“Gas Station Weed”: Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC
Synthetic and semisynthetic cannabinoids are harming kids and teens.
Updated June 26, 2025 | Reviewed by Hara Estroff Marano
Because of a legal loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill, regulators, physicians, and educators contend with a new class of cannabinoids mimicking marijuana: intoxicating hemp derivatives. These products, often called “gas-station weed” because of retail availability (including online), have almost zero restrictions/oversight despite producing similar effects to marijuana. The psychoactive chemicals in gas-station weed are made from hemp-derived cannabidiol . These semi-synthetic cannabinoids, along with some fully synthetic cannabinoids—they bear names like Spice, K2, Delta 8, Delta 10, and Zaza—are increasingly implicated in pediatric and adult emergency encounters.
The chemicals produce powerful psychoactive effects. A recent study reported in Drug and Alcohol Dependence evaluated acute effects of inhaled Delta-8 and Delta-9 in 20 healthy adults with no cannabis use in the past month. Both substances produced subjective effects versus placebo .
The substances, also often found in edibles like gummies, appeal to adolescents and children, and are frequently sold without age restrictions. Between January 1, 2021, and May 31, 2022, 10,448 cases involving edible products were reported to poison control centers. Of these, 77% involved people 19 and younger. Numerous poison control alerts involved pediatric patients exposed to Delta-8 THC-containing products.
A 2021 CDC Health Alert noted over 660 Delta-8 individual exposures reported to poison control centers, including hospitalizations, hallucinations, and coma. Respiratory issues, cognitive impairment, and panic were reported. Delta-10, less studied, is thought to have similar pharmacology and carry similar risk.
Many analyses show that Delta-8 products contain mislabeled THC concentrations or are contaminated with potentially harmful substances, in part because they are produced in unregulated labs. An article in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research analyzed 56 CBD gummy products and revealed that 39% contained delta-9-THC (the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana) and 5% contained delta-8-THC. In addition, 70% of the products contained CBD in a concentration differing by 10% from that reported on packaging labels.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has clarified some compounds,, like THCO, are illegal synthetics not naturally present in hemp. Despite this, sales of such products remain widespread. Worse, they are minimally regulated, with no age limits on sales in many states. Deceptive labeling practices often mislead consumers into thinking products are safe. The products are wrongly regarded as less intoxicating than marijuana.
Poison control data show thousands of exposures to Delta-8 alone. Symptoms range from confusion, agitation, and vomiting to seizures and coma, particularly among children. A four-year-old child died after eating edibles; the Virginia Department of Health determined the sole cause of death was Delta-8-THC toxicity.
Youth Use a Major Problem
Researchers at the University of Southern California analyzed more than 2,000 12th graders in the US on their 2023 Delta-8 use. They found 11.4% of US. 12th-graders had used Delta-8. Other data shows that 12.4% of young adults used the substance in the past 12 months. Among high school seniors using Delta-8, most—89.7%—also used marijuana, 54.9% vaped marijuana, and 60.4% used CBD. Rates of Delta-8-THC use were higher in southern and midwestern states, and in states lacking Delta-8 regulations or which had not legalized adult (“recreational”) marijuana use.
It’s clear the popularity of the drugs among teens and young adults is rising—partly because of inaccurate perceptions that they are less risky than marijuana. Scientists worry that Delta-8 could pose risks to brain development similar to those of marijuana and similarly lead to addiction , behavioral problems, and accidental overdose.
“Time and time again, we see the same pattern," says Adam Matthew Leventhal, Ph.D.,. professor at the Keck School of Medicine and executive director of the Institute for Addiction Science at USC "When a new addictive drug hits the market and is commercialized, youth are the first affected if public health protections are not in place. We saw this with nicotine e-cigarettes and should not let history repeat itself with Delta-8-THC or other hemp products,” .
Animal and human studies suggest that addiction remains a real risk. Use is associated with tolerance and withdrawal symptoms, and presents like cannabis use disorder. Anecdotal and case reports describe Delta-8 addiction profiles similar to those of other THC products, including increased use despite harm, failed cessation attempts, and psychosocial impairment.
There are documented psychiatric symptoms with Delta-8 use. In one report , three patients with preexisting psychiatric disorders developed psychiatric manifestations, including psychosis , after using Delta-8 products. All three purchased products legally, believing them safe and effective. However, their use precipitated psychiatric symptoms severe enough for hospitalization.
Can Regulation Reduce Risk?
The products aren’t approved for safety in any context, mainly due to variability in formulation and THC concentration. Some items are labeled “hemp products,” which may mislead consumers, associating “hemp” with “non-psychoactive.” This is likely why the FDA has moved toward cracking down on intoxicating-hemp sellers, calling Delta-8 an “adulterant” in a warning letter.
The agency is concerned about the proliferation of products containing Delta-8 that are marketed for therapeutic or medical uses, although they are not FDA-approved. Selling unapproved products with unsubstantiated therapeutic claims is a violation of federal law.
Some evidence indicates that honest marketing could alleviate some issues among youth. A recent study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy studied effects of hypothetical cannabis warning labels on perceptions of Delta-8 gummies and vapes. Adolescent participants exposed to prominent warning labels anticipated greater intoxication and perceived higher health risks than the control group.
But as Dr. Kevin Sabet, CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, points out, “Warning labels and product safety rules are mere band-aids; they cannot address the underlying issue: Delta-8 and other intoxicating hemp derivatives are, like all marijuana products, dangerous and addictive drugs. It’s time to stop fighting rear-guard actions against them and take the legal fight to the industry behind it all.”
Delta-8 and Delta-10 are widely available. Many semisynthetic and synthetic cannabinoids are equally or more potent than marijuana, posing significant health risks. Delta-8/Delta-10 is heavily marketed on social media , often without age restrictions. Product packaging frequently resembles popular snacks, leading to accidental exposure.
Key issues include marketing to youth and children, inaccurate product labeling, and poorly controlled manufacturing processes. Edibles are popular among young people—and episodes of poisoning are common..
CBD products lack reliable CBD concentrations relative to the dose stated on the label and even among gummies in the same bottle. The products frequently contain Delta-9 and occasionally Delta-8, unbeknownst to consumers. Growing evidence suggests a necessity for CBD product regulation to ensure customer health and safety.
There is mounting concern over potential for dependence and abuse. While the DEA has clarified that synthetically derived THC compounds fall under Schedule I (illegal), enforcement is uneven.
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Mark S. Gold, M.D., is a pioneering researcher, professor, and chairman of psychiatry at Yale, the University of Florida, and Washington University in St Louis.
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