February 27, 2023 Published by SDZ News

This fight is ongoing. Are all cannabinoids that have to do with hemp, legal? Are hemp-derived cannabinoids that are completely or partially synthetic, legal? Are the cannabinoids that show up in nature, but are only used for production as synthetics, legal? And what about the products that are made from these compounds? Are they legal? There’s a mass amount of confusion on this, and on one end, a pretty discreet answer. So here we ago, when it comes to the DEA and FDA, what’s the difference between legal drugs, and legal products?

DEA, FDA, and USDA: what do these government agencies do?

For the most part, we have a generally good idea about this, but just to be clear, let’s quickly go over on a broad scale, the purpose (and power) of these government agencies. We’ll start with the DEA.

According to the agency, “The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the United States.”

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On another hand, according to the FDA, “The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and by ensuring the safety of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.”

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It goes on, “FDA also has responsibility for regulating the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of tobacco products to protect the public health and to reduce tobacco use by minors.” And, “is responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medical products more effective, safer, and more affordable and by helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medical products and foods to maintain and improve their health.”

As the FDA controls the regulation of all tobacco products, as stated, this includes vapes. Vapes are currently regulated under tobacco law, meaning all usage of vapes (e-cigarettes) falls under FDA regulation as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).

As far as the USDA, “We provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best available science, and effective management. We have a vision to provide economic opportunity through innovation, helping rural America to thrive; to promote agriculture production that better nourishes Americans while also helping feed others throughout the world; and to preserve our Nation’s natural resources through conservation, restored forests, improved watersheds, and healthy private working lands.”

2023 Farm Bill Under Construction: What to Expect For Hemp

These three agencies all play a role with cannabis in some way. The USDA regulates industrial hemp cultivation; the DEA regulates the legality of drug compounds; and the FDA regulates cannabis in products like foods, cosmetics, medicines, and supplements. These designations are important when looking at the controversy over the cannabinoid industry (and the cannabis industry as a whole), and the idea of legal drugs vs legal products.

The part of the USDA

There is a huge argument right now over which cannabis compounds are legal, and which products are legal; and these two questions are fundamentally different, because they’re governed by different agencies. So, to get an idea how it works with cannabis, let’s go over the breakdown between the legality of one vs the other.

To start with, the USDA’s 2018 Farm Bill legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp. And set a definition for ‘hemp’, which is the basis for a huge, and ongoing, argument, over exactly what this refers to; particularly in the case of wholly synthetic, or partially synthetic compounds. The ambiguity is partly related to the US not having a general definition for ‘natural’, meaning, there are no definitions for other thing like ‘naturally-derived’ either. Such a term is often used to greenwash products (make them sound more natural than they are), which has led to multiple lawsuits.

Natural and naturally-derived

There is more specific regulation on this front in terms of food, however, with organic laws setting particular standards. And with organizations like the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) which set standards for cosmetics and food. Apart from offering the hemp definition that causes so many problems (on one front), the USDA is less involved in the rest of the argument.

Legal cannabis drugs vs legal cannabis products, which is DEA and which is FDA?

USDA aside, the DEA regulates drugs on behalf of the Department of Justice. It holds drug scheduling lists that determine the legality and uses of a drug on a federal level. Schedule I is for 100% illegal drugs with no accepted medical use, a high risk of danger, and a high risk of addiction. These drugs are illegal for any resident to possess, use, cultivate, sell, transport, traffic, or do anything else with. Cannabis is one of these drugs. However, recently, plants with no more than .3% THC were legalized by the most recent farm bill, for industrial use; by moving regulation for cultivation and production (only) to the USDA.

When we want to know if a drug is legal in general, we look to the DEA. And that’s why the agency has fielded inquires, like from the Alabama Board of Pharmacy about delta-8, and more recently, by attorney Rod Kight in terms of two synthetic cannabinoids: Delta-9-THCO and delta-8-THCO. In both cases, it stipulated they’re illegal. These questions are about overall legality, like, can I have it at all as a legal compound, or will simply having it be a federal offense. But that’s where DEA control ends.

DEA Confirms That Synthetic Delta-8 THC is ILLEGAL, But…

The problem with the current debate, is that its essentially over products, rather than standard legality. Whether the DEA says the compounds are legal or not, has 100% no bearing on whether they’re legal to use in products. And that’s because the FDA (NOT the DEA) overseas all uses of cannabis in anything related to medical, supplements, cosmetics, smoking, and food products.

This means anything dealing with cannabis in vapes, is illegal. As is every other kind of cannabis product: oils and tinctures (both supplements, or food), creams, patches, and makeup (cosmetics, or medicine), pills, and treatments of any kind (medicine or supplements). They’re all uniformly illegal; because the FDA never made them legal.

What does the FDA permit? “With the exception of Epidiolex, Marinol, and Syndros, no product containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds (either plant-based or synthetic) has been approved as safe and effective for use in any patient population, whether pediatric or adult.”

FDA allows legal cannabis pharmaceutical products

If it needs to be stated more clearly, this ends the question of whether any cannabis product is legal on a federal level. And the answer is no. Once again, this is unrelated to whether the DEA classifies something as illegal or not. In fact, it should be remembered that the DEA has cannabis in Schedule I, yet the FDA approved Epidiolex, Marinol, and Syndros. Which means an illegal drug can still be used in legal products, should the FDA pass them. And a legal drug, is still illegal in products, if the FDA doesn’t make an allowance.

Why do people try to use DEA answers to promote product legality?

Hard for me to say, but I have my theories. One of them is simply confusion. I fully admit I, myself, was quite entangled in the ‘synthetic or not’ aspect of the argument for a long time. And that still matters in terms of legal drugs, but it doesn’t affect legal products. At least not in current circumstances. When an industry has regulation through different government bodies for the same topic, it can get confusing. And for many, it might seem like the DEA holds the answers to issues of product legality.

The other possibility is more a manipulation issue. The ideas generally focused on when speaking of the debate on hemp-derived cannabinoids, are whether they cross the .3% THC level at any point in processing, and whether they’re synthetic to some degree and what that means. That’s because these things can be argued. What is less arguable, is that the agency that allows legal products, never changed its stance. If industry promoters and vendors had the public focus on this, their products would be seen as illegal with no recourse. If response letters from the FDA were published, there wouldn’t be a question.

Artificial High – The History of Cannabis Synthetics

This is similar to how I believe the government uses methods of subterfuge to keep American attention off certain topics. Whether the cannabinoid industry is dirty or not, it simply doesn’t come with any real death toll that can be attributed to anything but additives. As in, not any of the cannabinoids, synthetic or not, have caused an issue to any real degree. On the other hand, while the government talks of them like they’re a massive threat to humanity, it continues to push opioids through regulation, as they now kill close to 100 thousand people a year.

Same concept. By focusing on the DEA, and whether a drug is legal overall, takes attention away from the fact that the FDA regulates products, and the DEA has nothing to do with this. The cannabinoid products industry isn’t going to focus on the legal aspect that renders it completely illegal. It’s going to focus on the debatable part, and sell it products based on the argument therein.

Final thoughts

I really don’t care if the products market continues. I mean, it’s a bit gross, with trademark violations, fake labs, mislabeled products, and no way to know what’s added in. But legal markets tend to have these issues too. And realistically, they ain’t killing anyone. My argument is simply about understanding the legal landscape, and not falling victim to subterfuge marketing moves when it comes to this understanding. But am I parading around for the end of cannabinoids? No. And realistically, illegal or not, there seem to be few, if any, repercussions involved; likely because the US can’t fight another losing drug war.

Issues with mislabeled cannabis products

I’d sure love if everyone had access to the real plant (which seems to lower use of synthetics anyway), but I also know people like to get high and will try what’s available. And if its not going to cause damage, or at least, not in remotely the same ballpark as other drugs like medically approved opioids and benzodiazepines, and illegal ones like meth; it kind of seems like the FDA should suck it up, and allow it to happen. Although, in the world of reality, the market continues regardless.

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Illegal Synthetics, Amanita Hemp Cup Products, Cannabis Music Banned – The Cannadelics Sunday Edition

February 26, 2023 Published by SDZ News

Welcome to our weekly newsletter, The Cannadelics Sunday Edition, emailed to our subscribers every Sunday morning 11am est, with the main items of the week. This week we look into Illegal Synthetics, new Amanita mushroom Hemp Cup products, Cannabis music and media getting banned, Cannabis tourism in Uruguay, Trainspotting, Argentina hemp laws, Amanita beginners guide and types of hangovers and more.

