Delta-8 products are set for testing at Virginia Commonwealth University’s forensic science lab. These products come in different forms and packaging, many of which are designed to look like candies or cereal.
Crixell Matthews/VPM News
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Delta-8 products are set for testing at Virginia Commonwealth University’s forensic science lab. These products come in different forms and packaging, many of which are designed to look like candies or cereal.
Crixell Matthews/VPM News
Michelle Peace will sometimes dip into a convenience store and emerge with a handful of hemp products like delta-8. They come in gummies, tinctures, vape cartridges and joints and they’re designed to get you high.
Despite knowing glances from cashiers, Peace isn’t headed to a party. She’s the director of the laboratory for forensic toxicology research at Virginia Commonwealth University, and she’s bringing her collection to the lab to see what’s inside. In some cases, no one else is checking.
Hemp products that can get you high have proliferated online and at corner stores, even in places where marijuana remains illegal. The products, marketed under names like delta-8 and delta-10, have been a lifeline for the struggling hemp industry. Even critics of the products acknowledge some companies maintain high standards for their products, with credible lab testing and careful quality control.
Dr. Peace shows off one of the delta-8 products, highlighting the specific aspects of the packaging that have the potential to confuse consumers.
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Dr. Peace shows off one of the delta-8 products, highlighting the specific aspects of the packaging that have the potential to confuse consumers.
Crixell Matthews/VPM News
But federal regulators aren’t monitoring what’s in the products. Peace and other researchers have found problems ranging from irregular dosing to heavy metals. Some edibles have packaging and labels that mimic common candy or cereal (“Stony Patch THC Gummies” or “Fruity Pebblez”), and there’s been a spike in calls to poison control centers related to delta-8. Newer products, like THC-O, can be even more potent, according to Peace.
“Delta-8 is like, ‘Look at me, look at me,’ and there’s a monster behind the bush,” Peace said.
Still, a recent federal appeals court verdict appeared to uphold the legality of delta-8 products on the federal level. In the absence of clear federal regulations or guidance, lawmakers in states like Colorado and Oregon have
