Take a break, Delta 8, Delta 8, take a break ... we can check the laws, but we're still a ways away from legal clarity

I am gearing up to teach my marijuana seminar for the first time in two years, and that necessarily means having to prepare for new discussions about new issues in an arena where legal and marketplace reforms are always fast-moving.  One brand new issue, for example, is the emergence of a wide array of Delta-8 THC products and all the legal uncertainty that they engender.  (As my post title reveals, at least for hard-core REM fans, I cannot help but hum the great REM song Driver 8 whenever I think about Delta 8 issues.)

Usefully for me (and perhaps for others), I just saw this recent piece providing an overview of state laws and other matters related to Delta 8 THC products.   Though industry-delta-friendly, this article still provides a helpful review of various basics under this full headline: "Delta-8 is Available in 28 States While Others Try to Ban It: Several U.S. states preemptively restrict or outright ban delta-8 THC as federal regulators swoop in to clarify its legality."  Here are some excerpts from the lengthy piece:

Delta-8 THC has been a sensation in the country.  Its popularity soared throughout 2020 and many believed its reign of euphoric bliss would continue into 2021 and beyond.  However, the federal government and the DEA are swooping in to ruin all the fun.

In April, alone, several U.S. states either restricted or banned delta-8 THC, sparking outcry from users, companies, manufacturers, and vendors within the cannabis industry. So, why are U.S. states banning delta-8 THC? Which ones have already banned it? What have the federal government and the DEA got to do with this?....

Delta-8 is one of 113 cannabinoids found in varieties of cannabis (hemp or marijuana) and a variant of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It’s psychoactive and intoxicating, causing a “high” when consumed. However, when compared to delta-9 THC, the effects are far milder and better suited to beginners looking to enjoy the euphoric effects without the side effects commonly associated with delta-9. Delta-8 THC can now be found in several product types such as distillates, vape cartridges, oils, and flower....

In 2018, the federal government under the Trump administration, signed the Agriculture Improvement Act (2018 Farm Bill), legalizing hemp and all hemp-derived cannabinoids.... However, in 2020, the DEA issued a controversial interim final rule that sought to bring the Farm Bill further in line with the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), spelling trouble for not only delta-8 but also for delta-10 THC.

Within this final rule, the DEA stated all “synthetically-derived tetrahydrocannabinols remain schedule I controlled substances”. Why is this significant and how is it related to delta-8? Well, in order for companies to have enough delta-8 THC in their products, it must be converted from cannabidiol (CBD) via a structural isomerization process conducted under laboratory conditions. This isomerization process takes CBD, alters its molecular structure, and turns it into delta-8. Since it’s produced by chemical or biochemical synthesis and not sourced straight from the hemp plant itself, the DEA believes delta-8 is a synthetic substance.....

Is delta-8’s safety in question? Yes. Delta-8’s safety is in question. Why? Because it’s a psychoactive and intoxicating delta-9 THC variant that’s recently exploded into an unregulated market with very little research verifying its effects.