As always, In addition the weekly digest, the newsletter comes with few of our Deal Of The Day offers. As always, the best Cannabis and Psychedelic products are reserved for our readers, so subscribe today or use the sign-in form below:

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The Cannadelics Sunday Edition (2/26/2023) – Illegal Synthetics, Amanita Hemp Cup Products, Cannabis Music Banned and more

Hi,

Welcome to the Cannadelics Sunday edition, going out every Sunday with the top stories from the cannabis and psychedelics industries. This week we have a mixed bag of stories as well as a few deals from our deal-of-the-day segments.

Thanks for stopping by!

DEAL OF THE DAY

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Of particular interest are the more potent offerings, such as the Amanita HHC Amanita gummies and the Amanita D8 joints. The HHC gummies stand out for two reasons: they feature HHC (hexahydrocannabinol), a simplified version of THC, and they’re a rare combination of gummy and chocolate.

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THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

This week we have a pretty even mix of both cannabis and psychedelics news. Among this stories, we have one explaining the DEA’s clarification on Illegal Synthetics. We’re also covering a recent ban on cannabis themed music and media in the Dominican Republic, a federal judge’s rule on cannabis and guns in Oklahoma, new Amanita mushroom products in hemp cup and so much more!

Illegal Synthetics:

Illegal Synthetics: DEA Reiterates That Synthetic Cannabinoids Are Illegal

This debate has been raging on for years- are synthetic “hemp-derived” cannabinoids federally legal or not? Some claim vehemently that they are, while others remain skeptical. However, a recent statement from the FDA offers us some clarity, claiming that synthetic cannabinoids are in fact, illegal, even if they are hemp-derived.

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Amanita Mushroom Products at 2023 High Times Hemp Cup Kits

The 2023 High Times Hemp Cup is introducing a new product to the competition – Amanita Hemp Cup products that contain muscimol from Amanita muscaria mushrooms, combined with popular cannabinoids. The Amanita Hemp Cup products include gummies and pre-rolled joints containing muscimol combined with HHC, Delta 8 THC, and CBD.

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Dominican Republic Banned Cannabis Themed Music & Media

While most of the cannabis-related news stories these days show different regions relaxing regulations against the plant, some places, are heading steadfast in the opposite direction. Take the Dominican Republic, for instance. Not only are they not even considering any type of cannabis legislation, they actually took things a step further and banned cannabis themed music and media.

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Uruguay Working Toward Cannabis Tourist Industry to Fight Black Market

Although it often flies under the radar in many discussions on the subject, Uruguay is the world’s oldest, legal recreational cannabis market. If we follow what happens there, it can give us a good indication of what may transpire in other legal markets throughout the world. Currently, Uruguay is working on bolstering the cannabis tourism industry in order to thwart the still-thriving black market.

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Additional Reading:

A few more articles for your reading pleasure, such as the 2023 farm-bill, medical cannabis, salvia, Delta 9 vs Delta 8 etc.

Trainspotting: The Truth about Scotland and Heroin

trainspotting heroin / Illegal Synthetics — *Trainspotting: The Truth about Scotland and Heroin*

When Trainspotting, written by the Irvin Welsh and directed by the equally wonderful Danny Boyle, was released in 1996, people knew that they had a nuanced and well-thought-out film about heroin addiction on their hands. Trainspotting forced its way into many viewer’s ‘best films of all time’ list and rightfully so. But why did a movie about a group of Scottish friends dealing with drug and life issues become such a cult classic? Perhaps, simply, because told the sad truth about opioid addiction.

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Amanita Muscaria Beginner’s Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Amanita muscaria, also known as Fly Agaric, is a fascinating old world mushroom that has recently grown in popularity due to the fact that it is very loosely regulated compared to other types of psychedelic mushrooms. If you’re a beginner looking to try Amanita Muscaria, it’s crucial to take the necessary precautions before consuming it, as all good things comes with responsibility and any drug can be problematic when used incorrectly.

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New Argentina Hemp Law Expected to Widen Domestic and Export Markets

New Argentina hemp law in place, Illegal Synthetics — *New Argentina Hemp Law Expected to Widen Domestic and Export Markets*

With the help of activist groups like Mama Cultiva, Argentia forced its way into the medical cannabis market. Now, Argentina making even bigger moves by opening the doors for increased hemp production for both domestic and export markets. The announcement for the implementation of the Regulatory Agency for the Hemp and Medical Cannabis Industry (ARICCAME), came out on January 25th, with its first working group to start immediately.

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Why All Types of Alcohol Cause the SAME Hangover?

Alcohol hangover, Illegal Synthetics — Alcohol hangover

Some people swear that certain alcohols produce different types of hangovers, similar to the way the produce different drunk effects. While that may be true for certain people, it’s more of a matter of personal body chemistry rather than the alcohol itself. As a matter of fact, scientific literature indicates that all alcohols actually result in the exact same hangover.

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All the latest from Psychedelics and Cannabis - Illegal Synthetics — **All the latest from Psychedelics and Cannabis**

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News from the Week:

*** Coco Puffs – What’s the Deal with Mixing Cannabis and Cocaine?

*** What’s The Deal with Shoddy Vape Carts Lately?

*** Worse Than Fentanyl? New Opioid Isotonitazene Deepens Opioid Crisis

*** 2023 Farm Bill Under Construction: What to Expect For Hemp

*** Does A Medical Setting Affect Psychedelic Treatment?

*** How Legal Cannabis Affects Pharmaceutical Sales

llegal Synthetics, Amanita Hemp Cup Products, Cannabis Music Banned – Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed this week’s review. We work hard to find and verify the best products, so we may include affiliate links to support the maintenance and development of this site.

Best,
The Cannadelics team

*** Disclaimer: As the legality of cannabinoids and psychedelics changes between state to state, you should always check with your local authorities first.

The post Illegal Synthetics, Amanita Hemp Cup Products, Cannabis Music Banned – The Cannadelics Sunday Edition appeared first on Cannadelics.

DEA Reiterates That Synthetic Cannabinoids Are Illegal

February 23, 2023 Published by SDZ News

It’s been an ongoing battle for a couple years now, with one side (the industry) claiming synthetic (hemp-derived) cannabinoids are legal, and the other (the government) saying they are not. Now, we have a little more clarity on the legal front, which backs up what is consistently said. The DEA recently made a statement that synthetic cannabinoids are illegal, even if hemp-derived.

What are synthetic cannabinoids?

Synthetic cannabinoids can be looked at two ways, and its up for debate how illegal they are. One is that they’re compounds that never existed in nature, and were just made in a lab. When we think of the word ‘synthetic’, that’s the general thought. But there’s another way to see synthetics. If the parts to build something are extracted from a plant, but then go through some sort of synthetic processing, or are put together with other parts that are synthetic; can the product be considered natural? Unfortunately, the US rarely regulates the term.

Truth is, there isn’t a ‘standard’ definition for ‘synthetic cannabinoid.’ Nor, for ‘natural’. Does it mean the whole thing is synthetic? Does it mean part of it is synthetic? Does it mean that at some stage synthetic processing is used? I don’t know because no one does. Far as I can tell, if comparing it to where we do have regulation, like ‘organic‘ regulation, or ISO regulation (International Organization for Standardization), for food or cosmetics, once something unnatural is involved (or involved past a point), it changes the definition.

Right now, the best I can say is that a synthetic cannabinoid relates to any cannabinoid with some amount of synthetic parts or processing, regardless of whether its capable of showing up in nature on its own; but I’m not the authority. Sure, something like delta-8 is naturally-occurring, but not in high enough amounts to extract for product production. It therefore requires synthetic processing for pretty much anything sold. Does it matter if it shows up in nature if we’re using a synthetic version?

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When it comes to the cannabinoid industry, this becomes problematic due to the definition of hemp; a definition that seems to stipulate any product must come from the plant directly, to be legal. As only ‘hemp’ by definition was legalized, anything that doesn’t fit into the definition, is not considered ‘hemp’, which implies illegality. What about products for cosmetics, food, medication, or treatment of any kind? FDA maintains control, so trying to sort out a hemp definition, or a synthetics definition, doesn’t even matter.

Recent DEA announcement

The back and forth is a little silly, although, to be fair, none of these compounds seem to pose much threat (the government is cool with opioids, remember). Their main ruling-out is more likely a desire to cut into a black market that the government doesn’t profit from, than the oft-touted government line that they’re dangerous (I mean, lowering guidelines for prescribing opioid medications? Come on…)

Are these synthetic cannabinoids a problem? It’s a dirty market sure, but as very few health issues seem to relate to compounds, and instead have to do with things like additives (which can be regulated out to produce cleaner products), the government line about danger is a bit misplaced. Perhaps just a move of subterfuge to get eyes away from the government’s own complicity in the opioid issue, which its involved in by continuing to allow them through regulation. But this article isn’t about whether we agree, its about the fact the government did make clear its position, even if we don’t agree.

