Kentucky Gov. Signs Bill To Regulate Delta-8 THC

Intoxicating hemp-derived products have been available in Kentucky until now under the 2018 Farm Bill. However, that will soon change. On March 23, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed a bill to regulate hemp-derived delta-8 THC products.House Bill 544 mandates that only adults 21 and over can buy products containing delta-8 THC–a hemp-derived compound frequently marketed as psychoactive–beginning on August 1.Per the bill, the state will regulate “any product containing delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol or any other hemp-derived substance identified by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services as having intoxicating effects on consumers.” This means that the sale, gift, or other transfer of possession of delta-8 THC will be regulated like cannabis.Beshear signed an executive order last year to regulate delta-8 THC and similar products, but that only affected the packaging and labeling of products.”We did our best in an executive order, but we couldn’t do many things in that executive order that you can via legislation,” Beshear said in a press conference. “So, this really good bill codifies the executive order into law, but it does a lot else in establishing a regulatory structure.”Kentucky’s own Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell supported the 2018 Farm Bill to assist the state’s large number of hemp farmers. A legal loophole unexpectedly opened up the door to delta-8 THC products. “We want Kentuckians have access to the resources that they need for relief,” Beshear stated. “We want to make that safe, and this bill will help us do that.” The Courier-Journal published a series of stories about how the 2018 Farm Bill has led to the explosive rise in delta-8 THC products. Some hemp-derived products have not been approved as safe. The Senate approved the bill with one abstention and the House with three abstentions. There are legitimate reasons to question certain hemp products. There are legitimate reasons to question certain hemp-derived products. This is true for both inside and outside the market. Although delta-8 THC is not the most dangerous, it can be extracted correctly. However, other compounds such as THC O acetate could pose a significant risk. THC-O is processed more than other hemp-derived compounds. Gieringer stated that delta-8 THC is not his primary concern. Although there is more information about the compound, it is contaminants and other cannabinoids that he is most concerned about. THC-H and THC-B, THC-B, THC-B, and delta-10 THC. On December 12, 2022, the Journal of Medical Toxicology published a story in which a team of researchers led Neal L. Benjaminwitz discovered that THC-O was acetate can cause significant damage to the lungs. THC-O is acetate shares structural similarities to vitamin-E acetate–an ingredient that can cause serious damage to the lungs. A team of researchers led by Neal L. Benowitz published a story Dec. 12, 2022 in which they said that there should be more regulation on the products of delta-8 being distributed. Barhorst spoke to the Courier-Journal in Feb. “Some of the products… should absolutely be FDA approved, so that the FDA can actually qualify.” The bill directs the Kentucky Cabinet’s implementation of the regulations by August 1.