A group of San Diego County cannabis companies is suing rival dispensaries and manufacturers for allegedly selling chemically synthesized marijuana products that do not comply with state laws. The plaintiffs accuse the defendants of deliberately circumventing California cannabis rules by engineering hemp-based products that contain more delta-9 THC — or tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component in pot that is responsible for the high — than is permitted.
But since 2018, manufacturers have relied on certain language in the legislation to synthesize delta-8 THC, which is contained in the Cannabis sativa L. plant but isn't mentioned. That interpretation has been used to manufacture high-concentration gummies, vaping cartridges and other products synthesized from delta-8 THC — legally, according to the drugmakers. Federal officials have largely left regulating the chemically designed products to states.