Naturally-Derived vs Synthetically-Derived: What’s The Difference?

Recently the government made an action to back up what it already said time and time again. On February 13^th of this year, as reported by Marijuana Moment, the DEA zeroed in specifically on delta-8 THC-O and delta-9 THC-O, along with other synthetic cannabinoids, reminding that they’re illegal. The DEA says both these compound fail to meet the definition of hemp, and are therefore Schedule I controlled substances.

The DEA didn’t make a formal announcement. It did what it, and other government agencies, have done a couple times before; and simply replied to a person/organization that asked a question. In all cases, the answer was then posted as if to say the government organization had made a formal announcement, which it did not. In this case, the person asking the question was attorney Rod Kight, who wrote to the DEA last year about delta-8 THC-O and delta-9 THC-O legality, with a recent follow-up in 2023.

The DEA finally answered via letter by Chief of DEA Drug & Chemical Evaluation Section, Terrence L. Boos, on February 13^th. It stated “Delta-9-THCO and delta-8-THCO are tetrahydrocannabinols having similar chemical structures and pharmacological activities to those contained in the cannabis plant.” And that they “do not occur naturally in the cannabis plant and can only be obtained synthetically, and therefore do not fall under the definition of hemp.”

Extracts made into synthetic cannabinoids, are illegal

Following this, on his blog post, Kight stated: “Although I do not always agree with the DEA’s view on cannabis matters, I agree with this opinion and, frankly, am not surprised. This is what I have been saying for a while.” He continued, “I have been concerned about the proliferation of THC acetate ester (THCO) for a while. It has always been my view that THCO is a controlled substance under federal law. Although it can be made from cannabinoids from hemp, THCO is not naturally expressed by the hemp plant. It is a laboratory creation that does not occur in nature, at least not from the hemp plant.”

Did anything new happen? Nope. Did the DEA make a formal announcement? Nope. Did it say anything it hasn’t said before? Nope. While the DEA itself is pretty bad at responding to many things related to drugs, even to the point of getting sued (lets remember it took Kight a year to get a response), it does seem that sometimes the issue is not liking the answer, more than not getting one.

When else did a government response make headlines as an announcement?

Twice in 2021, for two different reasons. One was about the legal nature of synthetic delta-8 THC (which is pretty much any delta-8 used in products), and CBD, which is often assumed to have a greater level of legality than it actually does.

DEA Confirms That Synthetic Delta-8 THC is ILLEGAL, But…

In terms of delta-8 THC, in September, 2021, the Alabama Board of Pharmacy via Donna C. Yeatman, R.Ph., the executive secretary, requested an answer from the DEA about the legality of delta-8, since there was so much contention on the subject in the media. The DEA didn’t say anything new, just repeated what it has before. It relayed once again that any synthetic does not fit under the definition of hemp.

Yeatman’s original letter was dated August 19^th, 2021, and the response was dated September 15^th, 2021. The response brought Yeatman through a logical process, starting with “D8-THC is a tetrahydrocannabinol substance contained in the plant Cannabis sativa L. and also can be produced synthetically from non-cannabis materials.” Then after explaining THCs, and their place in Schedule I, it continued, “Thus, D8-THC synthetically produced from non-cannabis materials is controlled under the CSA as a “tetrahydrocannabinol.””

Realistically, if delta-8 could be appropriately sourced to not require synthetic processing, then it would fit the farm bill definition of hemp. But we know delta-8 only exists in minuscule amounts, and requires the kind of processing for product production, that takes it away from this definition. This doesn’t mean that it’s not ‘hemp-derived’, but that term doesn’t rule out synthetics at all. Of course, should the government ever want to clearly define what constitutes ‘synthetic’ when it comes to cannabinoids, we could have fewer of these arguments.

'Hemp-derived' implies synthetic cannabinoids — ‘Hemp-derived’ implies synthetic cannabinoids

Another government response statement about CBD

The second example of a letter response from a government agency detailing an already stated policy, had to do with CBD and how it can be used. It happened in regards to Steve Brown, of the Minnesota Cannabis Association board, and a conversation about tinctures and processing facilities that happened in a meeting. Said Brown, “They stated later in the meeting that tinctures are illegal… Then this morning I received information from the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy, sent by a colleague.”

What did it say? It contained a responses by the US’s Department of Agriculture via a representative, saying “The problem here is some of the products you’re mentioning here, Steven, would not be legal food by our definition… The reason for that is all these other cannabinoid products are governed by the Board of Pharmacy.”

Why does this matter? Because a ‘medicine’ (anything to treat something, including supplements), a food product, and a cosmetic, all must get approval by the FDA. It gets worse in terms of ‘supplements.’ Once an FDA approved medication is there, any active ingredient used, is barred from advertisement as a nutritional supplement. Meaning since the FDA-approved a CBD medication, Epidiolex, its not legal to sell CBD for any kind of supplemental, or medical use. As in, its not legally cleared to be used for internal products, or to treat anything, or for cosmetics products, or for food products.

If you caught on, it means it doesn’t matter whether the DEA says its illegal or not. Not when it comes to any consumer products in the categories above. Since all that is regulated by the FDA, whether delta-9-THCO, delta-8-THCO, CBD, or any other synthetic cannabinoids are illegal in general, has no bearing on whether they’re legal in products. Which makes any product containing cannabis compounds, automatically illegal, whether synthetic or not. This is actually a statement I can make, because the FDA never regulated a consumer product for these uses with any cannabis compound; aside from pharmaceutical medications.

Minnesota States the Obvious: CBD Was Never Legal

In all of these cases, the government agency didn’t make a statement to the press, but had the answer to their question promoted as an answer to the general question people fight over. And in all cases, all that was done, was to point out already existing information to the entities who were confused. Perhaps it would be better if the public understood the difference between general legality (DEA) and product legality (FDA) when it comes to cannabis.

Conclusion

This isn’t actually news, but it is interesting to see the confusion that continues on the topic. We might not agree with the DEA, USDA, or FDA on these matters, but there are answers already for much of it. Are synthetic cannabinoids illegal? Maybe. Probably. But while that answer is murkier due to missing and finite definitions, whether the products that involve these compounds are technically legal or not, is less debatable. Even if we don’t agree.

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Worse Than Fentanyl? New Opioid Isotonitazene Deepens Opioid Issue

February 17, 2023 Published by SDZ News

Isn’t it enough that fentanyl exists? We’ve got people dropping like flies in the US and beyond, with a lot of these deaths attributable to the extremely powerful opioid. Now it looks like an even more potent opioid, isotonitazene, might make the already awful opioid situation, even worse.

What is isotonitazene?

Isotonitazene – aka Iso – is an opioid drug, derived from benzimidazole, an aromatic organic compound. It’s in the nitrobenzimidazoles chemical classing of opioids, which makes it structurally different than other opioids like fentanyl. This drug is thought to be more potent than fentanyl slightly, and about 2.5X the strength of hydromorphone – often more recognizable under its trade name Dilaudid.

Its said that isotonitazene is 20-100 times more powerful than fentanyl, which is about 100X stronger than morphine (which goes in line with isotonitazene being 500X morphine). One truth is, as very little research exists on the compound, the specifics are unclear. Another truth is, it was not isotonitazene that was originally taken off the street in 2019, but a structural analogue called etonitazene, which has shown to provide 1000X the analgesia level in mice than morphine, but only about 60X the potency level in humans.

Isotonitazene is said to have half the potency of etonitazene, and is expected to have that same discrepancy between animals and people. If the original studies were done on animals, then the 500-1000X stronger than morphine might simply relate to animal studies. Most medical sources say it’s only slightly stronger than fentanyl.

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Isotonitazene, as an opioid, has similar characteristics to fentanyl and other opioids, in that it relieves pain, as well as providing the same side effects of nausea, itchiness, and the possibility of overdose due to the depression of the respiratory system. On August 20^th, 2020, the DEA did something it has so far refused to do with other opioids like fentanyl, and put isotonitazene in Schedule I on the Controlled Substances list.

Why it classified this drug as 100% illegal, and not the ones more currently responsible for the growing number of opioid overdose deaths, is not immediately clear. Though it fits into the opioid class of drugs, its considered a ‘designer drug’ because it’s synthetic; though realistically, all other pharmaceutical opioids (called synthetic opioids) are also therefore technically designer drugs in the same way. So once again, making that designation for this specific compound, and not the others, makes very little sense.

San Francisco responds to isotonitazene

So far, what’s the damage with isotonitazene? A report earlier this month out of San Francisco expressed the thought that this new opioid on the streets of the California city, could greatly exacerbate the current opioid situation. Much like fentanyl, its being found as an addition to heroine and other opioid products, as a means to increase potency; and is used to make fake drugs.

