Note that these analyses were only performed with 49/53 products, due to very low quantities of minor cannabinoids in 3 samples, which made identification of the source challenging, and the remaining sample contained no THC. As with ∆8 THC products, it is also possible that some of the ∆9 THC in hemp products is created through cyclization, and consequently may be impacted by existing state legislation. These and similar regulations protect consumers in states with legal cannabis, but are not a requirement for hemp under the Farm Bill. While ∆8 THC is present in negligible amounts in the Cannabis plant, virtually all products sold to consumers use ∆8 THC produced from CBD (Tagen and Klumpers 2022) by cyclization (the closure of a ring after an acid-catalyzed activation of a double bond) (Marzullo et al. 2020). If a refund is granted, credit card processing fees will NOT be refunded as we are charged regardless. Additionally, two out of three products differ from the stated dose by over 10%, which makes it difficult—if not impossible—for customers to know how much THC they will actually consume. In many cases, even the advertised dosages exceed those considered acceptable in adult-use states. The lab analysis revealed that the industry offers what it claims in some ways, but potentially misleads or does not inform customers in others. Additionally, 98.1% of companies (52/53) did not require an adult signature on delivery. The companies which did all used AgeChecker, which verifies age by cell phone verification and requiring customers to upload a “selfie” with their ID, as well as provide a clear picture of it. While 96.2% of products were under the legal ∆9 THC limit, 66.0% differed from their stated dosage by more than 10%, and although 84.9% provided a lab report to customers, 71.1% of these did not check for impurities. Hemp-derived delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9 THC) products are freely available for sale across much of the USA, but the federal legislation allowing their sale places only minimal requirements on companies. This report described eight new hemoglobin delta variants that have not been published previously, that highlight the importance of identifying delta variants during hemoglobin analysis, and that correctly characterize subjects carrying β-thalassemia. Secondly, states could improve their hemp legislation to account for intoxicating products, enabling them to implement similar restrictions on THC-rich products and require age verification. The relevant commercial results were selected, excluding third-party lists of products and educational content. In contrast, intoxicating cannabis edibles in legal states like California and Colorado tend to contain just 5 mg or 10 mg ∆9 THC per serving (Brangham 2014; Romine 2019). Hemp ∆9 products were devised through a very simple application of the Farm Bill’s 0.3% by dry weight limit. Some states have taken action to stop the sale and distribution of ∆8 THC (Johnson-Arbor and Smolinske 2022), but new loopholes (for example, the increase in products with hexahydrocannabinol (Casati et al. 2022)) are identified more quickly than lawmakers can close them. The pre-registration form is NOT a confirmation of acceptance to the tournament you are completing the form for. The results show the consequences of the legal loophole which hemp ∆9 THC companies are currently operating in. These issues could be solved by the industry, but legislators might also take steps such as setting a total THC cap on hemp products or requiring accurate labeling. Customers in adult-use states expect the cannabis universal symbol or some variation thereof on high-THC products, with over 80% of states with medical cannabis requiring this, for instance (Kruger et al. 2022a). Finally, and potentially the largest issue for consumers is the fact that 66.0% of products differ from the ∆9 THC dosage stated on their labels by 10% or more, usually providing less than advertised. Cited by other articles There are many potential issues with this; however, the biggest is the minimal regulations imposed on these “hemp” companies, especially in comparison to the regulations of legal cannabis markets. As an unavoidable consequence of the law as it is currently written, intoxicating “hemp” ∆9 THC products are widely available in most states. Steps to boost accountability for companies must be considered by either the industry or lawmakers if intoxicating hemp products are to remain on the market safely. All but one product was simply left in the mailbox without obtaining any form of signature. The measured amounts of ∆9 THC were compared with the amounts listed on the website and/or product packaging. These were also analyzed, in particular, whether they were tested for impurities or just potency, whether the lab used was ISO accredited, and whether they were DEA certified. We did not test the packaging first-hand or verify that it met the legal definition, but took the presence of child-proofing mechanisms (such as a child-resistant cap) as evidence of a child-resistant container. Naturally occurring vs. converted ∆9 THC Genomic DNA was isolated using the Qiagen Mini Blood DNA kit (Qiagen