Yet many people don’t realize this, and synthetic cannabinoids are very easy to purchase. They are often sold at gas stations, bodegas, convenience stores, and smoke shops around the United States. And because of a loophole in federal law, which makes delta-8-THC legal (unlike delta-9-THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis), teenagers can buy gummies, flavored vaping cartridges, and other delta-8-containing products right off the shelf. (Delta-8 tends to be less potent than delta-9 but still carries risks on its own.) A study last year found that 11 percent of high school seniors reported using delta-8.