There aren’t good overdose statistics specifically related to the drug yet, which is something authorities are keeping an eye on moving forward. As an opioid stronger than fentanyl, which would boast similar addiction rates, the unfortunate expectation is that deaths should increase proportionally to whatever increase in use it undergoes.

For a city like San Francisco, it’s making authorities nervous, as the city had in the neighborhood of 620 overdose deaths last year, with 72% of them attributed to fentanyl (and, I imagine, other synthetic opioids). This, of course, is representative of the overall growing fatalities related to these drugs in many places.

Record High Opioid Deaths For a Record Low in America

Said Matt Dorsey, District 6 Supervisor, “I just want to make sure that our city is set up to monitor it and to be testing for it.” He sent a letter to the medical examiner in regards to this, saying, “I just want to make sure that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has everything it needs to test for every potential drug that’s costing the lives of anyone in San Francisco.”

Where else is Isotonitazene causing problems?

Opioids might be known most for their damage in America, but the reality is that heroin and synthetic opioids cause problems in many countries, and isotonitazene is now a part of this. Though the article about San Francisco came out in February 2023, Isotonitazene has been causing problems elsewhere in the world already.

One of the interesting things about Isotonitazene is that while it was seen in several cases from 2019 – through 2020, it was replaced by other similar opioids upon the US putting the drug in Schedule I. Perhaps this is an indication that if the US wants to get rid of fentanyl, illegalizing it might help. Not to ignore that isotonitazene incidences were replaced by another similar drug metonitazene; but the situation does indicate that putting the effort into a formal illegalization, could help if there are support services to keep patients from picking up another opioid instead.

A 2021 study called Emerging characteristics of isotonitazene-involved overdose deaths: a case-control study investigated isotonitazene deaths from January 1, 2020 – July 31, 2020, in two locations: Cook County, Illinois and Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. It compared it to other synthetic opioids. In these counties, there were 40 overdose deaths from isotonitazene, and 981 from other synthetic opioids. The study noted that isotonitazene deaths usually occurred with other medications, more frequently than the other synthetic opioids; with particularly large concurrent use of the benzodiazepine flualprazolam.

Opioid overdose rates

Another report from UNODC in 2020 said that isotonitazene was only responsible for eight deaths in the US between June 2019 and December 2019. Either these numbers are lower than reality, the ones above are higher than reality, or the drug gained popularity greatly between 2019 and 2020.

The UK is another location where a little data does exist on deaths. According to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, Isotonitazene was related to 24 deaths in 2021. In comparison, 2021 saw 2,219 opioid deaths in the UK (about 45% of all overdoses for the year).

A case report out of Switzerland in 2021 identified three different cases of deaths due to Isotonitazene, though in each case it was used with other drugs. In two cases this involved benzodiazepines among other drugs, and one included alcohol.

Right now, the stated cases are the only ones to give death statistics for the drug. Though it seemed to have its glory period between 2019 and 2021, the recent incidence of it in San Francisco signals that it either is coming back, or the article was more a hype piece about a drug that really isn’t seen often. Given the popularity of opioids, and the desire to get more and powerful versions, its not strange to think its making a reappearance.

Big Pharma To Pay Native American Tribes $590 Million Over Opioids

The opioid epidemic

Opioids have become one of the bigger health concerns, with the largest issues still in the US, though countries like the UK and Canada certainly have their own issues. The choice by British Columbia in Canada to decriminalize all drugs is in direct relation to the growing opioid issue.

Even so, the US is where the meat of the problem is found. From 2019 to 2020 to 2021, overdose rates went from 73,000 to 93,000 to 107,622. And how many of these deaths did opioids account for? While we were never given an estimate for 2021 that I can find, its expected that over 68,000 of the 93,000 from 2020 were opioid-related, and over 48,000 of the 73,000 from 2019 were as well. Following the trajectory, it could be that close to 100,000 deaths in 2021 were from opioids.

It will be time before we have 2022 numbers, but nothing indicates a decrease, and everything indicates an increase. What did come out earlier this year, is New York City data from 2021 on opioid overdoses. 668 lost their lives that year to drug overdoses, and it was established that just fentanyl (minus other synthetic opioids) was responsible for 80% of these. Overdose numbers for 2021 were 78% higher than in 2019. This makes it the most common drug to show up in overdose scenarios, for five years straight.

The problem is so bad, and is so squarely put on the pharmaceutical companies involved, that in February 2022, Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson, offered Native American communities $590 to settle lawsuits against them for their drugs destroying so many communities. On a global level, the payout number was settled at $26 billion for the same companies.

Multi-billions to be paid by pharma companies over opioids

And while they give the ridiculous line that these payouts don’t constitute guilt: Johnson & Johnson quote: “This settlement is not an admission of any liability or wrongdoing and the company will continue to defend against any litigation that the final agreement does not resolve,” the day I see a pharmaceutical company choose of their own volition to give up that much of their profits… well, you see where I’m going with this.

Those lawsuits aren’t even the end of it. That announcement about the $26 billion, came before another settlement with the entire state of Idaho. In this one, the same companies are paying yet another $119 million. And that’s just Idaho, imagine if the rest of the US states did the same. Maybe some are now.

It doesn’t even stop there. For their part in it, the pharmacy companies CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart were up against more than 300 lawsuits for their participation in the opioid game. And as of November 2022, they’re set to pay out $13 billion.

Perhaps the grossest issue of all? The US government, and any government that allows the drugs through regulation; is not only saying this is all okay (despite whatever lines they use to sound otherwise), they’re promoting the problem further. Hell, last year, it came up to lower guidelines for opioid prescriptions. I mean, is there a better way to say the government is complicit? And all this while ketamine has repeatedly shown comparable abilities for pain control, long lasting effects well beyond treatment, and no addiction or real overdose potential.

Ketamine Vs Opioids, What’s the Deal?

Conclusion

Do we have to worry about isotonitazene? With the current opioid issue, you better believe it. The one comforting fact, perhaps, is that at least with this one, the US government was smart enough to actually make it completely illegal.

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Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC: What Are the Key Differences?

February 17, 2023 Published by SDZ News

Cannabis has been a popular substance for centuries, mainly for its psychoactive effects, but also for its medical benefits. Two of today’s most popular psychoactive cannabinoids found in cannabis are Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC. While they may sound similar, they have distinct differences in their chemical structure, psychoactive effects, medical benefits, and legality. Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC: what are the main differences between the two?

Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC:

I. Introduction

In recent years the popularity of both Cannabis and hemp have been growing steadily. Both plants contain a range of compounds known as cannabinoids, which have various effects on the body, both medical and recreational.

Two of the most well-known cannabinoids found in hemp and cannabis are Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC. While Delta-8 THC is a minor cannabinoid that is found in small amounts, Delta-9 THC, on the other hand, is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. Both Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC have distinct differences in their chemical structure, psychoactive effects, medical benefits and legality, which we will explore in this article.

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II. What is Delta-8 THC?

Delta-8 THC is a minor cannabinoid that occurs naturally both in hemp and in cannabis plants. However, it is a rare cannabinoid that could be found only in small amounts, usually less than 1% of the total cannabinoid content. Delta-8 THC is created when Delta-9 THC oxidizes, and it is also produced through a process called isomerization, which converts CBD into Delta-8 THC. As it is a rare cannabinoid, most of the Delta 8 we are using today, is hemp-derived, which really means, it was converted from CBD and remain legal, as a result of the farm bill loophole.

Delta-8 THC is known for its ability to induce a milder psychoactive effect than Delta-9 THC. It is believed to be less potent than Delta-9 THC and can provide a more relaxed, calm experience. It is also known for its potential medical benefits, including pain relief, reduced anxiety, and increased appetite.

III. What is Delta-9 THC?

Delta-9 THC is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, but also found in smaller numbers in hemp. It is responsible for the desirable euphoric “high” usually associated with using cannabis. As Delta-9 THC is naturally produced by the cannabis plant most of Delta 9 products found in the market today are not using synthetic cannabinoids. However, recently we have seen many Delta 9 products that are hemp-derived, which means that the have started their journey as CBD and converted into THC.

Delta 9 THC becomes psychoactive through a process called decarboxylation, which occurs when the cannabis is heated, such as when it is smoked or vaporized. This is another nice loophole, that allows THCA products to be legally sold, as they only converted to Delta 9 THC when heated. However, as you need to heat it inorder to use it, these legal safe products, are as potent as regular THC is…

Delta-9 THC is known for its potent psychoactive effects, which can include altered perception, increased heart rate, and impaired coordination. It is also associated with a range of potential medical benefits, including pain relief, reduced nausea, and increased appetite.

