ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: 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. 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. However, some states-such as Colorado-specifically prohibit products created by "chemically modifying" a natural hemp component. METHODS: Fifty-three ∆9 THC products were ordered and submitted to InfiniteCAL laboratory for analysis. The lab analysis considered potency, the presence of impurities, and whether the ∆9 THC present was natural or converted from CBD. The presence of age verification, company-conducted testing, and warning labels was also considered. RESULTS: 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. Additionally, 49% of products converted CBD to THC to achieve their levels, and only 15.1% performed age verification at checkout. CONCLUSIONS: 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. This raises serious issues around consumer safety, and consent when consuming intoxicating products. 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.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The present study examined (1) whether particular coping strategies used to deal with congestive heart failure (CHF) are related to meaning in life across time, and (2) whether meaning in life mediates the effect of coping on health-related quality of life. METHODS: A sample of 155 CHF patients received questionnaire packets at two time points, 6 months apart. Main outcome measures included Meaning in Life and Mental and Physical Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL). RESULTS: Coping (particularly acceptance/positive reinterpretation and religious coping) was not only related to meaning in life, but also to increased meaning over time. Further, meaning in life was related to both mental and physical components of HRQOL. However, coping was minimally related to HRQOL and its effects were not mediated by meaning in life. CONCLUSIONS: These results add to accumulating evidence that life meaning is important in the context of living with a chronic, life-threatening illness. Further, coping--especially acceptance and religious coping--is related to increased life meaning over time in the context of life limiting illness.