GmbH, Hilden, Germany). This contributes to the non-diagnosis of qualitative-quantitative defects of Hb A2 and to erroneously consider these defects to be irrelevant in genetic transmission. The knowledge of mutation identification is important for genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis or preimplantation genetic diagnosis. These findings may, therefore, interfere with the accurate diagnosis of β-thal carriers. No pesticide residue, solvent residue, heavy metal contamination, microbial contamination, mycotoxins, or foreign matter were detected in any of the 10 products that were tested. The 2 products that exceeded the limit were the Blueberry Citrus Burst gummies from Delta Extrax (0.419% ∆9 THC) and the Straw Blasted gummies from Hixotic (0.31% ∆9 THC). The highest lab-measured potency was 36.68 mg/serving, almost 3.7-fold higher than most adult-use limits. Based on lab-measured potencies, the mean was 10.08 mg, which is still slightly above the limit for most legal states. Since all products were purchased from the companies’ websites, their use of age verification measures was considered.The products we sampled largely did not include child-resistant packaging, with 81.1% (43/53) not using a child-resistant container.These laws would also apply to ∆9 THC products advertised as hemp if levels were increased by conversion from CBD.The average for all products was 0.154% ∆9 THC, showing clearly that in many cases, the products are not even close to the legal limit.However, things changed when the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act (a.k.a. the “Farm Bill”) made industrial hemp legal at the federal level (Agriculture Improvement Act of (US), 2018).Residual solvent and terpene analyses were performed using headspace gas chromatography single quad mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS).Microbial analysis was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), with aliquots taken from the batch being incubated for 24 h to allow microbial growth before testing. The presence of age verification, company-conducted testing, and warning labels was also considered. The lab analysis considered potency, the presence of impurities, and whether the ∆9 THC present was natural or converted from CBD. In the presence of another Hb A2-X peak, in order to evaluate the possible presence of masked β-thal defects, we need to sum the values of the components Hb A2 and Hb A2-X, to verify if Hb A2 values are in the normal range. Suspicion of mutation in delta globin should be raised when Hb A2 levels are below 2%. Three family members belonging to three different generations (propositus (Case 11), his mother (Case 10), and his daughter (Case 12)), natives of the Friuli region, were examined to ascertain the possible presence of β-thal. In the manner most companies now offer COAs for their products, they may (through hemp industry organizations) institute mandatory age checks and standardized testing requirements.The highest lab-measured potency was 36.68 mg/serving, almost 3.7-fold higher than most adult-use limits.Based on the lab analysis and specifically the factors discussed above, InfiniteCAL estimated that 49.0% (24/49) of products used ∆9 THC that had been converted from CBD through cyclization.A δ variant was suspected in an asymptomatic 27-year-old Albanian woman with a normal blood count in pregnancy.Additionally, 49% of products converted CBD to THC to achieve their levels, and only 15.1% performed age verification at checkout.Additionally, 98.1% of companies (52/53) did not require an adult signature on delivery. The products considered advertised between 0.5 and 40 mg of ∆9 THC per serving, with an average of 12.98 mg per serving across all products. In most cases, hemp consumers must depend on the Certificate of (lab) Analysis (COA) provided by the company itself to determine the true potency and safety of the product in question. Additionally, we also noted how many products required an adult signature on delivery. Therefore, products with low quantities of CBG (9 THC content) are more likely to use converted ∆9 THC and those with higher quantities are more likely to use naturally sourced ∆9 THC. These observations suggest that the biosynthetic pathways to produce ∆9 THC in classical hemp strains are not stereospecific and produce both trans-∆9 and cis-∆9 THC, while high-THC cannabis strains have a strongly stereospecific pathway to produce the (-)-trans-∆9 THC. Microbial analysis was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), with aliquots taken from the batch being incubated for 24 h to allow microbial growth before testing. Additionally, 49% of products converted CBD to THC to achieve their levels, and only 15.1% performed age verification at checkout. Fifty-three ∆9 THC products were ordered and submitted to InfiniteCAL laboratory for analysis. Characterization of novel variants of delta globin chains contributes to the expertise of laboratory professionals in the use of separative systems, such as HPLC and CE. It is important to note that, although the delta variant is clinically not significant, the comprehensive analysis of hematology parameters and molecular testing will help in