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IV. Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC

Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC are two similar cannabinoids with some key differences in their chemical structure, psychoactive effects, legality, and medical benefits. However, when it comes to products, you can easily find both Delta 9 and Delta 8 coming in a variety of products, such as vapes, gummies, tinctures, edibles, disposables, carts, dabs, flower, capsules, etc.

Chemical structure

The main difference between Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC is in their chemical structure. Delta-8 THC has a double bond on the 8th carbon atom, while Delta-9 THC has a double bond on the 9th carbon atom. While it sounds like a small variation, as we can see below, this difference in the placement of the double bond results in some notable differences in their effects on the body.

Psychoactive effects

It is safe to claim that in most cases and for most people Delta-8 THC is less psychoactive than Delta-9 THC, meaning that it has a milder and more relaxing effect on the body. Delta-8 THC is often described as providing a more clear-headed and focused high, with less anxiety and paranoia than Delta-9 THC. Some users have also reported feeling more energetic and creative after using Delta-8 THC. However, as the variety of products in the market is evolving, it is now very common to find blended products, featuting many cannabinoids, which makes it harder to back-up such claims.

On the other hand, Delta-9 THC is more potent and can induce a more intense high, sometimes causing anxiety, paranoia, and even in very rare cases, hallucinations in some users. Delta-9 THC can also cause physical effects such as dry mouth, red eyes, increased heart rate, and impaired coordination. For all trhat matters, when people discuss ‘Cannabis’ or ‘THC’ they usually refer to Delta-9 THC.

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Legality

The legality of Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC is a complex and constantly evolving issue. As a result of the 2018 farm bill, Delta-8 THC is legal at the federal level, but some states have banned it, while others have not yet made a decision. In contrast, Delta-9 THC remains illegal under federal law, but has been legalized for medical or recreational use in some states. All that said, a new Farm Bill loophole allows hemp-derived Delta-9 THC to be sold ‘legally’…

As a result, in the US, the legality of Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC is largely determined by the source of the compounds and not by its psychoactive abilities. This might be change soom, in 2023 Farm Bill, coming sometime this year.

As we have seen, Delta-8 THC can be derived from hemp or cannabis, while Delta-9 THC is mainly found in cannabis, but also can derived from hemp. Under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp and hemp-derived products were legalized at the federal level, as long as they contain less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight. This includes Delta-8 THC, which can be extracted from hemp. This opening has allowed a whole new market of hemp-derived Delta-9 THC which legality is constantly under quiestioning. However, this market is booming now so anyone can get any products they want, as long as it is coming from hemp…

This means that Delta-8 THC, and in some cases, Delta-9 THC products that are derived from hemp and meet the requirements of the 2018 Farm Bill are legal at the federal level. However, some states have tried to ban it on a state level, while others have not yet made a decision on its legality. It is important to note that until 2023 Farm Bill will address these matters, the legality of THC at the state level can vary widely, and consumers should always check their state’s laws before purchasing or using Delta-8 THC or Delta-9 THC products.

Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC – Legality

Ignoring the Delta 9 loophole, Delta-9 THC remains illegal under federal law, although several states have legalized it for medical or recreational use. However, it is still illegal to possess, sell or use Delta-9 THC products at the federal level, regardless of whether they are used for medical or recreational purposes. As discussed earlier, this is only true unless it is hemp-derived, or unless the new farm bill will decide to make some clear order here.

It is important to note that the legality of Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC is a complex issue, and it is important for consumers to do their own research and understand the laws in their state before purchasing or using these products. Good luck with that…

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Medical benefits

Like Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC has shown potential in the treatment of various medical conditions. Some studies have suggested that Delta-8 THC may have antiemetic, analgesic, and anxiolytic effects, making it a potential treatment for nausea, pain, and anxiety. Additionally, Delta-8 THC has been found to stimulate appetite and can be used to combat the loss of appetite and weight loss associated with some medical conditions.

As the medical benfits of using cannabis is a huge field of study, we will devote a seperate article to it. However, when all debates are gone one thing remains true, which is the question is it good for you or not… My personal opinion is that if Delta-9 THC or Delta-8 THC have clear medical benefits (or even medicinal benefits) for you, this should be your decision whether or not to use it. However, under current regulations, nost people in the world are still denied this right and this is sad, especially when everyone see the huge medical benefits this plant is bringing us. Just be responsible when using it and act with caution.

As we can see in the article below, even Israel, the homeland of medical cannabis program, is now trying to restrict the access of medical cannabis to new patients.

Updates to Israel’s Medical Cannabis Program: Reduced THC Levels for New Patients

Updates to Israel’s Medical Cannabis Program: Reduced THC Levels for New Patients

V. Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC: Which is Right for You?

For the best deals on Delta-8 THC, De;ta-9 THC, HHC and even on legal psychedelics, check our Deal of the day section, with new exciting opportunities on legal psychedelics and premium cannabis products.

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After comparing and contrasting Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC, you may be wondering which one is right for you. The answer depends on your individual needs and preferences.

If you are looking for a milder psychoactive effect and don’t want to experience the anxiety or paranoia associated with high doses of Delta-9 THC, products with low to medium levels Delta-8 THC may be a better option. Delta-8 THC has been reported to have a more relaxing and calming effect than Delta-9 THC, while still providing the euphoria and pain relief associated with cannabis use. It also has less of a “couch-lock” effect, meaning that it is less likely to make you feel lethargic or sedated.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a stronger psychoactive effect, or if you have a high tolerance to cannabis and want a more potent product, Delta-9 THC may be a better choice. Delta-9 THC is more widely available and has been studied more extensively than Delta-8 THC, which means that there is more information available about its effects and potential benefits.

It’s worth noting that the assumptions above are not written in stone and that today’s products are usually high-potency blends, so either you try for yourself to find what is right for you, or you look into the labels and start following how each compound and terpenes is affecting you. If you plan to use it for medical and not for recreational, it might be a smart move to consult a medical proffessional, as this is your health after all.

Whatever you do start low and grow slow, be responsible and use it with caution. Also. last but not least, have fun, as it is cannabis after all…

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VI. Everything might change with the 2023 Farm Bill

The 2023 Farm Bill is currently being constructed, and it is expected to bring changes to the legal status of hemp. A farm bill is an omnibus law that addresses a wide range of agricultural and food programs, and it is renewed every five years. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp, and the Domestic Hemp Production Program established hemp as an agricultural crop that can be eligible for USDA farm programs if it complies with USDA regulations. However, the 2018 bill did not legalize CBD for internal and medical uses, or synthetics like THC-O, which no longer fit the legal definition of hemp.

The industry has taken advantage of this confusion and created other products, such as delta-8 THC, HHC, and hemp-derived Delta-9 THC. As the new farm bill is constructed, it is expected that new policies will be put in place to clarify the legal status of hemp, including CBD and other cannabinoids, and to address any other issues created by the 2018 Farm Bill.

Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC - Farm Bill — Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC – Farm Bill

Once we will see what is the new legality of hemp-derived psychoactive products, we will see what products are going to be legally available in 2024.

VII. Hemp vs Cannabis

As we have seen, the legality of these psychoactive products is mostly determined by the source of the compounds and not by its psychoactive abilities. As both products can be made from either cannabis or hemp, it might help to stop and see the key differences between the two.

Hemp and cannabis are two varieties of the Cannabis plant, but they differ in their chemical composition, physical characteristics, and uses. The main differences between hemp and cannabis are:

Chemical Composition: Hemp and cannabis contain different levels of the cannabinoids THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), which are the two main active compounds found in the Cannabis plant. Hemp contains very low levels of THC, which farmers are trying to be less than 0.3%, while cannabis can contain much higher levels of THC, up to 30% or more. CBD levels can also differ between the two plants.
Physical Characteristics: Hemp and cannabis also have different physical characteristics. Hemp plants are tall, narrow, and have fewer branches, while cannabis plants are shorter and bushier with more branches and leaves. Hemp also has thinner leaves and can grow in a wider range of climates than cannabis.
Uses: Hemp and cannabis have different uses. Hemp was always grown for industrial purposes such as making paper, textiles, and building materials, as well as for its seeds, which are used in food and beauty products. Hemp is an amazing plant with many potential uses, such as Hemp plastic for example, with over 50,000 when last counted. CBD can also be extracted from hemp and used for medicinal purposes. Cannabis, on the other hand, is primarily grown for its psychoactive effects and is used for recreational and medicinal purposes.

In summary, the main differences between hemp and cannabis are their chemical composition, physical characteristics, and uses. Hemp contains very low levels of THC and is often grown for industrial purposes, while cannabis contains higher levels of THC and is used for its psychoactive effects.

