Hemp’s (Maybe) Legal High Offers Growing Allure
- Substance derived from hemp’s CBD raises regulatory questions
- Psychoactive effects present competition to high-THC marijuana
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Hemp, the staid sister of marijuana, is becoming much more interesting.
With its low THC content and lack of psychoactive effects, hemp has long been used for mostly practical purposes, like rope or fabric, or to produce CBD, a popular salve to relieve various ailments. But the marijuana industry is starting to take interest in a hemp-derived substance called delta-8 THC, which can be used to get high yet doesn’t have the same legal obstacles as stronger strains of cannabis.