New Study Finds 11% Of High School Seniors Report Using Delta-8 THC, Especially In States Without Legal Cannabis

Approximately 11% of 12th-grade students across the U.S. reported past-year use of delta-8- tetrahydrocannabinol (AKA delta-8-THC, or delta-8), according to data analysis from the 2023 Monitoring the Future survey, conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of NIH.

"11% is a lot of people — that's at least one or two students in every average-sized high school class who may be using delta-8. We don't know enough about these drugs, but we see that they are already extremely accessible to teens," said Dr. Nora Volkow, NIDA director.

What Is Delta-8?

Delta-8, one of over 100 cannabinoids found in the Cannabis sativa plant, is a psychoactive substance typically derived from hemp. It can produce intoxicating effects similar to delta-9 THC, which is the primary component responsible for the high experience of consuming cannabis. There is little FDA regulation, including no federal minimum purchase age requirement to buy delta-8 products. Scientists don't fully understand what effects delta-8 may have on teens and there are no large medical studies as yet showing exactly how it affects the body.

The Study

Led by researchers at the University of Southern California, the study found that over 11% of 2,186 surveyed 12th graders reported using delta-8 in the past year. Unlike cannabis, delta-8 is often sold in candy-like forms and is widely available in convenience stores and gas stations.

"Considering that delta-8-THC has only been on the market since 2018, the fact that we're seeing more than 11% of youth using it is concerning," said Alyssa F. Harlow, PhD, MPH, a clinical assistant professor in the department of population and public health sciences at the University of Southern California (USC), member of the USC Institute for Addiction Science and the study's lead author. "It's evidence that we should be paying attention to these products, particularly in the areas where we saw even higher prevalence."

Nationwide Differences In Consumption Patterns

The study, published in JAMA, found delta-8 use was higher among teens in the South and Midwest and in states where marijuana remains illegal for adults. White teens were more likely to use delta-8 and weed than those of other races. Slightly more boys used weed and delta-8 than girls.

"What we hadn't known prior to this study was to what extent are these products reaching teens, which was a concern because they weren't being comprehensively regulated," said study co-author Dr. Adam Leventhal, executive director of the USC Institute for Addiction Science.

Study Limitations

The survey does not include teens in every state and only surveyed those enrolled in school. Most of the participants were about 17 years old, so the study may not fully represent how many younger teens are using delta-8.

Photo by Elsa Olofsson on Unsplash