New Kinds of [Hash]tags: An Interdisciplinary Examination of Semi-Synthetic Cannabinoid Products

Abstract

The rise of distinct subcultures of cannabinoid users and the proliferation of new psychoactive substances derived from the hemp plant reflects a dynamic relationship between the development of new cannabis products and the growth of the markets for these goods. This research combines social science and analytical chemistry framework to explore the historical, linguistic, and chemical developments of cannabis acetates and related products over time. Understanding the multiplicity of contexts that have influenced the trajectory of moieties like THC-O-Acetate is an attempt at detecting and identifying other new psychoactive substances with structural or functional similarities to Δ⁹-THC through an interdisciplinary lens.