detecting the carrier status, and therefore will improve genetic counselling and possible prenatal diagnosis. Defects in δ-globin genes directly affect Hb A2 production qualitatively or quantitatively. While they have no financial incentive for any particular result, they are advocates of cannabis and hemp. EP, JS, DM, and SA performed the lab work and wrote the “∆9 THC Conversion Markers” supplementary information, with support from DB. At the same time, there is synthesis of hemoglobin A2 (Hb A2) (α2δ2), which after one year of age represents a minor component of circulating hemoglobin, and in the normal adult individual is present in an amount of less than 3.2%. It is important to evaluate the presence of possible delta gene mutations in a population at high risk for globin gene defects in order to correctly diagnose the β-thalassemia carrier. The industry meets some common-sense requirements, such as almost all products being within legal limits and none having issues with impurities, but there is also a lot of work to do in several key areas. On top of this, 49% of products use THC converted from CBD, which explicitly contradicts the law in some states but raises issues with the Farm Bill’s definition of “hemp” in any case. Defects in δ-globin genes are expressed in very heterogeneous forms, which are not easily detected by 1st level tests. An accurate and definitive diagnosis is particularly important in a high-risk population for β-globin, such as in Italy, or when the heterogeneity of β-globin defects may further contribute to a high proportion of individuals with borderline Hb A2 3,14,15,16,17. The δ-variant, when visible and quantified, must be calculated with Hb A2-Normal, in order to conclude a diagnosis of β-thal carrier. In some cases, Hb A2-X could migrate under HbA, HbF or other possible Hb variants present, or may not be expressed due to structural instability, as could be observed in δ-thal. Maryland is also considering (SB 0788 (Md.) 2022) regulations on THC products that are synthetically or artificially derived.Hemp-derived delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9 THC) products are freely available for sale across much of the USA, but the federal legislation allowing their sale places only minimal requirements on companies.While they have no financial incentive for any particular result, they are advocates of cannabis and hemp.These new variants were added to the many already known Hb A2 variants that were found with an estimated frequency of about 1–2% during the screening tests in our laboratories.In the event this process led to a specific product, we navigated to the overall category page for hemp ∆9 THC products.These findings may, therefore, interfere with the accurate diagnosis of β-thal carriers.The companies which did all used AgeChecker, which verifies age by cell phone verification and requiring customers to upload a “selfie” with their ID, as well as provide a clear picture of it.It is important to note that, although the delta variant is clinically not significant, the comprehensive analysis of hematology parameters and molecular testing will help in detecting the carrier status, and therefore will improve genetic counselling and possible prenatal diagnosis.Back to the MAIN REGISTRATION page.Therefore, carriers of a δ-variant who are also β-thal carriers may have borderline, normal, or low Hb A2 levels. Even the average figure is higher than the limit of 10 mg ∆9 THC placed on edibles in legal states such as Colorado and California, and the highest exceeds it by a factor of four. The cannabis universal symbol (Fig. 2) or some variation thereof is used to signify to consumers that the product contains cannabis and may be intoxicating. Batch IDs are unique codes which identify a specific production batch of a product, thus enabling identification of other affected products in the event of contamination. Until payment is received, ALL teams who have pre-registered are on a waitlist. Maryland is also considering (SB 0788 (Md.) 2022) regulations on THC products that are synthetically or artificially derived. However, the finding that 49% of products used ∆9 THC converted from CBD may challenge this in some localities. Additionally, only 1 product (1.9%) required an adult signature on delivery, and the remainder simply left the delivery in the mailbox. Despite the fact that most (84.9%) products are backed with a COA, since most of these do not include impurity testing, 75.5% of hemp ∆9 THC products are not safety tested. Based on the lab analysis and specifically the factors discussed above, InfiniteCAL estimated that 49.0% (24/49) of products used ∆9 THC that had been converted from CBD through cyclization. Minor cannabinoids such as CBG are commonly found in products sourced from hemp or cannabis, but are almost entirely absent from products produced via cyclization. The analysis showed that 77.6% (38/49) of products had ratios above the range expected for hemp plants. For the inaccurately labeled products, the average was 73.3% of the advertised amount. Unfortunately, the sample did not include enough non-edible samples to investigate differences by product type. From this point onwards, he or she