Delta-8 THC has grown in popularity recently because of its ability to wiggle through legal loopholes. It is easier (much easier) to sell Delta-8 than Delta-9 THC. Delta-9 THC is the variation that is federally illegal and gives consumers the “high” that is often associated with cannabis. However, Delta-8 can also get users “high,” although it is much less intense. That is why states are starting to crack down on its distribution.

The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program, which oversees Ohio’s medical marijuana decrees, recently put new rules in place that will affect the sales and distribution of Delta-8 THC. The governing body says the new rules are a “guidance to licensees regarding the production, distribution, and sale of medical marijuana products containing Delta-8 THC.”

The rules take effect immediately. They introduce a requirement licensee notification stating, “the use of Delta-8 THC must include a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that describes the process and methods with which Delta-8 THC will be used in compliance” with the state law. “Delta-8 THC” must also be identified on the packaging clear enough for consumers to see. Abbreviations such as “D8” are not allowed; distributors and manufacturers must make sure the entire thing is spelled out on the marijuana packaging.

The new rules also try to regulate cannabis products with both Delta-8 and 9. The “total THC content— combination of Delta-9 THC and any other THC isomer or analog — of the manufactured product shall not exceed 70 percent,” explains the new rules.

The rules continue on to state that licensees “must maintain all supply chain records relevant to ingredients used in medical marijuana production, including records of purchases and/or production of Delta-8 THC, CBD, or any other ingredient used in the production of medical marijuana.” It doesn’t stop there. All “cultivators, processors, and testing laboratories are required to test for Delta-8 THC and any other Department directed THC isomers and analogs and report the results to the Department’s inventory tracking system.”