A federal appeals court in California last week ruled that delta-8 and other hemp-derived cannabinoids are legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, even if they’re capable of getting users high, Forbes reports.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 3-0 that products containing delta-8 THC are generally permissible under federal law, which broadly defines hemp to include “derivatives, extracts and cannabinoids” within a specified THC limit, according to Forbes.
Commercially available Delta-8 has sparked legal fights in Texas, where state officials are seeking to ban the substance because people can consume it and get a high similar to the one provided by THC in cannabis.
In March, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, introduced legislation that would put a low-percentage cap on THC allowed in all hemp products, including delta-8.
Hemp growers maintain that restrictions on THC levels would strangle the industry because the restrictions are impossible to meet without harvesting too early.
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This article appears in May 18-31, 2022.
