CBD News Roundup: FDA and CDC Warn the Public About Delta-8 THC

Here’s the latest CBD News:

• The FDA and CDC have released warnings to the public about the potential dangers of delta-8 THC, a close relative of delta-9 THC.
• The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will review research to possibly amend their cannabis ban. 
• Brazilian researchers are assessing cannabidiol’s efficacy for treating “long-haul COVID” symptoms.

FDA and CDC Warn the Public About Delta-8 THC

On Tuesday, both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued warnings to the public about delta-8 THC, a close cousin of the more popular delta-9 THC found in the cannabis plant.

As a growing number of cannabis manufacturers pivot to delta-8 THC—a psychoactive constituent of the cannabis plant that mirrors many of delta-9 THC’s effects—state and federal officials have scrambled to close legal gaps allowing for its manufacturing and public consumption because of health risks.

In the FDA consumer update, for example, the agency warns of the lack of (their own) approval of delta-8 THC products, the rise in “adverse event reports” relating to delta-8 THC, and importantly, the fact that delta-8 has to be synthetically derived from CBD to meet marketable concentration levels, sometimes using potentially harmful chemicals.

The CDC health advisory dives deeper into the spike in adverse events related to this cannabinoid, including “symptoms consistent with cannabis intoxication” like deep sedation, slowed breathing, and more.

The health advisory then details some recommendations for readers, stressing the importance of understanding cannabis product labeling and safety standards, safe storage of edible products, and other important steps.

World Anti-Doping Agency to Revisit Cannabis Rules

Amidst continually rising pressure from Olympics fans protesting the disqualification of American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson for cannabis use, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) added a “review of cannabis status” to the agenda for their third yearly meeting held in Istanbul on Tuesday.

The 38-member board met to finalize regulations within their “anti-doping code” for 2022, and though it was explicitly stated cannabis will remain prohibited for this year, the above document summarizing the meeting described that there will be a scientific review examining the current cannabis knowledge base.

In other words, WADA is not making promises by any means, but they are going to revisit cannabis research to reassess how cannabis impacts performance, as well as general safety. 

Currently, the board bans all natural and synthetically derived cannabinoids with the exception of CBD; however, they warn athletes against CBD products that contain higher levels of THC, which will still result in a flagged test and disqualification.

Research Team Looks to CBD for “Long-Haul COVID” Treatment Potential

As initially reported by Brazilian publication The Rio Times, scientists in Rio De Janeiro have announced a study they are currently conducting to test the efficacy of cannabidiol for ongoing COVID-19 symptoms.

When COVID patients continue exhibiting symptoms for at least two months following the initial infection, they are said to have “long-haul COVID,” “long COVID,” or “post-COVID syndrome,” an umbrella term denoting a broad field of persistent symptoms that researchers are working to understand.

At this point, most sources agree that headaches, brain fog, lethargy, dizziness/disorientation, and continued shortness of breath are among the most commonly experienced symptoms of long-haul COVID.

As of the announcement by The Rio Times on Monday, the 1,000-participant trial was in its third phase; The CBD Insider will make sure to update our audience with results as soon as they are available.