Is Gas Station Weed Good or Bad?

With so much recent attention on the impending hemp ban, you’ve probably heard chatter about “gas station weed” lately. The term generally refers to the sketchy products you see lining gas station shelves, often branded with bright colors and cutesy imagery. But it’s far from cute and carries a lot of risk because it’s completely unregulated.

Gas station weed products often include delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC, and even completely synthetic cannabinoid variations. These products are generally able to sell freely in gas stations and other stores because they exist in a legal gray area with little to no regulations. The lack of a regulatory structure creates a breeding ground for companies to sell quick highs before the next crackdown. The list of questionable products span beyond gas station weed and even include “gas station heroin.”

SHOP THC PRODUCTS ONLINE INSTEAD: Best THC Gummies Ranked: Balanced Highs, Unique Flavors, and Stylish Brands

Is gas station weed bad?

Let’s go with the sushi analogy here. Sure, gas station sushi might be fine once in a while. But can you be sure that the gas station attendant handling the food knows proper food safety procedures and will look out for potential red flags or violations? Would you feel more confident eating sushi from a restaurant where the staff handles raw fish daily? No disrespect to gas station workers (who generally need food handlers permits), but the difference between a restaurant and a convenience store is stark when it comes to dealing with raw fish.

The same idea can be applied to weed. Products purchased in legal dispensaries are subject to strict rules and regulations. Weed is traced from seed to sale in most markets and undergoes testing to ensure purity and potency. It’s one of the many reasons legal weed is generally more expensive than weed you find elsewhere.

But gas station weed—if you feel confident calling it weed—is not traced from seed to sale. There’s no proof it even started as a seed. You are trusting that the people behind the bright pink bubblegum branding have your best interests in mind over the dollar signs in their eyes.

MORE ON THIS: The Hemp Ban Might Not Be Enforceable, But Here’s What to Expect If It Is

Is gas station weed the same as hemp-derived weed?

When it comes to gray area weed products, you’re going to hear one thing over and over: Maybe. It might be. It’s possible. Can’t know for sure.

Hemp-derived cannabis may be at the gas station. If you find a delta-8 product while you’re pumping gas, you may be looking at a hemp-derived cannabis product. Delta-8 THC naturally occurs in super tiny amounts in the cannabis plants. It’s not enough to get users high. But hemp-derived CBD can be chemically converted to delta-8 THC in a laboratory with acids and solvents.

Delta-8 THC products are pretty much always chemically altered. You just can’t get a commercial amount of delta-8 THC without heading into the laboratory.

While delta-8 THC products are sometimes touted as “natural,” they’re basically always created in a laboratory with additional solvents and acids. Of course, those additional ingredients are flushed out and removed from the final product, right? Maybe. They might be. It’s possible. Can’t know for sure.

The same idea goes for any other gas station weed product you see. Delta-10 THC at the shop down the street? Sure, it may have started with weed, but it was eventually chemically altered to become a “legal” intoxicating product. Is it clean and pure? Maybe. Can’t know for sure.

There is one exception here. THCa is another hemp-derived THC option that does not need chemical alteration. THCa is the acid precursor to the THC we’ve all come to know and love, and it converts to intoxicating THC when heated–like with a lighter.

THCa cultivators focus on strains that yield high levels of THCa and low levels of regular THC to stay legally compliant with the 2018 farm bill. By growing select strains in optimal environments and harvesting before the plant’s THCa naturally begins to degrade into THC, cultivators can grow legally compliant, intoxicating weed.

You might see THCa products at gas stations, too. While these aren’t chemically altered, they also aren’t regulated like the weed you see in a dispensary. You have to trust that the brands putting their weed in gas stations are not lying about what’s in their products or how they made them. While some might think gas station THCa is safer than other gas station weed, there’s no regulations ensuring producers follow safety measures. The product might be safe. You can’t know for sure.

How bad is gas station weed, really?

Well, like gas station sushi, you might be fine using gas station weed—until one day you’re not. Without clear regulations and enforcement, you can’t know exactly what you’re consuming.

In 2024, University of Alabama Medicine psychiatrists reported seeing a dozen patients in just one month with complaints related to delta-8 usage. The same year, the Wisconsin Medical Journal reported on six different patients who presented to various emergency departments, all with confirmed delta-8 exposure. Their most common symptoms included respiratory depression, altered mental status, unresponsiveness, tachycardia, and chest pressure.

Back in 2021, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported a recorded 660 delta-8 THC exposures from the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). Of these, 119 required hospitalization.

But emergency room visits related to cannabis have also skyrocketed in places with legal, regulated weed. It turns out when you have access to an intoxicant that can, on occasion, get you too high, it can lead you straight to the hospital. And let’s not even get started on the alcohol and emergency room statistics.

So is gas station weed making people sick? Is it some other unlisted ingredient in the product? Maybe. It might be. It’s possible. Can’t know for sure. (That again.)

How to buy hemp-derived weed safely

Many people use hemp-derived cannabis regularly without issue. If you live somewhere without access to legal dispensaries, these products can really be a lifesaver.

Look for reputable brands that operate transparently. They should offer certificates of analysis (COAs) for every single product so you can see exactly what’s inside. Better yet, those COAs should be from a third-party laboratory to ensure objectivity in testing.

Read reviews outside of the company’s website. If you can’t find anything on the brand, it’s probably best to avoid. If they have a good reputation, you can cautiously proceed if the test results look good.

One of my favorite hemp-derived edibles brands is Wana. I trust this company because they have existed in the legal market for years and have recently expanded their offerings to consumers in states without legal weed. They are transparent about their lab reports and hold themselves to a high standard.

I’m also a big fan of Mood, as they also are transparent about their lab results and have a good reputation. Koi is another brand that offers clear and transparent lab results and has a generally good reputation among users.