could easily place an order (simply using an alternative website if they initially chose one of the 15% which performs age checks) and receive the delivery without having to present ID at any stage. The remaining purchases had age verification through AgeChecker, which uses public records and images of ID to determine the customer’s true age. These systems can be easily circumvented or simply lied to (Williams et al. 2020) and so do not constitute age verification. Families may choose to pay in installments by credit card at the time of registration, or payment in full. Processing fees will be added to the registration (they are the same as if you paid in full). If paying by installments, payments will be accepted by credit card through the TeamSnap registration process. Back to the MAIN REGISTRATION page. 🌟🌟Intro and transfer athletes do not have to bring proofs to their first check-in as they have been checked for this season already during pre-registration. You must register all participants on the same registration session. If you are registering three or more children, contact the Registrar to receive a discount code to use during the registration process. However, loopholes quickly emerged, such as ∆8 THC, another psychoactive compound much like ∆9 except with less potent and long-lasting effects (Kruger et al. 2022b) and less binding affinity for the CB1 receptor (Tagen and Klumpers 2022). The Farm Bill removed the cannabinoids in hemp from the definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act and defined hemp as containing less than 0.3% ∆9 THC by dry weight (Johnson-Arbor and Smolinske 2022). The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article. The legislation allowed for an explosion of CBD products, but there were unintended consequences. However, things changed when the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act (a.k.a. the “Farm Bill”) made industrial hemp legal at the federal level (Agriculture Improvement Act of (US), 2018). This raises serious issues around consumer safety, and consent when consuming intoxicating products. To select specific products for the lab analysis, companies with a TrustPilot rating lower than 4 or with a Better Business Bureau (BBB) grade below B were excluded, as were any companies which didn’t ship to California and any products that didn’t mention a specific dosage of THC. In the manner most companies now offer COAs for their products, they may (through hemp industry organizations) institute mandatory age checks and standardized testing requirements. In the analysis, 38.8% (19/49) of products contained less than 1% CBG (relative to total ∆9 THC content) and thus were less likely to be made using natural cannabis or hemp extract. Companies listed on CBD Oracle’s internal database of hemp companies were also manually searched for hemp ∆9 THC products. In the event this process led to a specific product, we navigated to the overall category page for hemp ∆9 THC products. This HbA2 level will be reduced in relation to the presence of δ+ or δ0−thal defects and, of course, will also happen in the presence of a β-thal defect 10,11,12,13.This migration depends on the total charge involved in the amino acid substitution that produces the mutated delta chains.Despite the fact that most (84.9%) products are backed with a COA, since most of these do not include impurity testing, 75.5% of hemp ∆9 THC products are not safety tested.EP, JS, DM, and SA performed the lab work and wrote the “∆9 THC Conversion Markers” supplementary information, with support from DB.If CBG is not present in the starting material nor a product of the conversion, it would not be expected to be present in converted ∆9 THC.This result allowed us to attribute to the variant Hb A2 an electric charge similar to Hb A and, therefore, not detectable.The industry meets some common-sense requirements, such as almost all products being within legal limits and none having issues with impurities, but there is also a lot of work to do in several key areas.From this point onwards, he or she could easily place an order (simply using an alternative website if they initially chose one of the 15% which performs age checks) and receive the delivery without having to present ID at any stage. Adult hemoglobin (Hb A) (α2β2) accounts for 96–98% of all functioning hemoglobin in adult life. These new variants were added to the many already known Hb A2 variants that were found with an estimated frequency of about 1–2% during the screening tests in our laboratories. Risk Management Resource_Revised_AUG 2021 There are three avenues that could help companies and regulators find a potential solution to these issues. Only one sample of each product was analyzed, but values could (and likely do) vary by the individual sample and not just by product. (1) Members on an installment plan for registration fees will be charged a $25 late payment fee per month per athlete for any errors in credit card payments that are not corrected within 72 hours.The use of new molecular methods with high sensitivity can allow for discovery in the future of many new hemoglobin variations, even asymptomatic, but that in compounds with thalassemic defects