Hemp-Derived THC Products vs Marijuana-Derived THC Products

VIII. Conclusion

In conclusion, Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC are two different cannabinoids with distinct chemical structures, uses, medical benefts and psychoactive effects. While Delta-8 THC is a newer and less studied compound, it has been usually reported to have a milder psychoactive effect than Delta-9 THC and may be a good option for those who are looking for a more relaxing and less potent cannabis experience. Delta-9 THC, on the other hand, is the more widely known and widely used compound, and has been studied more extensively for its potential medical benefits.

It’s important to note that both Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC can have side effects, and their use should be approached with caution. As with any cannabis product, it’s important to ‘start low and grow slow’ to find the right level of effect. That way you wll also avoid from wating medicine… It’s also important to purchase products from reputable sources and to ensure that they have been third-party tested for purity and potency.

Ultimately, the choice between Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC depends on your individual needs and preferences. By understanding the differences between these two compounds, you can make an informed decision and choose the product that is right for you.

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IX. Keep Yourself Informed

The world on Cannabis and Psychedelics is constantly changing. To make some order in this caos, we have created a special newsletter: The Cannadelics Sunday Edition, sent directly to your inbox every Sunday at 11am EST.

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The post Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC: What Are the Key Differences? appeared first on Cannadelics.

What Is the Role of an API in Pharmaceutical Medicine?

December 1, 2022 Published by SDZ News

Everything these days is an acronym, and sometimes the world of acronyms gets confusing. In fact, sometimes the very same letters, are used for more than one acronym, and it requires knowing what you’re dealing with, to know the meaning. One of the terms that shows up a lot is API, which relates to pharmaceutical medicine, (as well as computing).

What is an API in pharmaceutical medicine?

The first time I heard this term, I immediately thought of the computing definition: ‘application programming interface.’ It gets used a lot in the world of tech, and it was the main place I’d heard it. Until it came up in a more medical way. The letters API have a totally different definition when speaking of pharmaceutical medicine.

An API in pharmaceutical medicine, translates to ‘active pharmaceutical ingredient.’ Which, of course, is a wildly different concept from its computing counterpart. What does this actually mean? An active pharmaceutical ingredient is “the biologically active component of a drug product (tablet, capsule, cream, injectable) that produces the intended effects.” These can be ingredients in drugs for a number of ailments, including the treatment of issues: “pertaining to oncology, cardiology, CNS and neurology, orthopaedic, pulmonology, gastroenterology, nephrology, ophthalmology, and endocrinology.”

So, basically, they’re just ingredients. Or, rather, active ingredients. Think about when you read the label to a medication, and it lists both active and inactive ingredients. Sometimes you might wonder about the difference. Inactive ingredients are often related to keeping a tablet held together, or making sure a drug doesn’t spoil. Sometimes they’re for coloring, or consistency, or texture. But they’re not for therapeutic use.

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The active components are the ingredients that do whatever it is that the drug is supposed to do. And much like baking in a kitchen, both active and inactive ingredients are required. If you’re baking a chocolate cake, perhaps the chocolate could be seen as the active ingredient, along with eggs and flower. But you also need baking soda to make things rise. This might not add to the flavor of the cake, but its still important.

However, you might spend more time, making sure you have the right chocolate. Should you use super sweet chocolate chips, bitter chocolate, chocolate powder? This chocolate is equivalent to an API in pharmaceutical medicine…albeit an admittedly strange analogy.

APIs allow for medications to be made in specific strengths, and in desired concentrations. They also require being made in conjunction with good manufacturing practices, and up to codes, as they relate to pharmaceutical medicine, which is very, very precise.

US vs EU: How Drugs Are Approved

Think of every bottle of Tylenol you buy, over years and years of time, and how every pill is exactly the same. Since APIs are often made by third parties, they also allow for the white-labeling of pharmaceutical ingredients. Several different companies can buy from the same API provider, and then make their own labeled medications with the ingredients.

Where does an API come from?

Much like anything else, whether synthetically or naturally made, An API used in pharmaceutical medicine, comes from some kind of raw material. When dealing with the idea of an herbal supplement, let’s say a mint capsule, the API is the mint, and in this case it probably comes directly from a mint plant. Many APIs do come from plant or animal origins. A great example of this today, is the medical cannabis industry, and the API’s used to make cannabis medications.

In terms of the official names of these ingredients, the US uses generic names assigned by the United States Adopted Names (USAN) program, which works in conjunction with the American Medical Association, the United States Pharmacopeial Convention, and the American Pharmacists Association. The legal name of the drug that the FDA recognizes, is given by the USAN.

Where do APIs come from for pharma medicine

In terms of a broader global scale, the World Health Organization also recognizes API ingredients, as per International Nonproprietary Names (INN). Though they are often the same between the US and the WHO, they sometimes do differ. One example is Tylenol. The API is acetaminophen in the US, but referred to as paracetamol by WHO.

The raw materials are used primarily by pharmaceutical companies in their home labs to create their patented formulations. However, to cut costs, the manufacture of these APIs is often now outsourced, leading to a myriad of issues related to quality and regulation. It is now common for APIs to come from Asia, mainly India and China.

Who are the biggest providers of APIs? Some of the bigger names are TEVA Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Reddy’s, Pfizer, Novartis, Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Bristol-Meyers Squibb. These companies generally specialize in different APIs. In terms of where the raw materials come from, that can vary hugely. Sometimes from chemical product manufacturers, and sometimes from growing fields. Raw materials are converted to APIs through different chemical processing techniques. When in the process of a raw material becoming an API, its called an ‘intermediate’.

Creating API Cannabinoid Therapies Using Molecular Methods

Raw materials for an API in pharmaceutical medicine

While this isn’t the most specific of answers, the raw materials for APIs are gathered through raw material providers. Yeah, I know, it almost sounds like I’m trying to be evasive. I promise, I’m not. But the truth is that raw materials can come from one of hundreds or thousands of providers depending on what they actually are. Think of all the chemical companies out there, and all the different kinds of ingredients in life. And then think of how many medications there are, and how different.

A general process, at least according to Teva-API, is that once a medicine is approved, a team then goes out looking for all the correct chemical companies to get the component raw material parts. It comes down to the company to judge the reliability of a source. Sometimes to ensure no issues in sourcing, a company like Teva will require two sources for each material. The R&D team that created the medication, essentially gives a list of the necessary raw materials to the team responsible for collection, and then the search into the correct chemical companies begins.

And to be honest…there isn’t a lot of better or more specific information out there. Most of the information that is available comes from companies selling APIs, or pharmaceuticals, and none of them really get into the nitty gritty of exactly where their chemical components are sourced as raw materials.

I guess at this point its fair to imagine that sourcing likely involves things like mining for the minerals that make up the periodic table of elements, which are used to produce all inorganic materials. As well as whatever biologically sourced ingredients come from different plant and animal sources.

Right now, the API industry in pharmaceutical medicine is quite big. API-producing companies generally produce powder versions and sell in bulk to pharma companies. Their production and sale comprises a multi-billion dollar industry that white-labels the ingredients of pharmaceutical medications.

And while the idea of APIs might be a bit confusing when reading about them in terms of business, the reality in the end, is that the pharma ingredient market is the same as nearly all others. One company takes stuff out of the ground somehow, sells it to another company which uses it to make a specific chemical compound, which sells it to another company which uses that compound in a product. Just like nearly every product made; whether food, a toy, equipment, or whatever else.

Plants Vs Pills: And the Way We View Medicine

Conclusion

APIs in pharmaceutical medicine represent just another form of white-labeling. Of course in this case, the products white-labelled are the ingredients in your pharmaceutical medications. Perhaps we as the public should know more about the process and the safety requirements that do – or don’t – exist. But as in most parts of life, the business of these ingredients and how they move, stays largely out of the public eye. Much like nearly every other big business consumer industry.

Kind of makes those herbal remedies that can tell you exactly what’s inside, and exactly what field the ingredients were sourced from, nice in comparison.

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Delta-8 VS Delta-9 THC

November 24, 2022 Published by SDZ News

Delta-8 is the cannabinoid compound getting a lot of attention these days, but what is it exactly, and how does it compare vs delta-9 THC? Read on to find out more about how these two compounds stack up.

What is delta-9 THC?

We all know delta-9, we all love it. Sometimes referred to as simply THC (which is incorrect), delta-9 is the most famous of the THCs, and the main psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. It’s found in higher amounts in some plants, and lower amounts in other plants. We generally refer to high-THC plants as marijuana, and low-THC plants as hemp.

