A hemp derivative that was once ignored has become a bestseller among people seeking a loophole surrounding marijuana laws. After consulting with lawyers, he began packing gummies and pens for large scale vaping and other products with Delta 8, which he said he had purchased from a major hemp supplier. Delta 8 is “the fastest-growing segment of hemp-derived products,” says Ian Laird, chief financial officer of New Leaf Data Services, which tracks the hemp and cannabis markets. Pittman said that the fundamental question of the legality of a product may depend on other factors, including how Delta 8 is produced and obtained.
Steel noted that when a Delta 8 product is manufactured, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to filter all of the Delta 9 from hemp. The rise of Delta 8 is a case study of how industrial cannabis entrepreneurs are separating hemp and marijuana to create countless new product lines with different marketing angles.
