Delta-8 THC Searches Were Nearly Twice as High in States Without Legal Adult-Use Cannabis
Internet interest in delta-8 THC was substantially higher in states without legal adult-use cannabis, according to a 2024 analysis by CBD Nationwide. The company’s analysis of Google Trends data found that searches for delta-8 THC were about 1.9 times higher in states where recreational cannabis remained illegal than in states with legal adult-use markets.
The findings suggest that delta-8 THC may be serving, at least in part, as an alternative to conventional cannabis in places where access to delta-9 THC—the primary intoxicating compound in marijuana—is restricted. They do not, however, establish that cannabis bans caused people to search for delta-8 THC, or that every search reflected an intention to purchase or use the product.
What the analysis found
CBD Nationwide grouped all 50 states into three categories: states where cannabis was illegal, states with medical-cannabis programs but no legal adult-use market, and states where adult-use cannabis was legal. It then compared state-level Google Trends interest in “delta 8” and “delta 9 THC” from January 2020 through December 2023.
Using analysis of variance and Tukey’s honestly significant difference test, the company reported a statistically significant difference in delta-8 search interest across the three policy groups. The reported delta-8 result was F(2,147) = 34.2, with a p-value of approximately 6.55 × 10−7. Searches for delta-9 THC were also higher in states without legal adult-use cannabis, although the difference was smaller—about 1.27 times higher than in states with legal recreational markets.
Google Trends measures relative search interest on a normalized scale rather than the total number of searches. A higher score therefore indicates greater interest relative to other searches in the same comparison, not necessarily a larger number of consumers or higher product sales. Search data also cannot show whether people were looking for products, researching health effects, checking legal rules, or simply following news coverage.
A broader pattern in earlier research
The company’s results are consistent with earlier peer-reviewed research. A 2022 study in the American Journal of Public Health found that delta-8-related search interest was higher in states without legalized recreational cannabis. Another study, published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, reported that U.S. searches for delta-8 THC rose sharply in 2020 and 2021 and were concentrated in states with stricter delta-9 THC policies.
More recent survey research points in the same direction, while measuring use rather than searches. A 2024 JAMA study of 12th-grade students found that past-year delta-8 THC use was lower in states with legal adult-use marijuana and in states with delta-8 regulations. Because that study was cross-sectional, it also cannot by itself demonstrate that state policy caused the differences.
Why delta-8 became widely available
Delta-8 THC occurs naturally in cannabis in small amounts, so commercial products are commonly made by converting hemp-derived CBD into concentrated delta-8 THC. The 2018 Farm Bill defined hemp largely by its delta-9 THC concentration, creating uncertainty about how some hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids should be treated under federal law. State laws vary considerably, with some jurisdictions banning or restricting delta-8 products and others allowing them under limited rules.
That regulatory gap helped make delta-8 products available outside licensed cannabis dispensaries, including through online retailers and some convenience stores, gas stations and smoke shops. Availability does not necessarily mean that products are legal in a particular state, and federal and state rules may treat the same product differently.
Health and consumer-safety concerns
Delta-8 THC is psychoactive and can produce intoxication similar to delta-9 THC. The Food and Drug Administration warns that delta-8 products have not been evaluated or approved for safe use and that manufacturing processes may leave harmful byproducts or contaminants. The agency has also received reports of adverse events, including cases involving emergency treatment or hospitalization.
Product labels and contents may not always match. Concentrated delta-8 products can be mistaken for non-intoxicating hemp or CBD products, while candy-like packaging and sales outside regulated cannabis systems may increase the risk of accidental exposure, particularly among children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention likewise says that the health effects of delta-8 THC are not well understood.
Overall, the search data points to a relationship between cannabis policy and public interest in delta-8 THC—not proof that prohibition directly drives demand. Better surveillance, independent product testing and research measuring actual use would help clarify whether consumers are turning to delta-8 as a substitute for cannabis, seeking specific effects, or responding to the product’s availability and marketing.
