California Study Finds Most 'Hemp' Products Contain Synthetic Cannabinoids and Illicit THC

A new California study has revealed that the majority of so-called 'hemp' products sold in the state are packed with synthetic intoxicants and illicit THC, despite regulations intended to keep them off the market. Released by the San Diego/Imperial Counties Joint Labor Management Cannabis Committee, the report titled 'The Great Hemp Hoax' scrutinized 104 products purchased online from 68 brands, including high-profile names such as Cookies and Cheech and Chong. The research was spearheaded by Tiffany Devitt of Groundwork Holdings, who highlighted the prevalence of psychoactive substances masquerading as legal hemp

Testing conducted by Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs found that 95% of products, including 97% of vapes and 90% of gummies, contained synthetic cannabinoids. Delta-8 THC appeared in 86% of products, Delta-9 in 84%, and the highly potent THCP in nearly half. Many products exceeded California's strict THC caps, with 84% of gummies surpassing the per-serving limit and some vapes containing up to 14,000 milligrams of THC equivalency per cartridge. "With greater potency comes a risk of unintentional over-intoxication, and these risks are amplified by exposure to adulterants and the mislabeling of products, so consumers don’t have a clear idea what they are using," Devitt warned

The study also found that most of these products are evading taxes and regulatory oversight, raising concerns for both public health and state revenue. Many of the cannabinoids present, such as THCP and THCO, are synthesized through chemical conversion processes rather than being naturally extracted from hemp, placing them outside legal definitions. Some products even contained psychoactive compounds unrelated to cannabis, including psilocybin derivatives and kratom, further complicating the safety landscape for consumers

California has attempted to clamp down on these products through Assembly Bill 45 and emergency regulations enacted in September 2024, which ban detectable THC— including Delta-8 and Delta-9— in hemp products. Although these measures faced legal challenges, they remain in effect. However, the study revealed that 88% of products still failed to meet California's legal hemp standard, and 54% did not comply with the federal definition

Industry experts point to the 2018 US Farm Bill as the catalyst for this proliferation of synthetic cannabinoids, as it inadvertently legalized hemp-derived cannabinoids other than Delta-9 THC. According to molecular chemist Mark Scialdone, the resulting glut of cheap CBD incentivized manufacturers to convert it into more intoxicating compounds. "The market crashed. There was an incentive to take a material nobody wants to buy and create a product from it that there’s a demand for. People want to get high," Scialdone explained

From the OG Lab newsroom perspective, these findings underscore a significant regulatory challenge for the cannabis industry nationwide. The widespread availability of synthetic and unregulated intoxicants not only puts consumers at risk but also undermines the integrity of legal cannabis markets. As states like California continue to refine enforcement, this issue is likely to prompt further scrutiny of both hemp and cannabis regulations across the U.S