Louisiana to Allow Delta-8 THC Consumables

Louisiana is bucking the trend of banning delta-8 THC and has proposed the synthetic cannabinoid be allowed in food, according to a Marijuana Business Daily report.

In an email announcing the changes, the Louisiana Department of Health said applications are now open for businesses to add cannabinoids to food. The new policy was made possible by a state law that creates a new category known as “consumable hemp,” defined as “any product derived from industrial hemp that contains any cannabinoids and is intended for consumption or topical use.”

“This includes the addition of food products containing CBD and delta-8 (THC),” the agency wrote in the email.

Delta-8 is an isomer of delta-9 THC that rarely occurs naturally in cannabis plants. Today, large batches of delta-8 are synthesized from more widely available, hemp-derived CBD. The sudden emergency and growing availability of delta-8 THC has prompted some 18 states to ban the substance outright. Additionally, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claims that delta-8 THC is making people sick, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has added the cannabinoid to its “Orange Book,” signaling that they believe delta-8 THC should be regulated similar to delta-9 THC, according to the report

The addition of delta-8 THC as an allowed cannabinoid in Louisiana will coincide with smokable medical cannabis coming online in 2022. MJBizDaily projected the state to sell $25-$30 million worth of medical cannabis this year, prior to the new reforms.