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Sociodemographic characteristics and correlates of Delta-8 THC use in US adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

O. Livne
O. Livne*
Affiliation:
Columbia University, Epidemiology, NY, United States of America

Abstract

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Introduction

Recent reports suggest that Delta-8 THC use has surged during the past year. Although Delta-8 THC is believed to have relatively low psychoactive potency, its effects are not well characterized and the associated individual and public health risks are unknown.

Objectives

Identify patterns of Delta-8 THC use among US adult cannabis users and examine associations with sociodemographic characteristics and cannabis use-related variables.

Methods

We surveyed 4,349 US adult cannabis users recruited via online advertisements. We calculated frequencies of sociodemographic characteristics in past 30-day Delta-8 THC users. Odds ratios were used to indicate associations between sociodemographic characteristics and past 30-day Delta-8 THC use.

Results

Respondents aged 45–64 years were significantly more likely than other age groups to have used Delta-8 THC during the past 30 days (odds ratio=1.48, 95% CI 1.04, 2.11). Fifty-eight percent of the sample had heard of Delta-8 THC, 66.8% of which had first heard of it during the last year and 37.1% first heard of it via social media. The most common methods of consumption were vaping concentrates and edibles. We identified motivations for use of Delta-8 THC that potentially indicate a preference for legal options and/or a perception that Delta-8 THC has medical benefits.

Conclusions

This study provides a snapshot of patterns of Delta-8 THC use among US adult cannabis users. Further investigation of the perceived medical benefits of Delta-8 THC, the role of social media in promoting its use, and the effectiveness of restrictions on Delta-8 THC products would provide further information to guide public health policy regarding Delta-8 THC.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Keywords

Delta-8 THCMarijuanaHempCannabis
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 65 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 30th European Congress of Psychiatry , June 2022 , pp. S81
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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