If prohibitionist policies are reversed, states such as Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina, which have a large population, could offer substantial opportunities to those cultivating, manufacturing, or selling cannabis.
Many reformers don’t acknowledge Texas or Georgia’s low THC medical cannabis only programs due to their restrictions.
Florida and Pennsylvania are also catalysts for expansion, should these states expand the cannabis market from medical to adult-use.
In these five states there are nearly 90,000,000 people. Less permissive cannabis laws don’t always mean consumers avoid cannabinoids that cause intoxication, particularly when THC-infused hemp products offer an alternative.
The University of California San Diego researchers found that adults living in states with a ban on all cannabis products are twice as like to have consumed delta-8-THC compared to their counterparts in the states which allow adult use of marijuana. Delta-8 THC, an intoxicating substance that is often created in laboratories from hemp CBD without intoxicating effects.
The UC San Diego research team, which based its study on a nationwide representative survey of 1,523 U.S. adults found that delta-8 THC has been used most frequently in Texas. Adult-use cannabis is illegal there, but hemp-derived THC-based products such as Delta-8 gummies don’t have to meet the same strict standards.
The findings of the university were published on Sept. 3, 2009 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers concluded in their study that “prohibition may inadvertently steer people to less-regulated drugs” and overregulation of cannabis has encouraged product manufacturers “to evade restrictions”, through what some view as a “loophole” in the Farm Bill 2018
Researchers at UC San Diego also discovered that American consumers are more likely to consume delta-8 THC when there is no regulation on the sale of this compound (10.5%), compared with states which have taken measures to regulate or prohibit (4.5%).
Moreover, the study found that American cannabis users use delta-8-THC less frequently in states with legalized adult and medical cannabis (5,5%) than those that only permit medical use (8,5%), such as Florida.
These findings show that cannabis use does not stop when a state outlaws it. The shift is often to more accessible alternatives even if the latter are not as well-studied and regulated. Leas, Ph.D., M.P.H. is an associate faculty member at Qualcomm Institute.
He said, in a news release that announced the study: “It is a classic example of unintended policy consequences.”
Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who was a champion of federal hemp legalization as a grain, fibre and seed commodity as part of the 2018 Farm Bill as he spoke in July 2025 about unintended effects of this legislation. Unsuccessfully attempted The federal spending act contains a clause that prohibits hemp THC.
According to the Farm Bill of 2018, hemp cannot contain more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC based on dry weight. Delta-9 is the most intoxicating natural compound found in cannabis. Delta-8 THC is not mentioned in federal law, but it’s often produced by chemically converting CBD from hemp plants.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Issue warnings In 2021, the FDA warned that delta-8 THC posed “serious” health risks. FDA continues to send Warn letters Directly to business today. Delta-8 THC has been largely unregulated, and continues to be widely available in the United States, particularly states without their own regulations or prohibitions.
Leas An editorial In which he demanded that the loophole be closed.
Leas, in the UC San Diego report released this week drew attention to a study from 2022 and showed similar results for delta-8 THC flourishing in states that have less permissive marijuana laws.
The numbers from this study confirm patterns we’ve seen in the data of delta-8 THC searches on internet Published: Then, you can get in touch with us. International Journal of Drug PolicyLeas explained that when people cannot access marijuana in a safer and more regulated way, they will turn to other products, even those with higher risks. In order to put public health first, we could prioritize cannabis policy by providing legal access to products that meet safety standards while excluding understudied or poorly regulated items like delta-8THC.
Researchers at UC San Diego have pointed out in a recent report that when hemp-THC intoxicants are offered in convenience and gas stations and packaged to appeal to children, this can cause accidental ingestions and lead the public to believe that they are safe.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that although cannabis prohibitionists claim sometimes legalization increases youth consumption and calls to poison-control centers, they cited an article from 2023. Reportage There is a rise in poisonings, specifically linked to delta-8-THC.
Authors of the UC San Diego report suggested that Congress clarify its intent by redefining hemp as part of reauthorization legislation for the Farm Bill or separate legislation addressing Cannabinoids found in finished products could reduce potential harms related to delta-8 THC-containing products.
Leas warned that banning products outright may not solve the problem.
We often believe that banning products solves a problem. He said that when regulation is not keeping up with the pace of market, new issues can arise. If we are to minimize harms, then we must have policies which reflect the actual behavior of people, and not what we think they’ll do.
Should prohibitionist laws be reversed, well-populated states like Texas and Georgia offer significant business opportunities for cannabis producers, manufacturers, and retailers.
Many reformers don’t acknowledge Texas or Georgia’s low THC medical cannabis only programs due to their restrictions.
