September 27, 2021 at 1:19 p.m.
Police captain advises council of issue involving Delta 8 THC
Police captain advises council of issue involving Delta 8 THC
Rhinelander police captain Josh Chiamulera addressed the council during the public comment portion of the panel's Sept. 13 meeting to advise that a compound known as Delta 8 THC (tetrahydrocannibinol) is circulating locally.
As Chiamulera explained it, Delta 8 is a "cousin compound" of Delta 9 THC, the psychoactive compound that is illegal to use or possess. However, Delta 8 is not regulated at this time. Chiamulera explained that cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp are legal to sell as they are non-psychoactive, meaning they don't produce the same type of "high" as Delta 9 THC.
"When CBD came legal, there was a large push to bring this product into town," he said. "Several businesses began selling CBD, along with it came hemp. Hemp is anything with THC level of .3 or lower. Anything above .3 is considered marijuana."
However, because there is no regulation of the manufacturing or labeling of Delta 8 THC products, consumers can't be sure of what they're actually buying, Chiamulera said.
"We're all just assuming that what's marked on the packaging is what's being sold in our stores," he said, noting that the department has taken products off store shelves, tested them and found them to have THC levels above .3.
"We've had issues with hemp selling in town where the packaging is not matching what's actually inside," he reported.
"Hypothetically speaking, a 5-year-old could walk into a store tomorrow and buy this product off the shelves."
Chiamulera noted the city has an ordinance related to synthetic marijuana but there's nothing on the books regarding Delta 8.
"We've already seen OWI incidents from Delta 8 THC," he added.
Chiamulera asked the council to include the Delta 8 issue on an upcoming agenda so the group can learn more about the substance and decide how it should be regulated.
At the end of the meeting, when the council discusses future agenda items, alderperson Carrie Mikalauski asked that the Delta 8 regulation issue be included on an upcoming agenda. The council's Sept. 27 agenda, posted Wednesday, includes the following:
• Discuss/Approve Ordinance 2021-11 - Creating 4.03.059.2- Possession, use and/or sale of marijuana, hashish (any form thereof), and subsequent noncriminal offenses prohibited.
The proposed ordinance would make it "unlawful for any person to possess, use or sell marijuana and/or hashish (any form thereof), and derivatives of tetrahydrocannabinol from the cannabis plant such as, but not limited to Delta -8 and Delta-10 THC, unless obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of, a practitioner while acting in the course of his or her professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by Wis. Stats. Ch. 961," according to the agenda.
The council meeting took place after this edition went to press.
Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].
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