Keystone Lab, based in Asheville, NC, has officially added delta-8 THC & CBD metabolites testing to the testing menu on its clinical services line. Keystone Lab provides clinical and forensic toxicology testing services throughout the southeastern U.S. and is now one of only a few labs in the nation to offer delta-8 THC & CBD metabolites testing.
Delta-8 THC is a commonly occurring cannabinoid found in most cannabis plants and formed by degradation upon exposure to heat or light resulting in a bond rearrangement of delta-9 THC. It is detected in low concentrations in most cannabis plants with percentages of delta-8 THC to delta-9 THC ranging from 0.1%-2%. Because delta-8 THC is present in such low concentrations in plant material, it is typically synthesized from cannabidiol (CBD) by conversion reactions.
After the conversion of CBD to delta-8 THC is completed, it undergoes extraction, isolation, distillation, and refinement processes to produce a more potent and purer delta-8 THC product that is frequently sold in head shops, gas stations, or similar stores legally in many states throughout the U.S.
"A recent increase in delta-8 THC use has caused many challenges for our providers and prompted us to develop an improved marijuana metabolite method. This new method improves the identification and quantification of carboxy-delta-9-THC in human urine and quantitatively detects carboxy-delta-8-THC and 7-carboxy-CBD", according to Dr. James Bourland, Scientific Director of Keystone Labs. "This new test will allow our clients to determine if a patient is using delta-9 THC, delta-8 THC, CBD, or any possible combination of these cannabinoids."
Beneficiaries of delta-8 THC & CBD metabolites testing include organizations that have a zero-tolerance policy for any type of substance such as addiction clinics and recovery centers.