can determine complex phenotypes that must be appropriately considered within dedicated genetic counselling.On top of this, 49% of products use THC converted from CBD, which explicitly contradicts the law in some states but raises issues with the Farm Bill’s definition of “hemp” in any case.To select specific products for the lab analysis, companies with a TrustPilot rating lower than 4 or with a Better Business Bureau (BBB) grade below B were excluded, as were any companies which didn’t ship to California and any products that didn’t mention a specific dosage of THC.Additionally, we also noted how many products required an adult signature on delivery.If paying by installments, payments will be accepted by credit card through the TeamSnap registration process.Fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) (α2γ2) is prevalent in fetal life, but decreases after birth to a normal of less than 1% by the first year of life .This report described eight new hemoglobin delta variants that have not been published previously, that highlight the importance of identifying delta variants during hemoglobin analysis, and that correctly characterize subjects carrying β-thalassemia. These types of defects usually lead to a decrease in normal Hb A2 levels. The differences between the available commercial separation methods have still proven to be significant, even though the use of switchable control materials can halve the variability between methods . DNA analyses were performed according to local standard protocols. In particular Hb analyses were performed by HPLC on three dedicated devices. The defect can be classified as a thalassemic variant δ or new δ0-thal. Hematological data and molecular results of the 8 new mutations of the δ-globin gene found in 12 subjects. Specific primers for delta gene sequencing are described by Olds RJ et al. . Α-thalassemia (α-thal) analyses were performed using α-Globin StripAssay ™ (ViennaLab Diagnostics GmbH, Vienna, Austria) . These cases contribute to the knowledge of new features in addition to the many existing δ-globin gene defects reported in dedicated databases. This is why, for instance, that not all products are accompanied by a COA, why dosages (both advertised and actual) vary so wildly, and why in most cases age verification is essentially absent. With no centralized regulatory body, and very little in the way of state-specific regulations in most cases, intoxicating hemp products are currently allowed to operate with minimal oversight. These laws would also apply to ∆9 THC products advertised as hemp if levels were increased by conversion from CBD. This is a positive sign for the industry, noting that current legal opinion suggests that hemp ∆9 THC is legal in the absence of further state legislation. This would include, for instance, maximum doses of ∆9 THC (or indeed other THCs) per serving and per package, as well as lab testing requirements. There was also some time (less than 2 weeks in all cases) between purchase and testing, which could feasibly have impacted the results through degradation, despite all products being sealed until testing. While this represents the market closely, it may be that other product types differ in some important ways (for example, being more likely to exceed the legal limit for ∆9). Firstly, owing to the nature of the market, the majority of products (86.8%) tested were gummies, candies, or other edibles, with relatively few drinks, tinctures, and vaping products. Child-resistant containers are defined in law (Standards and (US) 1973) as those which 85% of children aged 3 to 5 cannot open within 5 min without a demonstration and which 80% still cannot open even after a demonstration. For each product, we noted if they required an ID to be presented on purchase or if an easily-circumvented method (e.g., simply entering a birth date) (Williams et al. 2020) was used. If CBG is not present in the starting material nor a product of the conversion, it would not be expected to be present in converted ∆9 THC. Delineation of the ∆8-iso-THC and ∆8-THC amounts was not performed for this study, as the samples were run under standard UHPLC-DAD conditions for quantitation. The results also suggested that 26.5% (13/49) used ∆9 THC sourced from cannabis to meet their stated dosage and that only 18.4% (9/49) probably used natural hemp-derived ∆9 THC. Overall, 88.6% of the mislabeled products contained less ∆9 THC than advertised (Fig. 3). Considering anything within 10% of the stated potency to be “accurately labeled,” the results show that 66.0% (35/53) of products were not accurately labeled. Of the 53 products analyzed, 96.2% (51 products) fell within the legal limit for ∆9 THC. On average, the products contained 0.88% CBD, 0.026% CBC, 0.024% CBG, 0.004% CBN, and 0.03% ∆8 THC. For age verification, 84.9% (45/53) of companies did not perform online age verification at checkout. The products we sampled largely did not include child-resistant packaging, with 81.1% (43/53) not using a child-resistant container. Customers depend on labels for important information and warnings about the contents of a product. In total, then, 75.5% (40/53) of products were not proven to be free from