New Report Gives Insight Into Hemp-Derived THC Consumers

Since 2020 hemp-derived THC products have gained popularity in the United States.

Many consumers consider psychoactive hemp-derived cannabinoids less intoxicating than adult-use cannabis.

Hemp-based products, such as delta 8 lean, delta-10 THC, THC-O, HHC, or non-intoxicating CBD, are not regulated.

But as they are not illegal at the federal level, psychoactive hemp-based products are widely used by those living in U.S. states that have not legalized adult-use cannabis sales.

The 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp cultivation with a THC level below 0.3% and extraction of its cannabinoids at the federal level, has, in fact, created new unregulated markets where businesses have been able to take advantage of the plant’s proprieties to manufacture new products able to provide intoxicating effects similar to delta-9 THC, the main ingredient of adult-use cannabis.

Although little is known about the differences between delta-9 and delta-8 THC, such uncertainty hasn’t stopped users from purchasing.

To understand who hemp-derived THC consumers are, why they use hemp-derived THC products, and how authorities and federal agencies handle this category of products, cannabis analytics firm Brightfield Group has recently published a report that tries to answer these questions.

According to a survey conducted by the firm on 5,000 consumers, 18% of Americans are aware of delta-8, and 6% of Americans say they’ve used it in the past six months.

On average, hemp-derived THC users tend to be male, live in a city, and have children in the home.

The survey revealed that while 62% of delta-8 or -10 THC users are millennials or younger, 14% of millennials and Gen Z consumers have used delta-8 or -10 since 2021.

As regards the reasons that brought people to use this category of products, 56% of users consider themselves more stressed by their mental health than the average consumer and cannabis and CBD users.

Furthermore, 71% of users consume THC hemp-based products for relaxation, while 62% of CBD consumers and 59% of cannabis users do it for the same reason.

The report highlights that a growing number of CBD consumers are simultaneously using hemp-derived THC products.

Awareness of delta-8 and -10 THC has risen among CBD consumers.

In fact, 50% of them are aware of these cannabinoids, while 15% have tried them once, and 17% report purchasing them multiple times.

Furthermore, the survey showed that CBD users that also regularly purchase delta-8 or -10 THC are more likely to be frequent, experienced users who prefer larger doses of CBD and use it throughout the day.

“So, while it’s unclear how many consumers entirely stop using CBD when starting to use hemp-derived cannabinoids, it’s evident that those that do continue to use it are using much more CBD than consumers who don’t buy delta-8 or -10 THC,” the report reads.

However, the lack of comprehensive legislation that considers the science behind hemp-derived cannabinoids can put a risk THC hemp-derived cannabinoid consumers.

Consumer knowledge around the safety of hemp-derived cannabinoids is shallow, as they must rely on companies’ claims.

At the federal level, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) established in 2020 that “all synthetically derived tetrahydrocannabinols remain Schedule I controlled substances,” although the ruling has never been enforced.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to provide rules for the hemp industry created by the 2018 Farm Bill, although it warns that delta-8 THC products “may pose serious health risks.”

At the state level, 14 states have banned delta-8 THC products.

According to the report, banning hemp-derived THC was an easy way for states to address the safety concerns around hemp-derived cannabinoids rather than find a way to ensure the products are safe.

However, two states, Michigan and Connecticut, where adult-use cannabis is already legal, decided to regulate hemp-derived THC.

Minnesota passed a bill in June that regulates hemp-derived THC in food and drink products up to 5mg of THC per serving with no more than 50mg THC per package.

Oregon, in July 2022, banned all “artificially derived cannabinoids” due to concerns around a lack of testing protocols for such products.

The report concludes that brands should take the safety of their products seriously for the good of the consumer and the industry if they want to stay in the market and should focus on sales in states that have pro-hemp-derived cannabinoid laws currently in place, such as Minnesota.