Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
May 1, 2023
Matthew E Rossheim, Cassidy R Loparco, Doug Henry et al.
41 citations
Since the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill created what some call a legal loophole in cannabis regulation, many new psychoactive cannabinoid products have appeared, along with inconsistent terminology to describe them. The authors propose the term "derived psychoactive cannabis products" to classify these substances. "Derived" distinguishes them from naturally grown cannabis, "psychoactive" clarifies their effects, and "cannabis products" avoids the racist origins of the word "marijuana." The term aims to be broad enough to cover all related products yet specific enough to exclude other substances. Adopting consistent terminology would reduce confusion and strengthen scientific literature.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
May 28, 2026
Cassidy R Loparco, Matthew E Rossheim, Kayla K Tillett et al.
Retail sales of intoxicating cannabis products (DICPs) like delta-8 THC and hallucinogenic mushrooms are widespread in US smoke shops, including in states where they are explicitly illegal. In a survey of 1,023 smoke shops across eleven states, 51.4% of those that answered reported selling DICPs, with availability ranging from 2.0% in New York City to 93.8% in Jacksonville, FL. Among shops that answered about mushrooms, 59.7% sold them, and over half of those sold Amanita mushrooms. One-third of retailers could not identify the type of mushroom they sold. The authors argue for greater retail surveillance, education, and enforcement.
Substance Use & Misuse
January 1, 2025
Sofia E Olsson, Vishaldeep K Sekhon, Cassidy R Loparco et al.
After the 2018 U.S. farm bill, retailers sold intoxicating Delta-8 THC products as legal hemp. A qualitative analysis of 47 YouTube videos posted in 2022 identified four themes: reasons to use, how to use, effects, and safety/harm reduction. Creators promoted Delta-8 for its claimed federal legality, easy access, and a milder, euphoric high than traditional cannabis. Product quality varied by purchase location, with online sources preferred over gas stations. Few videos were age-restricted. The findings suggest a need for media campaigns to correct misinformation and for prevention efforts.
Addiction (Abingdon, England)
June 1, 2023
Cassidy R Loparco, Matthew E Rossheim, Scott T Walters et al.
Delta-8 THC, a psychoactive substance from the Cannabis plant, has become popular in the US since the 2018 Farm Bill implicitly legalized it. A scoping review of 103 documents found that people often use delta-8 THC as a substitute for other substances. Anecdotally, it is less potent than delta-9 THC, but negative consequences have been reported. There is no federal age restriction for purchase, and products are readily accessible online, typically less expensive than delta-9 THC, and often marketed in ways appealing to children. No regulations on synthesis lead to contaminated products and inconsistent effects. Thousands of calls to US poison control centers have been due to accidental exposure among minors. Most research is anecdotal and not peer-reviewed.