Consumers who buy cannabis products containing HHCs could be getting less than they hoped for

ACS Chemical Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00254″> Cannabinoids 1–3 and emerging cannabinoids HHCs 4a and 4b. Credit: ACS Chemical Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00254

As more of the nation has adopted legal marijuana, a glut of products containing the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, THC, as well as other cannabinoids that can be derived from THC or the plant itself, has emerged in dispensaries.

Cannabinoids is the umbrella term for a group of substances that bind with receptors in the body and brain. Some cannabinoids, of course, are found in the cannabis plant, the best known of which is THC. But many of the new products being sold in dispensaries today are made with other classes of cannabinoids whose neurological or physiological effects are not well understood.

That has created a kind of “wild west” in the marijuana marketplace, making it difficult for governments to regulate the new products and develop fair laws regarding their use.

UCLA chemist Neil Garg is one of a group of scientists who are rapidly learning more about emerging cannabinoids. Their goals include ensuring the safety of products being sold to consumers and helping government agencies develop evidence-based laws for the fast-growing industry.

A new paper by Garg and colleagues takes a close look at one class of those emerging

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