Florida and Pennsylvania are also catalysts for expansion, if these states expand the cannabis market from medical to adult-use.
In these five states there are nearly 90,000,000 people. Less permissive cannabis laws don’t always mean consumers avoid cannabinoids that cause intoxication, particularly when THC-infused hemp products offer an alternative.
According to researchers from the University of California San Diego, adults who reside in states which prohibit cannabis in any form are nearly twice as likely to use delta-8 THC (10.9%), compared with those living in 24 states in which adult-use marijuana is legal. Delta-8 THC, an intoxicating substance that is often created in laboratories from hemp CBD without intoxicating effects.
The UC San Diego research team, which based its study on a nationwide representative survey of 1,523 U.S. adults found that delta-8 THC has been used most frequently in Texas. Adult-use cannabis is illegal there, but hemp-derived THC-containing products such as Delta-8 gummies don’t have to meet the same strict standards.
The findings of the university were published on Sept. 3, 2009 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Authors of the study concluded that the prohibition may be “inadvertently guiding people towards less-regulated drugs” and that the overregulation within the cannabis industry has motivated manufacturers to “evade the restrictions” by exploiting what is seen as a loophole contained in the Farm Bill 2018.
Researchers at UC San Diego also discovered that American consumers are more likely to consume delta-8 THC when there is no regulation on the sale of this compound (10.5%), compared with states which have taken measures to regulate or prohibit (4.5%).
There was also a lower use of delta-8-THC in the states that allow both medical and adult cannabis use (5,5%) compared with states like Florida that only permit medical cannabis use (8,5%).
These findings show that cannabis use does not stop when a state outlaws it. “They often switch to easier-to-access alternatives, even if those are less well studied or poorly regulated”, said Eric Leas Ph.D. M.P.H. assistant professor of Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, UC San Diego and the senior author of this study. Leas, Ph.D., M.P.H. is an associate faculty member at Qualcomm Institute.
He said, in a news release that announced the study: “It is a classic example of unintended policy consequences.”
Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who championed federal legalization hemp for use as an agricultural crop, fibre and seed as part of the 2018 Farm Bill in support of it, discussed the unintended implications of that law when he addressed them back in 2025. Unsuccessfully Attempted The federal spending act contains a clause that prohibits hemp THC.
According to the Farm Bill of 2018, hemp cannot contain more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC based on dry weight. Delta-9 is the most intoxicating natural compound found in cannabis. Delta-8 THC is not mentioned in federal law, but it’s often produced by chemically converting CBD from hemp plants.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Issue warnings In 2021, the FDA warned that delta-8 THC posed “serious” health risks. FDA continues to send Warn letters Directly to business today. Delta-8 THC has been largely unregulated, and continues to be widely available in the United States, particularly states without their own regulations or prohibitions.
Leas An editorial In which he demanded that the loophole be closed.
Leas insisted on a similar study that was released by UC San Diego this week. The study revealed the same results, with delta-8-THC flourishing even more so in states where cannabis laws are less liberal.
The numbers from this study confirm patterns we’ve seen in the data of delta-8 THC searches on internet Published by: Then, you can get in touch with us. International Journal of Drug PolicyLeas explained that when people cannot access marijuana in a safer and more regulated way, they will turn to other products, even those with higher risks. In order to put public health first, we could prioritize cannabis policy by providing legal access to products that meet safety standards while excluding understudied or poorly regulated items like delta-8THC.
Researchers from UC San Diego pointed out that intoxicating products containing hemp and THC are often sold at gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops, sometimes in packaging that is appealing to children. This can result in accidental consumption and the public assuming that these products are safe.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that legalization did not lead to an increase in cannabis consumption by youth or more calls to poison-control centers. Reportage There is a rise in poisonings, specifically linked to delta-8-THC.
Researchers at UC San Diego suggested congressional clarification through a redefining of hemp within the reauthorization of farm bills or a separate bill addressing cannabinoids contained in finished goods, could reduce potential harms related to delta-8-THC products.
Leas cautioned that blanket bans might not be an answer.
We often believe that banning products solves the issue. “When the market is moving faster than regulations, this can lead to new problems,” said he. If we are to minimize harms, then we must have policies which reflect the actual behavior of people, and not what we think they’ll do.
Cannabis Law Resources in Poland
Browse essential legal pages on cannabis sales and cultivation in Poland. You will be guided through the process of obtaining permissions, certifications and complying with all requirements.
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Polish News Registration and Interests of Cannabis Businesses
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Permissions for Cannabis Sales in Poland
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Authorization for Importing or Manufacturing Medical Products
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Permission for Manufacturing or Importing Medical Products
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Certificate of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
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Registration of Medical Products in Poland