impurities (although testing a random sample of 10 revealed no issues, as discussed above). Of these products with COAs, 71.1% (32/45) were not tested for impurities, with tests conducted only to verify potency. The proband (Case 2), a 26-year-old woman presenting with an iron deficiency anemia, had a reduced level of Hb A2 (1.5%), and no other abnormal peaks. This is the second defect of the δ gene produced by the deletion of a single nucleotide ; other similar cases are known, but concern the β gene. Only by doing a manual analysis of the sequence we were able to identify the new termination codon. A 35-year-old Brazilian woman, during tests for the prevention of hemoglobinopathies, showed a reduced value of Hb A2 (1.6%), and no alteration of the red blood cell indices. The δ variants have been named as reported in HbVar following the classic nomenclature and as indicated by HGVS recommendations . If you have been accepted, you will receive an acceptance leter. PAYMENT IS DUE UPON RECEIVING ACCEPTANCE LETTER. Considering the small percentage differences that may exist between normal and pathological Hb A2 values, high precision in the measurement of this important parameter is required. It has been agreed that the reference range for Hb A2 in normal subjects generally ranges from 2.0 to 3.3%, but it has also been observed that it may differ slightly, depending on the method of quantification and in different population groups 2,3. Fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) (α2γ2) is prevalent in fetal life, but decreases after birth to a normal of less than 1% by the first year of life . These systems can be easily circumvented or simply lied to (Williams et al. 2020) and so do not constitute age verification.Additionally, 50.9% (27/53) of products did not include a batch ID on the label, which means it will be difficult or even impossible to trace any issues back to a specific batch and inform consumers and retailers of the issue.These cases contribute to the knowledge of new features in addition to the many existing δ-globin gene defects reported in dedicated databases.As an unavoidable consequence of the law as it is currently written, intoxicating “hemp” ∆9 THC products are widely available in most states.This is a positive sign for the industry, noting that current legal opinion suggests that hemp ∆9 THC is legal in the absence of further state legislation.It has been agreed that the reference range for Hb A2 in normal subjects generally ranges from 2.0 to 3.3%, but it has also been observed that it may differ slightly, depending on the method of quantification and in different population groups 2,3.Minor cannabinoids such as CBG are commonly found in products sourced from hemp or cannabis, but are almost entirely absent from products produced via cyclization.In some cases, Hb A2-X could migrate under HbA, HbF or other possible Hb variants present, or may not be expressed due to structural instability, as could be observed in δ-thal. It has been observed that Hb A2 levels can be moderately reduced in patients with iron deficiency due to preferential binding of the heme with the β-chains, rather than with the δ-chains , and this reduction is even more evident with some variants of the δ-chains, as we have seen in Case 2. The other two family members (Cases 10 and 12) were carriers of only the new δ variant. In HPLC, all three subjects had normal Hb A2, or less than 2%, and had an additional peak after Hb A2. A 33-year-old Angolan woman with a normal blood count, already known as a Hb S carrier, had reduced Hb A2. It should be noted that the detection of a β-thal carrier is more complex when the same subject is also a thalassemia carrier or has structural defects of α and δ genes. The Hb A2 level is certainly an important parameter for the presumptive diagnosis of β-thal carrier but this parameter should always be interpreted in accordance with red blood cell indices, morphology, and assessment of the presence of any abnormal Hb components for a more accurate diagnosis. However, it is recommended that each laboratory establish its own normal Hb A2 ranges based on their population and methodology employed. The measured potency depends on how well the THC was extracted from the products. All products were tested for potency, and 10 randomly selected products were tested for impurities, including pesticides, mycotoxins, residual solvents, microbial contamination, heavy metals, and foreign materials. The lab analyses were performed by InfiniteCAL, a California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) and International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC 17025) accredited lab. Products were collected for lab analysis directly from the office in their original, sealed packaging and were tested within 2 weeks of purchase to avoid degradation. The 53 products considered were inspected for warning labels, batch IDs, child-resistant containers, and the cannabis universal symbol (intended to alert consumers that the product contains large amounts of THC). Since all products were purchased from the companies’ websites, their use of age verification measures was considered. However, while natural hemp (Glivar