A lawmaker has filed legislation that would prohibit the sale of products that contain delta-8 THC and other intoxicating substances that can be derived from hemp in Kentucky.
Sometimes described as “weed lite,” delta-8 is a chemical almost identical to the delta-9 THC in marijuana that drives the mental high people get from that drug. Delta-8 causes similar effects and can be indirectly synthesized from hemp, a legal cannabis plant with very little delta-9 THC. It’s sold in things like vape cartridges and edibles.
More:Want to buy delta-8? How these Louisville shops are focusing on selling it safely
The delta-8 market lacks federal oversight, and various aspects of it aren’t regulated in Kentucky. Products don’t have to be tested for heavy metals, for example, and people don’t have to be 21 years old to buy them like they do to buy bourbon or cigarettes.
Minimal regulation contributed to safety and other concerns about delta-8, and various people involved in Kentucky’s hemp industry recently told The Courier Journal they support more regulation.
But Rep. Rebecca Raymer, R-Morgantown, suggests the state ban those products instead in House Bill 348.
“As a health care provider and a mother, I’m hopeful this bill will lead to meaningful conversations about these substances and their impact on minors and public health,” Raymer, who’s a registered nurse, told The Courier Journal in a statement.
She also said “we are still learning about the long-term side effects” of delta-8 and…
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