LANSING, Michigan – Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday signed a law that she says protects the public health and safety of Michigan residents by regulating the intoxicating delta-8 THC derivative that is currently sold – untested and unregulated – in convenience stores, gasoline stores, and tobacco / smoke stores statewide, according to a statement from the governor’s office.

This set of bills also updates the definitions regarding products derived from the cannabis plant, so that all intoxicating substances will be tested for safety by the Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA). MRA’s statewide surveillance system and will be tracked by the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system.

As of October 11, 2021, these products, which were available for sale to individuals of all ages by companies that currently cannot sell licensed products for adult use or medical marijuana-based products, will be covered by the Law of state and regulated by the MRA.

In the statement, Whitmer said the bill package shows Michigan is the national model for protecting its residents and ensuring those who use marijuana do so in a safe manner.

“I am pleased to see Michigan continuing to lead the implementation and regulation of a safe and secure marijuana industry,” she said in the statement, “Which has already brought tens of millions of dollars in new tax revenue to the state, as well as thousands of well-paying jobs.” “

Delta-8 THC is the cannabinoid naturally found in small amounts in hemp and can be synthesized from cannabidiol (CBD) or delta-9 THC, the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, states nutrionaloutlook.com in an article for 12 July. Unlike CBD, delta-8 THC produces psychoactive effects in users, although it would not be of the same level of intoxication associated with delta-9 THC. Delta-8 THC can be found in several formats, including tinctures, functional drinks, vapes, and gummies.

“The MRA team has always been committed to transparency and forward thinking and this was once again the case with the delta-8”, MRA executive director Andrew Brisbo has reportedly declared Whitmer’s release. “We are proud to work with lawmakers and industry stakeholders to proactively address this issue and move an untested, unauthorized, and intoxicating synthetic product into our licensed and regulated system.”

Many states are now preparing to ban the substance outright, Tiffany Kary Bloomberg said in a June 14 pressherald.com article. According to a recent report from the US Cannabis Council, only a handful, such as Illinois, Oregon, and California, can license Delta-8 as long as it has been tested, verified, and sold in the regulated market.

Yet cannabis science, still in its infancy, has yet to determine the exact effects of Delta-8, Bloomberg said in his Press Herald article. And there are signs it might help. A 2010 study points out that it is a natural breakdown product of Delta-9 THC and found that it increased food intake in rats. There are also anecdotal suggestions that it could be related to the cravings experienced by marijuana users, known as “Cravings”.

The National Cancer Institute defines Delta-8 as having anti-nausea, anti-anxiety, appetite-stimulating, analgesic, and neuroprotective properties. The institute also says that Delta-8 is less potent than Delta-9, and Delta-8 has been reported to create effects that are not accompanied by a secondary dose of paranoia. However, reports of high side effects from cancer drugs and treatments aren’t the only considerations in the Delta-8 conversation.

Nutritional Outlook said that given the lack of regulatory clarity, a patchwork of state regulations, and the fact that delta-8 THC products can be intoxicating, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA; Silver Spring, MD) has recently released a discouraging new guidance policy “The marketing of consumer goods by any means” which contain synthesized cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC or artificial cannabinoids. AHPA defines synthesized cannabinoids as “A cannabinoid synthesized in the laboratory or by industry using directed synthetic or biosynthetic chemistry rather than traditional food preparation techniques such as heating or extraction.” They can be identical in nature or artificial since this definition refers only to the process of their creation.

Addictioncenter.com states according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), most of the chemicals used in synthetic marijuana are made in Asia without regulations or standards. They are then smuggled into the United States where they are sprinkled on plant material and packaged. Some of these chemicals are legal, although there are more and more illegal compounds found in synthetic marijuana. In 2015, the DEA listed 15 variants of synthetic marijuana as Schedule I substances, meaning they are treated as the same class of drugs as crack and heroin. Additionally, the FDA has noted that over 75 other compounds have been identified that are not currently controlled. These chemicals vary widely in terms of safety and not all are recommended for consumption.