Those with medical marijuana cards in Virginia can access the safest and highest quality cannabis products in the Commonwealth. Unfortunately, there are some products out there that are not created to the same high standard, including products that include a substance known as Delta-8. These products are in the news on the regular these days. What is going on with Delta-8, and what exactly is its future in the Commonwealth? Let’s discuss!
What is Delta-8?
Delta-8, more formally known as Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, is a substance found in the Cannabis sativa plant. Both marijuana and hemp are varieties of the sativa plant. Delta-8 is said to have psychoactive properties, meaning it can create a feeling of being “high.” It is just one of over 100 cannabinoids that exist naturally in cannabis, but it isn’t found in particularly high amounts in cannabis.
Since Delta-8 does not naturally appear in high quantities in cannabis, it often appears in the marketplace in manufactured hemp-derived products where concentrated amounts of Delta-8 have been introduced.
Concerns Around Delta-8
Many of the concerns around Delta-8 derive from how manufacturers introduce the concentrated dose of this cannabinoid into a product. In some production scenarios, manufacturers might use household cleaners in the chemical synthesis process. Delta-8 product manufacturers also work in unregulated settings, which could lead to potentially unsanitary and unsafe conditions.
Movement Against Delta-8 in the Virginia Legislature
Recently, poison control centers in Virginia and beyond have begun reporting an uptick in reports associated with Delta-8. This as well as the lack of regulatory guidance around the production of the product has led the Virginia legislature to consider bills that may ban Delta-8 products from sale in the Commonwealth.
Until now, loopholes in Virginia law have allowed for the sale of Delta-8 products at specialty stores and gas stations across the state. New bills would work to close those loopholes, essentially banning the sale of any Delta-8 product in the Commonwealth.
If the bill passes, it will be against the law to sell products with elevated levels of Delta-8 in Virginia for the foreseeable future. Initially, vendors would receive warnings, but punishment could eventually include penalties.
Medical Marijuana – Always a Safe Product!
While some vendors of Delta-8 call their stores “dispensaries”, it is important to note that they are not on par with or equivalent to highly regulated medical marijuana dispensaries.
Unlike Delta-8, medical marijuana in Virginia is only ever cultivated and packaged under strictly defined protocols. In fact, Virginia’s rules for medical marijuana production are considered by some to be the strictest in the nation, delivering a truly safe, high-grade product! All medical marijuana products in the state, from gummies to tinctures, undergo all due diligence during cultivation and curation.
These products are also only produced by companies that have been issued a special license by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy to produce medical marijuana. While Delta-8 may have a short shelf life in the Commonwealth moving forward, medical marijuana is sure to remain a reliable, high-quality therapeutic solution for those with medical conditions!
Get Your Medical Marijuana Card Today to Enjoy the Safest Products!
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