CBD, THC, and Delta 8 Oh My!

Sometimes (ok, many times) things I learn as part of my job working in mental health and drug & alcohol prevention overlap with my personal life. The story I am sharing today (with permission) happened right after I recorded a podcast episode about the substance in question so I was able to be helpful, even if it was after the fact. 

I was texting with my friend whilst she was isolating at home AND also trying to work AND tag team parent her two kids who were isolating and virtual schooling, plus caring for her toddler (hello 2022). Here is our text thread:

Me: Hey how’s it going? 

Friend: Definitely better. Husband is so-so but the kids are fine. But I have a story to tell you later.

Me: Oh yes do tell!

Friend: So we take CBD oil for stress and other stuff. Plus we keep gummies on hand for midday stuff. I’ve never felt anything, just more relaxed. My husband bought another kind of gummy and put it in our bathroom. 

Me: Oh no–I feel as though I know where this is going…

Friend: I took one and took the container to the kitchen and he was like OMG DO NOT TAKE THOSE DID YOU TAKE ONE HOW MANY DID YOU TAKE ETC.

Me: Were they THC gummies?!

Friend: I had to stop working and try to sleep it off! [Because she felt intoxicated] And these are like legit from the CBD store. Nothing shady.  

Me: Look at the ratio of CBD to THC. Does it have Delta 8 in it? 

She added an exclamation point emoji to my last text, then sent me photos of the front and back of the container. 

Me (after looking at pictures of the product): Oh yes–Delta 8. So this is sold as CBD or hemp but can make you feel like you are taking THC or using marijuana.

Friend: This was the first time in my life I have ever felt this way. I never used marijuana when younger, I was too scared of the smoking part. 

Me: See the label–at the top super small it says Delta 8 THC. Like when we were in high school marijuana that people would use was under 5% THC. Now with edibles and oil they can be really high % of THC….the oils up to 90%. Just be careful that stuff can make you hallucinate and possible psychosis (I inserted the nervous smiling emoji).

Friend: Yeah this was totally an accident. This is why I never did drugs. I don’t like the uncertainty of not being in control. 

Me: No I know! I'm just warning you because this stuff isn’t regulated by the FDA. So you don’t really know what’s in it. But I know lots of people do use CBD. Here read this. 

I send her this link to a FDA article, “5 Things to Know About Delta 8.”

Friend: Oh shoot, ok. 

Interestingly enough, the reason I knew about this new Delta 8 product was thanks to Gretchen Hagenbuch, our guest for our recent podcast episode about marijuana. Gretchen shared that these products are popping up all over, being sold legally, and to keep an eye out! Have a listen here (where you hear me audibly gasp) as she tells us about all things marijuana. 

In general I have noticed that CBD products seem to be, well, everywhere. The market has exploded over the past few years–in ad breaks during podcasts I listen to; at the new CBD shop in town near my house; being promoted by social media influencers that use it for sleep, stress, mood, wellness. I’m all for ways to support wellness but, as my friend shared, with any dietary supplement (which are not regulated like prescription drugs or over-the-counter medicine) you cannot always anticipate (or control) how things will make you feel.

If you do use CBD products, or are considering it, be sure to read labels before purchasing. For example, my friend ate a gummy in a container that looked almost identical to the ones she normally used (that are non-psychoactive), only this new jar had one line on the back label of the container that stated “Delta 8 THC”. Other phrases to keep an eye out for are “Delta 8, Delta 10 and THC 0” as these can be psychoactive substances. Also, always remember to keep these products stored away from where children (and pets) can reach them and mistakenly take them for candy or food. Lastly, it’s best to check with your medical provider before starting any supplement regimen to rule out conflicts with other medications you may be taking or other health risks. 

I hope you find this helpful and if you have a real life experience to share I would love to hear from you! You can email me at: cdziembowski@dtownctc.org. See you in March to celebrate one year (!) of our Parent to Parent Blog!