No More Tricks, You’re Done! – The DEA Is ‘Bout to Crack Down on Delta-8, HHC, and Them Hemp Goodies

Yo, peeps! It’s your boy, Dan, here to give you the lowdown on what went down at the 2023 Supply Chain Conference in H-Town, Texas. So check it, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) just announced that they’re about to drop some new rules all up in our faces when it comes to synthetic cannabis.

Terrance Boos, the big cheese over at the DEA’s Drug and Chemical Evaluation Section, stepped up to the mic on May 4 and spilled the tea on these new trends. He said that the DEA has been getting a ton of petitions about synthetic cannabis, and they’re actually listening this time. They’re working with the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make sure they get it right.

Now, let me break it down for y’all. Synthetic cannabinoids, like that fire delta-8 THC that everyone’s been talking about, have become a real problem lately. These fake compounds are made to mimic the effects of THC, which is the stuff that gets you high when you smoke that good herb. But delta-8 THC is a whole different beast, ya feel me? It’s been causing some serious confusion when it comes to regulation and classification.

Here’s the deal. A little bit of delta-8 THC can be found naturally in cannabis, but most of the products out there are made in a lab by converting CBD into delta-8 THC. And that’s where things get tricky. Is it legal? Is it safe? Who knows? The DEA is ready to drop some new rules specifically for these synthetic cannabinoids, including delta-8 THC, to clear up all the confusion and keep us safe.

Different states have been doing their own thing when it comes to delta-8 THC. Some have straight-up banned it, while others have some half-ass regulations in place. It’s a mess out there, my dudes. But the DEA is trying to bring some order to the chaos. They want to set some standard rules for all these synthetic cannabinoids, so we know what’s what and don’t end up smoking something that’ll make us grow a third eye or some shit.

So, Boos got up on that stage and showed off his PowerPoint skills. He talked about all sorts of stuff, like changes to prescription drugs, fake pills, and even drug trafficking on the internet. But the part that had everyone’s attention was when he started spilling the tea on synthetic cannabinoids like CBD and delta-8 THC.

Boos dropped some knowledge bombs on us. He said there might be plans to make synthetic CBD legal because it’s treated the same as that good ol’ agriculture improvement act (AIA) exempted material. Basically, they’re thinking about giving it a pass.

But let’s talk about delta-8 THC for a sec. Boos broke it down for us. Most of the delta-8 products out there are made by chemically converting CBD into delta-8 THC. And here’s the kicker – the DEA says that consuming that synthetic shit puts it back under their control. That means it falls under the Controlled Substances Act and could get your ass in trouble.

Boos even hinted that the classification of cannabinoids derived from hemp might change with these new rules. But he didn’t spill all the tea just yet. We gotta wait for those rules to drop before we know what’s really going on.

Now, y’all know I’m always looking out for you, so I did a little digging for more info. Vicente LLP, those legal peeps who know their shit when it comes to cannabis and hemp, they’re saying that these new rules could be coming real soon. They think the DEA will review the HHS recommendations, do their own analysis, and then drop a proposed regulation in the Federal Register. And that’s when we’ll get a chance to speak up and give our two cents. Based on their predictions, we should expect those proposed rules to hit the Federal Register in the fall.

But hold up, there’s more. Back in February, the DEA said that delta-9-THCO and delta-8-THCO ain’t hemp, my friends. They’re classified as illegal drugs. According to them, these two bad boys can’t be naturally derived from the cannabis plant. Nah, they gotta be cooked up in a lab. So they don’t meet the definition of hemp.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also been getting in on the action. They held a webinar in October where they talked about their approach to cannabis research and regulation. Janet Woodcock, the FDA’s deputy commissioner, said they’re looking into how cannabis is scheduled under the Controlled Substances Act. But here’s the kicker – she straight-up said that the DEA has the final say. It’s hard as hell to do any research on cannabis with all these restrictions, man.

So there you have it, peeps. The DEA is dropping new rules for synthetic cannabinoids like CBD and delta-8 THC. They wanna clear up all the confusion and keep us safe while we get our smoke on. We gotta stay tuned for those proposed rules to drop and make sure we have our say. The synthetic cannabis industry is about to go through some changes, so buckle up and stay informed.