BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WTVY) – Over the weekend, hundreds of physicians gathered in Birmingham, Alabama, for advanced training and education to combat substance abuse.
The specialty courses were designed to teach doctors to recognize the signs of substance abuse, improve treatment strategies, and reduce opioid prescriptions.
The training also focused on how Alabama doctors could educate the public on the potential dangers of delta-8 and other unregulated psychoactive substances.
Delta-8, a psychoactive substance made from industrial hemp, is often marketed as a legal alternative to marijuana and is commonly sold in gas stations, vape shops and convenience stores, the Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners said.
Sometimes known as “gas station weed,” products like delta-8 can be marketed as holistic remedies that could actually carry serious health risks, according to Alabama doctors.
“Just because a substance is available over the counter doesn’t mean it’s safe,” said Dr. Luke Engeriser, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at AltaPointe Health Systems in Mobile.
AltaPointe Health Systems, an Alabama-based behavioral health crisis center, is a nonprofit organization providing support services for people with intellectual disabilities, serious mental illness and substance abuse.
Dr. Engeriser, a decorated former military psychiatrist, presented a lecture on ‘Gas Station Pharmacology’ during the medical conference over the weekend.
“We need to educate physicians and the public on the dangers and unpredictable effects of these substances,” Engeriser said. “They’re not regulated or approved for consumption, and the potential health consequences can be serious.”
Despite the controversy surrounding the regulation of delta-8, it remains legal in 22 states with only limited regulation. Laws follow the blueprint laid out by the 2018 Farm Bill in most states – with few or no additional rules.
The Farm Bill imposed strict limits on the amount of THC allowed in consumable hemp products, but industrial hemp manufacturers found ways to increase the potency of delta-8 and other psychoactive compounds.
The Missouri Hemp Trade Association is taking the state of Missouri to court over an administrative rule meant to curb the sale of hemp products that are crafted to act like marijuana, known as “intoxicating cannabinoids.”(Missouri Capitol Bureau)
However, those in the cannabis industry have requested Congress implement policies for hemp crops grown in the US that would mirror the policies of other hemp-producing nations like France and Canada.
As of June 2024, over two dozen US states considered a total ban on delta-8 or imposing other restrictions. The US House of Representatives has tried to close an existing ‘loophole’ allowing the sale of industrial hemp goods, including hemp products capable of producing a ‘high.’
Meanwhile, the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) and other organizations in the cannabis industry have called on Congress to regulate intoxicating hemp products in similar ways as alcohol and tobacco are regulated by the FDA.
Proposed controls on hemp products like delta-8 and other psychoactive compounds have included safety testing, product labeling and restricting sales to adults over 21.
Alabama outlaws traditional marijuana; however, it is one of only five states with age limits related to other hemp-derived THC products, along with Florida, Kentucky, Maryland and Wyoming.
Other than age limits, Alabama does not have any other substantial regulations on hemp-derived THC. In California and Connecticut, delta-8 THC is treated as marijuana and is sold as part of the adult-use industry. This automatically institutes a wide range of requirements on the cannabinoid, including rules on testing and labeling to ensure safety and transparency for consumers.
The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC), signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey in 2021, administers and enforces laws related to medical cannabis.
Currently, the AMCC implements and oversees laws making Alabama-grown cannabis available to qualified, registered patients. The AMCC also grants licenses to facilities that process, transport, test or dispense medical cannabis in the state.
However, Alabama’s medical cannabis is different from the delta-8 commonly sold in smoke shops and gas stations around the state.
Medical cannabis is set to become legal in Kentucky on January 1, 2025.(WAVE)
Retailers of delta-8 and other CBD products are not allowed to make medical claims about their products – even if customers use those products medicinally, according to the FDA.
The FDA actively works with federal and state partners to address concerns related to delta-8, but it is still unclear what the path to federal regulation looks like for the manufactured hemp industry.
While some lawmakers support instituting regulation and others support all-out bans, industrial hemp could offer new economic opportunities for America’s farmers.
Economic forecasters have even concluded that small-scale, profitable markets for hemp products could make hemp a viable alternative crop for some agricultural regions in the US.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers revenue protection for hemp farmers in 27 states – including Alabama – as well as farm loan, conservation, and safety net programs.
Some financial organizations believe farming hemp, which requires less land, water and resources (like pesticides), could give opportunities to small-scale farmers struggling to compete with larger, industrialized farms.
Forbes even estimated the hemp market to be worth around $45 billion by the end of 2024.
While the economics of industrial hemp products look promising for farmers, some Alabama doctors insisted on the importance of regulating hemp-derived products.
A study by UAB researchers detailed cases of people becoming psychotic and violent after consuming unregulated delta-8 in Alabama.
Dr. Max Rogers, Chairman of the Board of Medical Examiners, cautioned that unregulated products mean buyers don’t truly know what they’re getting.
“Buying Delta-8 is a huge gamble,” Dr. Rogers said. “Despite what it may say on its packaging, there’s no way to really know what’s in these products. But we know for certain it can pose serious health risks, so it’s crucial people understand the dangers.”
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While the economics of industrial hemp products look promising for farmers, some Alabama doctors insisted on the importance of regulating hemp-derived products. Read More
