Ian Patrick, FISM News
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Wednesday that they sent warning letters to a list of companies over their sales of products containing a THC ingredient found in marijuana that violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
The FDA said that five companies were selling products that included delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8 THC) which it says “has psychoactive and intoxicating effects and may be dangerous to consumers.” The agency also said that they’ve received notifications from consumers who have experienced adverse events after consuming these products.
In a previous consumer update from the FDA, the agency further defined their concern with delta-8 THC saying it had a similar “high” effect that users experience with the use of cannabis. The update also said that delta-8 THC could “likely expose consumers to much higher levels of the substance than are naturally occurring in hemp cannabis raw extracts.”
Even more concerning to the agency is the conversion process to create more delta-8 THC. Because it is not found abundantly in the Cannabis sativa L. plant, a sometimes dangerous process is used to make more of the ingredient from cannabinoids which are the compounds found in the plant. This process usually needs “additional chemicals,” and could potentially include “unsafe household chemicals.”
Further on in the announcement, the FDA said there are no currently approved drugs that contain delta-8 THC.
The warning clarifies that these five companies are advertising their delta-8 THC products as “unapproved treatments for various medical conditions or for other therapeutic uses.” It also says there were some violations regarding drug misbranding and the addition of delta-8 THC in foods like gummies and chocolate.
“The FDA is very concerned about the growing popularity of delta-8 THC products being sold online and in stores nationwide,” said FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “These products often include claims that they treat or alleviate the side effects related to a wide variety of diseases or medical disorders, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, nausea, and anxiety.”
The Deputy Commissioner also said it is “extremely troubling” that certain “food products are packaged and labeled in ways that may appeal to children.”
“We will continue to safeguard Americans’ health and safety by monitoring the marketplace and taking action when companies illegally sell products that pose a risk to public health,” the Deputy Commissioner added.