et al. 2020; Schafroth et al. 2021) and cannabis (Radwan et al. 2021) contain minor cannabinoids such as CBG, this is not a product of the cyclization reaction (Tagen and Klumpers 2022). The 53 products came from 48 different brands, which we estimate represented 40% of the total hemp ∆9 market, as of April 2022. For the lab study and market analysis, we first identified and purchased a selection of the most popular products online from different brands. A clinically asymptomatic 45-year-old Italian man examined by CE revealed a more electronegative variant (26.2%) of Hb A and a reduced amount of Hb A2 (1.0%). This result allowed us to attribute to the variant Hb A2 an electric charge similar to Hb A and, therefore, not detectable. A 10-year-old Italian boy showed altered erythrocyte indices and normal Hb A2 during screening tests. This variant is probably unstable, but this property is difficult to document with the classic tests, as were the cases in α and β variants, with replacement Leu → Pro, present in the literature 23,24. This variant in the proband was not quantifiable due to iron deficiency anemia. In fact, a superficial evaluation of the hemoglobin separative test can produce wrong diagnoses of β-thalassemia, as well as misdirect the eventual genetic counselling. Subjects suspected of having a δ-globin mutation should, therefore, prompt for further molecular testing for a definitive diagnosis, especially when such subjects are examined at a reproductive age or in a preconception setting. Therefore, carriers of a δ-variant who are also β-thal carriers may have borderline, normal, or low Hb A2 levels. A variant δ was observed in a 62-year-old woman of Friulan origin with mild microcytosis not due to iron deficiency and in which the presence of α-thal was excluded. An abnormal peak (1%) and a decrease in Hb A2 (1.5%) in HPLC were observed during routine Hb analysis in a 40-year-old woman of Lombard origin. A δ variant was suspected in an asymptomatic 27-year-old Albanian woman with a normal blood count in pregnancy. Overall, the vast majority of the hemp ∆9 THC products likely fall within limits specified by the Farm Bill. The average for all products was 0.154% ∆9 THC, showing clearly that in many cases, the products are not even close to the legal limit. Industrial hemp products are considered legal if they contain less than 0.3% ∆9 THC by dry weight. Since it is a natural component of hemp, provided that products containing it have less than 0.3% ∆9 by dry weight, they can contain as much ∆8 as they want. However, some states—such as Colorado—specifically prohibit products created by “chemically modifying” a natural hemp component. Products must contain no more than 0.3% ∆9 THC by dry weight, but no limit is placed on overall dosage and there is no requirement that products are tested. The use of new molecular methods with high sensitivity can allow for discovery in the future of many new hemoglobin variations, even asymptomatic, but that in compounds with thalassemic defects can determine complex phenotypes that must be appropriately considered within dedicated genetic counselling. However, all of this always starts from an accurate screening of carriers of thalassemia or clinically important hemoglobin variants, as happens in higher risk populations, such as the Italian one. The sequencing of the δ-, β-, and α-globin genes was performed with the Sanger method, using dedicated primers . Complete blood count, iron status, Hb analysis and DNA analysis were performed according to local standard protocols by the respective laboratories. Here, we have described eight new variants of the δ-globin gene, with different phenotypic features, observed and characterized in Northern Italy during the last few years. Payment in full is REQUIRED UPON RECEIPT OF ACCEPTANCE LETTER. Despite some positive findings, the results show that hemp ∆9 THC companies offer inaccurately labeled products that contain more THC than would be allowed in adult-use states. The legal status of hemp ∆9 THC products in America essentially permits their open sale while placing very little requirements on the companies selling them. Firstly, states with adult-use or medical marijuana programs could incorporate intoxicating hemp products into their existing legal framework for legal cannabis. Finally, the lab analysis showed that 96.2% of hemp ∆9 THC products do fall within the limits established by the Farm Bill. With no centralized regulatory body, and very little in the way of state-specific regulations in most cases, intoxicating hemp products are currently allowed to operate with minimal oversight.Late fees for U21 registration apply after October 1st.Firstly, in many cases, the advertised dosages are substantially higher than would be allowed in any regulated, legal, high-THC cannabis market in the country.Additionally, the tests conducted suggest that impurities are not a substantial issue for hemp ∆9 THC companies.Firstly, states with adult-use or medical marijuana programs could incorporate intoxicating hemp products into their existing legal framework for legal cannabis.The Farm Bill removed the cannabinoids in hemp from the definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act