Delta-8 & Delta-10 THC

gas station drug

Understanding the Dangers of Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC

Empowering Missouri Communities Through Education & Awareness

Products containing Delta-8 THC and Delta-10 THC have become increasingly available at gas stations, convenience stores, smoke shops, and online retailers across Missouri and the United States. Often sold as gummies, candies, vape cartridges, beverages, tinctures, and other hemp-derived products, they may be marketed in ways that make them appear relatively harmless.

However, the fact that a product is labeled “hemp-derived” or is available outside a licensed marijuana dispensary does not mean it is non-intoxicating or risk-free. The Missouri Narcotics Officers Association encourages parents, educators, law enforcement professionals, community leaders, and Missouri residents to understand what Delta-8 THC and Delta-10 THC are, why these products can be dangerous, and how Missouri’s regulatory landscape is changing.

What Is Delta-8 THC?

Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-8 THC) is a psychoactive cannabinoid related to Delta-9 THC, the primary intoxicating cannabinoid associated with marijuana. Although Delta-8 occurs naturally in the cannabis plant, it is present in relatively small quantities. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, concentrated amounts of Delta-8 THC sold commercially are typically manufactured from hemp-derived cannabidiol, or CBD.

Delta-8 THC can produce psychoactive and intoxicating effects. A product derived from hemp should therefore not be interpreted to mean that it cannot cause impairment or intoxication.

What Is Delta-10 THC?

Delta-10 THC is another psychoactive cannabinoid marketed in hemp-derived products. Like Delta-8, Delta-10 products may be sold as gummies, vape products, edibles, oils, and other consumer products.

Missouri DHSS includes Delta-10 THC among the hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids that have raised public-health concerns. The agency has warned that chemically derived intoxicating cannabinoids have entered the marketplace with limited human safety data.

Consumers should not assume Delta-10 is safe simply because it is marketed as hemp-derived or is available from an ordinary retail store.

Why Are Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC Products a Concern?

One of the most significant concerns surrounding intoxicating hemp products is that consumers may not fully understand what they are purchasing. Products sold outside Missouri’s licensed marijuana system have historically existed under a different regulatory structure. Missouri DHSS notes that psychoactive cannabis products sold outside licensed dispensaries have not been produced in a licensed marijuana facility or tested for content and contaminants by a licensed marijuana testing facility.

This distinction matters.

Consumers may see colorful packaging, familiar flavors, words such as “hemp,” or products displayed alongside ordinary retail merchandise and incorrectly assume the products are comparable to conventional food, CBD, or other non-intoxicating hemp products. They are not necessarily the same.

Potential Health Risks of Delta-8 THC

The FDA states that Delta-8 THC products have not been evaluated or approved by the agency for safe use and has raised concerns about their psychoactive effects, manufacturing methods, potential contaminants, and accessibility to children.

Reported adverse events associated with Delta-8 THC have included symptoms such as:

Hallucinations
Vomiting
Tremors
Anxiety
Dizziness
Confusion
Difficulty standing
Loss of consciousness

The FDA has received reports involving emergency-department visits and hospitalizations following consumption of Delta-8 THC products. Because products can differ considerably in formulation, cannabinoid concentration, ingredients, and manufacturing methods, the experience from one product may differ greatly from the effects of another.

Why Delta-8 & Delta-10 Can Be Especially Dangerous for Children and Teens

Youth exposure is one of the most significant public-health concerns surrounding intoxicating cannabinoid products. Some products are sold as gummies, chocolates, candies, cookies, beverages, and other flavored products that can resemble ordinary foods.

The FDA and Federal Trade Commission have taken action against companies marketing Delta-8 THC products whose packaging resembled popular snack foods. Federal officials have warned that such packaging can make intoxicating products especially dangerous when children mistake them for ordinary candy or food. Parents and caregivers should treat intoxicating cannabinoid products like other substances that could cause accidental poisoning and keep them secure and inaccessible to children.

What Should Parents Look For?

Parents and caregivers should become familiar with products that are labeled as Delta-8, D8, Delta-10, D10, THC-P, hemp-derived THC, THC gummies, THC edibles, hemp THC, or other cannabinoid terminology. These products can be used as vape cartridges, disposable vaping devices, candy, gummies, chocolates, beverages, oils, tinctures, or other forms.

Rather than relying only on appearance, parents should read product labels carefully and talk openly with children and teenagers about the difference between ordinary hemp or CBD products and substances capable of producing intoxication.

MNOA’s Commitment to Community Education

The Missouri Narcotics Officers Association remains committed to educating citizens about emerging drug threats and helping communities stay informed.

As substances like Delta-8 and Delta-10 continue to appear in gas stations, smoke shops, and online retailers, accurate information becomes increasingly important. Understanding the risks associated with these products allows families to make informed decisions and recognize warning signs before problems escalate.

Education, prevention, and community involvement can save lives.

MNOA encourages Missouri residents, parents, educators, and community leaders to continue learning about today’s drug threats and prevention strategies.

Explore additional MNOA Community Resources and Narcotics articles to learn more about:

Together, we can help keep Missouri families safe, strengthen our communities, and reduce the impact of dangerous substances like kratom. Missouri Narcotics Officers Association – Protecting Communities Through Education, Training, and Awareness.

MISSOURI NARCOTIC OFFICERS ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 27, Ozark, MO 65721

Phone: (573) 576-4571