A cannabinoid produced by chemically converting a naturally occurring plant cannabinoid into a structurally modified compound. Semi-synthetic most often begin as CBD and are then chemically converted into things like HHC, THC-O, and Delta-8-THC. While synthesized in a lab, it is important to note that they do retain a direct structural relationship to their plant derived starting materials. Most came about commercially following the 2018 Farm Bill which legalized hemp derived CBD, creating a legal and abundant stock of material for chemical conversion. The legal status of these compounds varies with some like Delta-8-THC existing in a gray area, and others like THC-O were explicitly ruled out of hemp protections by the DEA.
🔊 sem·ee sin·THET·ik kuh·NAB·ih·noyd
In the Wild — Example
Delta-8-THC is a semi-synthetic cannabinoid because it starts as a natural plant compound and is chemically converted.
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