In actuality, delta-9 barely exists in raw cannabis plants, and is actually a product of decarboxylation of its parent compound THCA. THCA is not psychoactive, but in the presence of light and heat it loses a carboxyl group, and goes from the chemical formula of THCA (C₂₂H₃₀O₄), to the chemical formula for delta-9 THC (C₂₁H₃₀O₂), which is psychoactive.

Delta-9 THC is very closely related to other forms of THC, which we refer to as delta-THCs. They all share the same chemical formula. In fact, the only difference between these separate THC compounds, is the placement of a double carbon bond. For delta-9 THC, it takes place on the 9^th carbon atom. For delta-10 THC its on the 10^th atom in the chain. For delta-7 it’s on the 7^th atom, and for delta-8, its on the 8^th. All these delta-THCs only differ in the physical presentation of their molecules.

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Delta-9 is a naturally occurring compound, meaning its found in nature. This is not true of all delta-THCs. Delta-10, for example, was made accidentally through the use of a catalyzer, and doesn’t actually appear in this configuration in nature. Other delta THCs like delta-8, do appear in nature, and are therefore also considered naturally occurring compounds.

What is delta-8 THC?

Delta-8 THC, as explained, is another delta-THC, which means its an isomer of delta-9. Isomer means they have the same chemical formula, but with a different configuration of atoms. As also explained above, this means it differs from delta-9 THC only in the placement of a double bond, and is chemically identical otherwise.

Also like delta-9 THC, delta-8 THC is naturally occurring, which means it can be found in nature, although in much smaller quantities than delta-9, regardless of whether dealing with marijuana or hemp. It’s not entirely understood how delta-8 is formed, but the main belief is that it’s a product of the breakdown of delta-9. Delta-9 is mainly known for breaking down into CBN, but there is a small amount that does not, and its thought that this small amount degrades to other compounds, including a tiny amount to delta-8 THC.

Delta-8 and delta-9 THC

When made industrially however, delta-8 is made from either delta-9 or CBD. And its done through synthetic processing meaning rather than being extracted directly, its made from component parts of other compounds, put together with unnatural processing. You can technically do these processes yourself if you have the know-how.

Delta-8 was discovered around the same time as delta-9, in the original research by Roger Adams and then Raphael Mechoulam. It was synthesized for the first time by Mechoulam in the 1960’s. It was even the subject of studies by Mechoulam into nausea and vomiting of cancer patients, but most of that research remained buried for many years, and there has been very little research into the compound since that time.

Delta-8 vs delta-9

The reality of delta-8 vs delta-9 is that they’re practically the same chemically, and have shown to have many of the same medical benefits. Delta-8 has been indicated for use with nausea and vomiting, as well as anxiety, and likely can be used for many of the other purposes as delta-9, though since the actual research doesn’t exist, its hard to say this for sure.

One of the interesting aspects of delta-8 vs delta-9 is that though delta-9 products are generally direct extractions of the plant, most delta-8 products (possibly all) are not actually directly extracted, but synthesized in a lab. This is a direct result of the minuscule amount that shows up naturally, which is not enough for product production. So even though it is naturally occurring, the form that’s used, is always a synthesized version, at least commercially.

This puts it in a strange legal place. As a naturally derived compound, its legal under the definition of hemp, so long as it comes from the hemp plant (not over .3% THC). If its from the marijuana plant, it’s automatically illegal federally, just like delta-9. In theory, it can therefore be extracted from hemp, and sold legally, except for that little confounding factor, that it ends up being synthesized from delta-9 or CBD, which means using processes that no longer fit under the definition of hemp. Even despite this discrepancy, not much has been done to stop the ‘hemp-derived’ delta-8 market, likely because it’s difficult and expensive for the US government to fully go after it, especially in this climate of growing cannabis acceptance.

In terms of whether they actually have different effects, this is hard to say. Original research by Mechoulam turned up evidence that delta-8 is less intense vs delta-9, providing less psychoactive high, at a ratio of 3:2. It’s also pointed to as causing less anxiety, and providing a clear-headed high, with less couch locking, and more energy. Unfortunately, with the lack of follow-up research, these points really aren’t confirmed at all. Plus, ‘less strong’ always comes with the stipulation that if more is taken, the same high can still be reached.

Making Delta-8 THC From CBD – How It’s Done

Another differentiating factor between the two compounds? The degradation process that creates delta-8 comes from oxidation of delta-9. And through this process, the loss of electrons makes the resulting delta-8 more stable, and with a longer shelf-life.

Legality delta-8 vs delta-9

The thing is, its become commonplace for delta-8 products and other cannabinoid products to be sold all over the place. I’m not even talking dispensaries, but corner stores, gas stations, any little side store out there. Because of the seeming loophole attached to it as ‘hemp-derived’, and the inability of the government to stamp it out, it ends up in a lot of places where delta-9 isn’t accessible. This doesn’t mean its technically legal, but it does mean it’s widely available.

Even delta-9 products under the term ‘hemp-derived’ have started popping up in the same way. The state of Minnesota became an unwittingly legal state when it legalized hemp-derived THC for edible products. Both the hemp-derived version of delta-8 and delta-9 can be found in illegal states, as they are sold outside standard regulation.

Just to clarify, the term ‘hemp-derived’, much like ‘naturally-derived’, doesn’t mean that something is actually extracted directly from hemp, or in the case of ‘naturally-derived’ directly from something natural. It just means it has some of those natural components, along with other unnatural components or processing. How much something specifically fits under the definition of hemp, is determined by the presence of these other unnatural ingredients or processes used. The DEA even recently confirmed that synthetic delta-8 is most certainly illegal because of these definitions. This was backed-up as well by Shopify refusing to allow such products on its platform.

When it comes to delta-8 vs delta-9, some will say delta-8 is legal, whereas delta-9 is not. Some states have even made their own regulation to try to tamp down this market, either legalizing or illegalizing delta-8 THC because of the confusion. What’s the real answer? Well, it’s not for me to say, and it’s hard to say anyway. After all, does it matter if something is illegal if no one will do anything about it anyway? As it seems the delta-8 market relies a lot on not having access to standard weed, one must wonder if a full cannabis legalization, will wipe out the industry anyway.

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Conclusion

What’s the real deal with delta-8 vs delta-9? Honestly, its hard to say in the end because we just don’t know. What we do know is that they’re nearly chemically identical, and seem to provide mainly similar effects and benefits. One is well known, and one is a product of the 2018 US Farm Bill, and a desire to provide a legalized version of the psychoactive part of cannabis.

Who in the World Is Smoking Delta-8 THC?

For anyone looking to use delta-8 products, best to know there’s no regulation in this industry, that testing facilities have shown to be bogus, and that its going to be hard to know what exactly you’re getting, and of what quality. This is just a reality of the industry. On the plus side, delta-8 has shown to be just as safe vs delta-9, so unless you’re dealing with the most unscrupulous of vendors, using the worst of additives, you’ll probably get a decent enough product.

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The Interesting Lack of Info on How Synthetic Cannabinoids Are Made

October 11, 2022 Published by SDZ News

We hear warnings all the time for these compounds, usually labeled ‘K2’ or ‘spice’, and how dangerous they are; despite a lack of actual deaths directly related to them. But the most interesting part of these warnings, is that they come with no information. If you want to know how synthetic cannabinoids are made, where, or by who, it’s as if the information doesn’t exist, even with our wide-ranging internet. What does this all mean?

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What are synthetic cannabinoids?

These days there are three types. Two get a bad rap, despite not being that bad, and one gets pushed directly at consumers. A real cannabinoid is something like THC, CBD, or CBN which is naturally made by the cannabis plant, and can be extracted in its natural form, without any change to the compound.

A synthetic cannabinoid is a cannabinoid that is made using processing techniques that either change the original molecule, or create a molecule by using component parts, and synthesizing them together with synthetic processes. Therefore, a synthetic cannabinoid is either a direct replica of a real cannabinoid, just made synthetically (like delta-8 THC), or it’s a compound that doesn’t exist in nature, and is simply closely-related to the natural cannabinoids – like delta-10 THC. Synthetic or not, some synthetic compounds mirror compounds found in nature, while some don’t exist in nature at all.

One of the big debates in this industry, is whether these compounds fit under the definition of hemp, a definition that doesn’t allow for synthetic processing of compounds. There are also issues of too-high THC amounts in preparations, as well as additive chemicals. The latter issue has shown to be the actual problem in cannabinoid-related deaths. Something even stated by a recent UK report, though this was about vapes specifically, not synthetic cannabis. As the two fear campaigns for vapes and synthetic cannabinoids are similar, its still interesting to note.

