THC-O, or THC-O-acetate, is a synthetic derivative of the cannabis plant and has been gaining some more prevalence over the last year. THC-O is similar to THC but since it is not naturally found in cannabis is THC-O safe to use? Let’s explore the safety of THC-O, its potential benefits and side effects, and legality.

What is THC-O?

THC-O is a synthetic cannabinoid that does not naturally occur in cannabis or hemp cannabis. It is the acetate ester version of THC and shares a very similar chemical structure to THC. It is synthesized either from THC or THCA, this includes the Delta variations such as 8, 10, 11 and more of THC. The effects of THC-O a very similar to THC, but binds more efficiently causing it to have about 2 to 3 times the power in psychoactive effects. The interesting part is the psychoactive effects have been described by users to be different. Some have reported borderline hallucinations and it is recommended to go nice and easy with low amounts when trying it out for the first time.

What are the benefits of THC-O?

THC-O appears to have similar benefits to that of THC. It is believed to help with pain relief, increasing appetite, and reducing anxiety. Medical studies showing true benefits are lacking and most accounts are anecdotal from users. Whether these benefits are fact or not, many users describe using THC-O as enjoyable and providing a great relief to stress.

What are the side effects of THC-O?

Although THC-O appears to be a great alternative to THC, there is the possibility of long-term negative side effects reported. Common side effects of dry mouth, dizziness, drowsiness, and changes in appetite can occur.

Dangerous side effects seem to be mainly tied to vaping THC-O. When THC-O undergoes combustion, the acetate causes the formation of a toxicant called ketene. The amount of ketene produced from vaping THC-O is not certain and is thought to not be of an immediate danger to the user, but it’s still possible. What is more likely, as warned by various doctors, and studies, is prolonged usage can lead to conditions such as chronic bronchitis or other respiratory effects. To further break down ketene, it reacts with water and forms acetic acid, which when concentrated can be corrosive and burn lung tissue. Keep in mind that this production of ketene is not due to the cannabis or vaping, but due to the combusting and heating of the acetate element of THC-O.

In a lighter note, THC-O so far has not been found to have these possible dangerous side effects when consumed as an edible or tincture. Since there is no combustion in the process of eating a THC-O product, the ketene is never formed. Further proof can be derived from the fact that many foods are preserved with sodium acetate, but that’s another debate to be had on long term effects of consumption of acetate based products. As of right now, it is known to be safe to orally consume THC-O until further evidence proves otherwise.

Is THC-O legal?

A big appeal to THC-O is the fact that its synthesis process was viewed to be a federally legal much like THC Delta 8, 10, 11 and other naturally found cannabinoids in cannabis hemp under the Farm Bill of 2018. Recently though the DEA has made a statement saying that THC-O is still a controlled substance under federal law because it does not naturally occur in cannabis hemp. Due to it being purely synthetic, they classify it under synthetic cannabis and not “hemp” therefore voiding it from the Farm Bill of 2018. Even with the DEA’s statement, many still argue since it is still being derived from hemp cannabis cannabinoids that it is technically still legal. This has caused a lot of confusion and arguments going on about THC-O’s legality. Many States have already outlawed these variable cannabinoids including THC-O, or soon to be illegal.  So far at least 14 States have outlawed THC-O, alongside a growing list of more States.

Some of the States where THC-O is Illegal: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Utah.

Conclusion

Given the current state of the legality of THC-O and the questionable side effects that could occur due to its synthetic nature, we recommend staying away from THC-O. Maybe in the future with further studies and regulated quality products could THC-O be a useful cannabinoid. And as always if you do decide to use a THC-O based product, research laws in your State to make sure you are purchasing it legally, and be sure to consult your doctor!