and defined hemp as containing less than 0.3% ∆9 THC by dry weight (Johnson-Arbor and Smolinske 2022).The proband (Case 2), a 26-year-old woman presenting with an iron deficiency anemia, had a reduced level of Hb A2 (1.5%), and no other abnormal peaks. The vast majority sold some form of edibles (total 46), but we identified a few companies offering tinctures, some offering beverages, and one that offers a vape pen. We ordered a total of 53 products with a credit card and had them shipped to the CBD Oracle office in Tustin, CA. In some cases, we bought multiple products from the same manufacturer to cover more types of product. With this in mind, we estimate that there were 120 brands selling hemp ∆9 as of April 2022. We estimated that this represents around 75% of the total hemp ∆9 THC market, as of April 2022. This HbA2 level will be reduced in relation to the presence of δ+ or δ0−thal defects and, of course, will also happen in the presence of a β-thal defect 10,11,12,13. A δ-thal mutation would hinder the observation of Hb A2-X peak, but it will alter the value of Hb A2. This migration depends on the total charge involved in the amino acid substitution that produces the mutated delta chains. RMMHA has a financial support program whereby families that experience financial barriers can apply for help in registration fees. (1) Members on an installment plan for registration fees will be charged a $25 late payment fee per month per athlete for any errors in credit card payments that are not corrected within 72 hours. Late fees for U21 registration apply after October 1st. Similar articles The deposit of $150 per athlete is still required at the time of registration, and the adjustment will be applied to the balance of your payment. This only applies to the lowest registration rate of the base registration fees (not evaluation fees). For families with 3 or more children registered, we offer ½ price registration for the 3rd+ athlete. If the athlete returns to RMMHA, the remaining registration fees must be paid immediately and their $50 provisional hold fee will be credited towards their registration fees. To learn more about these programs, please visit our Financial Assistance page. Please see the cancellation page for details on your exposure. Therefore, it is important that you register and pay the $150 deposit to confirm your registration. Each is then removed in the order of registration as teams are formed. If you are applying for financial assistance, please register your child as usual and select the installments option in order to complete your registration. A minimum deposit of $150 per athlete must be made AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION in order to confirm each athlete's registration. ∆8 THC occurs naturally in Cannabis sativa L., but only in negligible amounts (Tagen and Klumpers 2022). If there is no cis-∆9 in the sample, it is likely the THC is sourced from cannabis. Samples were analyzed to determine whether the ∆9 THC present was naturally occurring in the hemp plant or whether it was produced through conversion from CBD. Full details of the methodology are available from InfiniteCAL (Swider and Marelius 2022). Finally, foreign material testing was performed visually, either unaided or with a microscope magnifier. Teams must contact the Sales Manager directly to set up their individual team blocks. Firstly, in many cases, the advertised dosages are substantially higher than would be allowed in any regulated, legal, high-THC cannabis market in the country. Additionally, the tests conducted suggest that impurities are not a substantial issue for hemp ∆9 THC companies. On the one hand, it is clear that the vast majority of products (96.2%) fall within the legal ∆9 THC limits established by the 2018 federal Farm Bill (Agriculture Improvement Act of (US) 2018). Additionally, 50.9% (27/53) of products did not include a batch ID on the label, which means it will be difficult or even impossible to trace any issues back to a specific batch and inform consumers and retailers of the issue. However, 73.6% (39/53) of products did not include the cannabis universal symbol (or some variation thereof) on their packaging. In the absence of further laws—requiring a signature on delivery for intoxicating hemp products, for instance—this situation is difficult to rectify. While getting a valid card to pay may be a challenge, this is essentially the only thing preventing youths from accessing high-THC hemp products such as those in this study. In particular, only 8 of 53 products (15.1%) required any form of age verification prior to the order being placed. This problem is compounded by the lack of batch labeling for 50.9% of products. Secondly, most of the products (73.6%) do not include the cannabis universal symbol to warn potential consumers of their high ∆9 THC content. Residual solvent and terpene analyses were performed using headspace gas chromatography single quad mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS). A subsequent dilution step is performed with methanol in a separate 15-mL tube. We selected the ∆9 THC product from each company with the highest number of customer reviews.