Cannabinoids can be natural or synthetic

The 3 kinds of synthetic cannabinoids we deal with

What are the three types we deal with today? Technically they could all be lumped together, but essentially they make up three different industries. The first has to do with what’s referred to as the cannabinoid market. The biggest products in this market are delta-8 THC and HHC. Though the compounds are sold under the term ‘hemp-derived’, meaning they came from the hemp plant, this doesn’t mean they’re not synthetic.

As only CBD exists in high enough quantities for direct extraction from hemp (in amounts usable for product manufacturing), these compounds are not directly extracted, but made through processing from CBD. Or through some other process not made clear. Whether they are technically legal or not, they are openly sold all throughout the US in stores. How many direct deaths have they caused? None.

The second type is considered downright illegal cannabinoids, and they’re the main reference point when bringing up ‘synthetic cannabis’. These compounds are nicknamed ‘spice’ and ‘K2’, and the reality is that we don’t know much about them. It’s often said that the main chemical constituent is a compound called cannabicyclohexanol (aka (C8)-CP 47,497), or rather, a derivative of it called CP 47,497. The interesting thing about this compound, is that its related to HHC, which was actually discovered by the US government in an attempt to make a watered down version of THC.

HHC, Spice and Cannabis Synthetics. This Is What You Need To Know:

We are constantly warned about these drugs. Sometimes we’re told they’re super strong and can therefore cause a bad reaction, sometimes we’re told they’re poisonous. But, are they? Usually, synthetic weed comes as broken up foliage with something sprayed on it. I, myself, once got very sick from fake weed, a story detailed here. But the reaction was so isolated (smoked it a million times, this happened only once), that blaming it on the compound that got me high, is silly. However, if I had died, it would’ve been blamed on the synthetic THC, no doubt.

Thing is, when a drug is sprayed on random foliage, the foliage could have anything on it from rat poison to insecticide; and breathing in chemicals of this nature, can be deadly. It seems no one died directly from the synthetic cannabinoids, but rather from other additives or chemicals used to make the product. The synthetic cannabinoids are directly related to THC, and as of yet, none of the researched cannabinoids – synthetic or not – have ever been associated with causing such problems. They might not have been taken up by the government, but the research around them never showed a deathly issue.

The last type of synthetic cannabinoid? The one sold directly to us. That involves approved pharmaceutical medications like dronabinol and nabilone. Yup, we’re told to fear cannabis synthetics, right alongside being told that if we buy them from a pharmaceutical company, somehow the danger disappears. Pharmaceutical companies are not in the business of providing non-synthetic medications by default, because they can’t.

Their legal inability to patent a plant dictates that they must create synthetics if they want to use similar compounds. So automatically, these companies are making the same things as the cannabinoid market sells, yet we’re told its totally cool.

These, of course, aren’t any more or less dangerous than any of the other cannabinoid compounds, whether synthetic or not. But they do create a logical discrepancy. It’s not advertised to us that these medications are synthetics, but they are. Just as much as the compounds we’re constantly warned away from. Which means the government, even without legalizing cannabis for medical use, allows the sale of synthetic cannabinoid medicines, while telling the public that synthetic cannabinoids are dangerous.

Okay, so how are synthetic cannabinoids like K2 and spice made?

And this is where it really gets interesting. I want everyone reading this to open an internet browser page, and type in any of the following terms: “how is K2 made”, “how is spice cannabinoid made”, or “K2 recipe”. Seriously, go for it. You’ll find what I did. Tons of fear articles, tons of explanations of how its sprayed on foliage, and tons of stories of injury, sometimes without explaining the idea of additives and other chemicals involved, yet never explaining how exactly the cannabinoids caused the death either.

Is Synthetic THC the Same as Natural THC?

What you fundamentally won’t find, is how these synthetic cannabinoids are made, where they’re made, or by who. A search of Tic Tok videos turned up some videos of wetting paper in chemicals, which still doesn’t help us at all. And this paper by EMCDDA, which gives about the most detail possible in terms of the compounds, still falls short of explaining how they’re actually made, only giving a few thoughts on it. However, what it does do, is say nothing bad about these compounds, likening them for the most part, to THC. It doesn’t even have a section on danger.

If you’re thinking that this information is never provided for illicit drug markets, you’re wrong. Go back to the browser page. Now search these terms: “meth recipe”, “crack recipe”, and “fentanyl recipe”. You’re going to find plenty of information, even if you specifically don’t have the skills to make them. Sure, it can involve high level chemistry, but the point, is that the information is there. You can also find plenty of information about where these drugs are illegally made, and by who. So easy, that I was able to give a little overview here, in an article about making delta-8 THC, because even that has instructions online.

We have the internet, guys. Even if no step-by-step process is given for making fentanyl, you can gather so much information, that this can be gleaned by those who understand the science. The information is there. And meth? Meth actually kills about 19,447 people a year according to 2020 data.

And yet finding instructions for it…super easy. When it comes to how to make synthetic cannabinoids, where this is done, and with what methods, it’s like all of a sudden, an internet blackout. So we’re told of this danger repeatedly, yet given no backup information for what the stuff really is. To the point that it must be questioned if any of the information we’re given, is correct.

Maybe it’s made by the government and put out on the street. Maybe its fully known that approved or not, there’s no danger. Maybe it’s just used as a fear campaign to drive people toward pharmaceutical options which we’re told are safer, even though they’re essentially the same thing. Let’s not forget how many FDA approved medications consistently must be recalled due to safety issues. And this after passing safety trials, which doesn’t say much for our drug approval process, or the safety of what’s on the market.

If not one death has come directly from these compounds, and just from additives, or other chemicals involved, then any of these removed FDA medications, are way worse than spice or K2 could ever be. Its way easier to scare someone off something, if you control all the information about it. With not one word online about how the stuff is made, the only thing we have, are government fear campaigns telling us of addictions, poisonings, and lack of medical benefit.

Will Legal Synthetic Cannabinoids Take Over Cannabis Industry?

Conclusion

How are synthetic cannabinoids made? Well, unlike drugs like meth and crack, the internet doesn’t have a recipe. Or information about who is making it. Or where. It’s kind of like there’s a story out that’s being pushed on us, but all real information is withheld.

I want to take a minute to say that I don’t love this industry. I doubt there’s a problem with any synthetic cannabinoid thus far. But I do understand the detriments of added chemicals, and for this reason, this industry can be dangerous. How dangerous? People have certainly died. However, on its very worst day, it’s not even in the same danger ballpark, realm, or universe, as opioids, meth, benzodiazepines, or cocaine. Two of these are highly prescribed, one is still legal medically, and one is completely illegal, but anyone can find instructions to make it. Just something to keep in mind.

Also, I’ve repeated over and over that no deaths have come directly from a cannabinoid compound, whether natural or synthetic. This is based on no articles being able to specify that the cannabinoid compound was responsible, with the majority actually mentioning the other chemicals involved that did the poisoning. This is highlighted by the CDC itself, which has a page on lung injury from vapes, where it admits that its an additive issue, and literally can’t say that injury came from either tobacco or cannabis directly.

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Category: synthetic

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Opioid lawsuit money, and how it can be used

Moving forward

Myanmar and its history with drugs

Crackdown on opium in Myanmar leads to rise of meth

Thailand, and its resulting meth issues

Does the hype match the danger?

Conclusion

DEA, FDA, and USDA: what do these government agencies do?

The part of the USDA

The Cannadelics Sunday Edition (2/26/2023) – Illegal Synthetics, Amanita Hemp Cup Products, Cannabis Music Banned and more

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

Illegal Synthetics:

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News from the Week:

llegal Synthetics, Amanita Hemp Cup Products, Cannabis Music Banned – Conclusion

What are synthetic cannabinoids?

Recent DEA announcement

When else did a government response make headlines as an announcement?

Another government response statement about CBD

Conclusion

What is isotonitazene?

San Francisco responds to isotonitazene

Where else is Isotonitazene causing problems?

The opioid epidemic

Conclusion

Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC:

I. Introduction

II. What is Delta-8 THC?

III. What is Delta-9 THC?

IV. Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC

Chemical structure

Psychoactive effects

Legality

Medical benefits

V. Delta-8 THC vs Delta-9 THC: Which is Right for You?

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VI. Everything might change with the 2023 Farm Bill

VII. Hemp vs Cannabis

VIII. Conclusion

IX. Keep Yourself Informed

What is an API in pharmaceutical medicine?

Where does an API come from?

Raw materials for an API in pharmaceutical medicine

Conclusion

What is delta-9 THC?

What is delta-8 THC?

Delta-8 vs delta-9

Legality delta-8 vs delta-9

Some fun products to try

Conclusion

What are synthetic cannabinoids?

The 3 kinds of synthetic cannabinoids we deal with

Okay, so how are synthetic cannabinoids like K2 and spice made?

Conclusion

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