“Conclusions
The exceptionally rapid expansion of the recreational cannabinoids market has emerged as a central concern for modern society, posing significant health risks.
Despite ongoing rigorous scientific research, conclusive findings on the pharmacological activities, psychoactive effects, and psychological consequences of the use and abuse of these compounds remain elusive. Each time a new cannabinoid is discovered or synthesized, the recreational market is quickly inundated with analogous and more potent derivatives. The scientific community and regulatory institutions struggle to keep pace with this race. Consequently, this review, aiming to encompass as many currently available species in the recreational market as possible, may likely become outdated within a few months.
Moreover, the lack of sensitive analytical methods capable of detecting a wide range of molecules, as is currently achieved with cannabinoids for recreational use, prevents users from knowing with certainty the composition of commercial products. Even ingredient claims may turn out to be fake. Consequently, understanding the risks consumers face remains challenging.
The cannabinoids market, in particular, distinguishes itself from other illegal drug markets, as the recreational use of such substances is concealed and somehow justified by the purported beneficial properties of cannabis and hemp. Since many of these compounds originate from CBD, extracted from industrial hemp, they are promoted as legal under the well-known Farm Bill Act issued in 2018 in the USA, arguably the largest market for these products.
Furthermore, numerous websites aiming to advertise new products and attract both expert and naïve consumers often provide misleading information about chemical properties, legal status, and potential benefits. Many cannabinoids, such as THCP-O, are promoted as naturally derived from cannabis due to their structural similarity with the well-known THC and the recently discovered THCP. In reality, very few people are aware that a chemical modification, such as acetylation, can profoundly alter the pharmacological properties of a well-known compound and potentially pose unpredictable health risks due to incorrect dosage or an unknown pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profile
In light of the aforementioned concerns, it is crucial to raise public awareness of the potential risks associated with the use of these compounds. Allocating additional resources to scientific research is imperative to cultivate an expanding knowledge base that can be disseminated widely, reaching diverse audiences, including drug consumers, institutions, and policy makers. To achieve this, a close collaboration between the scientific community and political institutions is essential to ensure successful outcomes for the overall well-being of society and the mitigation of public health risks.
“The major concern about the illicit manufacturing of Δ8-THC products is the presence of a number of contaminants, some of which are also toxic. Besides the presence of Δ9-THC in concentrations exceeding the legal limit, other contaminants can include Δ7-THC, Δ10-THC, Δ11-THC, 11-OH-CBD, 11-OH-THC, 5’-OH-CBD, 11,5’-diOH-CBD, 11,5’-diOH-THC, Δ8-iso-THC, Δ4(8)-iso-THC, and various substituted hexahydrocannabinols (HHCs), such as 9α-OH-HHC and 8-OH-iso-HHC (Kiselak et al. 2020), heavy metals in quantities non-compliant with the USP (copper, chromium and nickel), solvents (dichloromethane, methanol, ethyl acetate, and isopropanol) and several unknown cannabinoids (USCC 2021).”
Read more at: https://jcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42238-024-00226-y