A Republican state senator from New Jersey has introduced legislation targeting delta-8 THC, which he called the “bathtub gin of the cannabis space.”
Senator Declan O’Scanlon, who represents New Jersey’s 13th legislative district, last week laid out a regulatory framework for hemp-derived THC.
The bill would give New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission authority to regulate and enforce delta-8, similar to how the adult-use market is regulated.
“This is the bathtub gin of the cannabis space, it impairs people, it’s a growing problem, and it’s reckless to do nothing about it,” said O’Scanlon.
The 2018 Farm Bill includes a legal loophole that allows for the sale of delta-8 THC since it is derived from hemp instead of cannabis.
The bill allows for hemp cultivation so long as it contains THC levels below 0.3 percent.
Delta-8, which can produce the same psychoactive effects as delta-9, is not naturally abundant in cannabis but it can be made synthetically.