Nearly Half of Cannabis Users in This Survey Had Tried Semi-Synthetic Cannabinoids | Research

The takeaway

Among 229 cannabis consumers, 44.5% reported using at least one hemp-derived semi-synthetic cannabinoid in the past year, with adverse effects reported across all product types.

Cannabis consumers considering hemp-derived alternatives, policymakers working on cannabinoid regulation, harm reduction advocates

44.5% of cannabis users reported past-year semi-synthetic cannabinoid use

What the researchers found

Delta-8 THC (21.8%), THCP (24.4%), and Delta-10 THC (14.0%) were the most commonly used semi-synthetic cannabinoids. Younger users and those with more lifetime cannabis experience were more likely to use them. Adverse effects were reported across all semi-synthetic types.

Why it matters

Hemp-derived semi-synthetic cannabinoids exist in a regulatory gray area, sold legally without the safety testing or labeling requirements applied to regulated cannabis products. This study provides some of the first data on how widely these products are actually being used.

The numbers in context

N=229 cannabis users. Past-year semi-synthetic use: 44.5%. By type: THCP 24.4%, Delta-8 THC 21.8%, Delta-10 THC 14.0%, Delta-7 THC 10.0%, THC-O-acetate 5.2%, HHC 3.5%. Older age reduced odds of use (aOR=0.96, p=0.004). Non-inhaled cannabis users had higher odds (aOR=2.98, p=0.021).

How the study worked

Online survey of 229 U.S. adults who reported past-year cannabis use, examining patterns and associations of semi-synthetic cannabinoid use with demographics and adverse effects.

What this study cannot tell us

Convenience sample recruited online, likely overrepresenting experienced cannabis users. Self-reported data with no biochemical verification. Cross-sectional design cannot establish causation for adverse effects.

How to read the evidence

Preliminary evidence from a small convenience sample with self-reported outcomes and no control group.

When this study was published

2025 study reflecting current patterns of semi-synthetic cannabinoid use in the U.S.

The bigger picture

The proliferation of semi-synthetic cannabinoids represents one of the fastest-growing segments of the hemp market, yet these products remain almost entirely unregulated at federal and state levels. Understanding who uses them and what side effects they report is the first step toward evidence-based policy.

Questions still open

What specific adverse effects are most common with each semi-synthetic cannabinoid? How do the pharmacological profiles of these compounds compare to Delta-9 THC? Would regulation of these products reduce adverse events?

Common questions

What are semi-synthetic cannabinoids?

They are chemically modified compounds derived from hemp CBD, including Delta-8 THC, Delta-10 THC, THCP, THC-O-acetate, and HHC. They are marketed as legal alternatives to traditional cannabis because they are derived from hemp containing less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC.

Which semi-synthetic cannabinoid was most commonly used?

THCP (tetrahydrocannabiphorol) was the most commonly reported at 24.4%, followed closely by Delta-8 THC at 21.8%.

Read the original research

Emerging Hemp-Derived Semi-Synthetic Cannabinoids, Absent Regulations: Patterns of Use and Adverse Effects Among a Sample of U.S. Cannabis Consumers.

Cannabis and cannabinoid research

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Pabon, Elisa; Lake, Stephanie; Murray, Conor H; Cooper, Ziva D. (2025). Emerging Hemp-Derived Semi-Synthetic Cannabinoids, Absent Regulations: Patterns of Use and Adverse Effects Among a Sample of U.S. Cannabis Consumers.. Cannabis and cannabinoid research. https://doi.org/10.1177/25785125251391987