JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missourians are again being cautioned against purchasing and consuming products containing hemp-derived cannabinoids.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) first warned residents in 2021 of the dangers of hemp-derived cannabinoids. The DHSS has reported a drastic uptick in poisonings tied to cannabis consumption.
Like their name implies, these particular cannabinoids come from processed hemp and contain chemically derived psychoactive compounds. This includes delta-8 THC, delta-6 THC, delta-10 THC, delta-11 THC, THC-A, THC-O, THC-P, THC-V, THC-JD, PHC, HHC, HHC-P, and HXC.
Processing the hemp may involve the use of toxic solvents and acids, which may stay in the final product. Although hemp is regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, their oversight ends once the plant is harvested. Because hemp-derived cannabinoids are untested and unregulated, there are no safety controls in place to determine the presence of contaminants.
Cannabis-related substances are classified into one of four categories: marijuana and cannabis, hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids, synthetic cannabinoids, and pharmaceutical cannabinoids.
Marijuana and cannabis are allowed for recreational purposes under Missouri law for persons 21 and older, provided they’re purchased at a licensed dispensary. Pharmaceutical products are available by prescription only. Synthetic cannabinoids are illegal.
Ingesting hemp-derived cannabinoids can cause, among other things, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, tremors, loss of consciousness, cognitive impairment, anxiety, hallucinations, and, in rare cases, death.
