Florida faces delta-8 and delta-10 THC confusion

On Behalf of | Oct 29, 2022 | Drug Charges

The question of marijuana’s legality hangs in state legislators all across the nation and Florida’s current statutes allow for medicinal marijuana. However, these laws frame specific forms of commonly derived THC.

As Yahoo News reports, Florida has seen a number of cases where people can now access legal THC because it comes from hemp.

A new substance with no regulations

A recent product has since made its way to many smoke shops and even gas stations: hemp-derived THC. The 2018 Federal Farm Bill legalized hemp, provided it contained less than 0.3% Delta 9 THC — the cannabinoid commonly found in marijuana. It also opens the door for plenty of hemp-based products.

However, manufacturers have found ways of synthesizing THC from hemp that meets these legal standards. It allows producers to sell edibles and vape cartridges with THC at higher potency levels that produce a similar high to marijuana-derived THC.

Communities worry about this lack of regulation, as some feel think the process to create delta 8 products involves potentially harmful chemicals. Many critics see this as a reason to fast-track marijuana legalization in order to establish reliable regulations.

A legal high in the face of law enforcement

This new development in the market comes with a variety of questions and variables that law enforcement may not consider. There is no fool-proof way of measuring THC levels at a traffic stop and suspicion of drug use, legal or not, may result in charges in the moment.

Those facing drug charges risk their reputation, their job and their futures. It is important to learn more about these nuances, how to react to law enforcement at a stop and how best to defend against allegations.

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