Home Care In Delta, OH

Ohio University Chillicothe’s newly-formed Kappa Delta Pi chapter hosted a teacher symposium for first-year education students on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. Students from Instructor Jeanie Dalton’s Introduction to Education class attended the symposium and heard from speakers, including Dean of Campus and Community Relations Roberta Milliken, Huntington Middle School Principal Matt Murphy, and Huntington Middle School teacher and OHIO Chillicothe alumna Mackenzie Ralph.

Kappa Delta Pi is an honor society for education students. The organization provides professional development opportunities while engaging members with scholarship, leadership and service. At OHIO Chillicothe, 12 officers will lead the organization while Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Amy Wolfe and Associate Professor Karen Corcoran serve as advisors. Both Wolfe and Corcoran were members of Kappa Delta Pi as undergraduate students. Students from the Middle and Early Childhood Education programs nominated by staff and faculty make up Ohio University’s newest chapter of the honor society for education students.

“I am excited about the formation of this education student organization,” Corcoran said. “Our teacher candidates are not only going to be prepared for this profession but while they are here at OHIO Chillicothe, they will have the opportunity to be servant leaders.”

Wolfe said she remains active in professional organizations and values Kappa Delta Pi for the networking, learning opportunities and professional resources the organization offers.

“I have loved seeing our local leadership team developing our chapter into an organization that serves their needs and interests,” Wolfe said.

Student leaders Hannah Balusik, Hayden Henthorn, Natalie Rolfe and Hope Crabtree hope Kappa Delta Pi will help fellow education students build strong networks and find support as they prepare for careers in education.

“As members of Kappa Delta Pi, we will create relationships within our schools and community to lay the foundation for our careers as educators," said Balusik.

Murphy and Ralph led participants in several icebreaker activities that exemplified the types of activities that future teachers might employ in their classrooms in the future. Murphy is a member of the OHIO Chillicothe Education Advisory Board and supervises student interns in their clinical field placements as a faculty member at OHIO Chillicothe. He encouraged students to be themselves and remember the character traits that made impactful teachers memorable to them.

“Remember who you are, where you come from, and what you want to be,” Murphy said.

Ralph, a 2019 OHIO Chillicothe graduate, and a language arts teacher at Huntington Middle School, shared her heartbreaking journey to becoming a teacher. Despite enduring the loss of both parents before reaching college, Ralph persevered in her studies, with the support of her professors, and earned the degree that would enable her to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher.

Last spring, 25 students graduated with degrees in education from OHIO Chillicothe. Ohio University Chillicothe alumni put their education degrees to work serving communities as teachers, intervention specialists, and principals in local and regional school districts.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is urging lawmakers to ban delta-8 THC, a cannabis product under-regulated by the state, amid protests from consumers that it is essential for their health.

THC changed Jeremy Torchinsky’s life — for the better.

“I was actually someone who was pretty addicted to pain pills and alcohol and other bad stuff,” Torchinsky said. “I don’t do that anymore.”

He credited hemp products for helping him get off the substances, saying it has helped with managing pain, dealing with trauma and combatting social anxiety.

“I use it for the therapeutic aspects of it,” he added.

Retailers like Joel Fink, owner of Fantasy Candies Chocolate Factory and Blue Planet Chocolate, help him get access to it.

Fink isn’t a medical marijuana dispensary owner, but he is able to sell low-level THC amounts, often as delta-8. He is also a hemp processor.

Delta-8 is a cannabinoid produced by the cannabis plant. Many users WEWS/OCJ spoke to used delta-8 to help with health issues or chronic illnesses. Delta-9 THC is the most common and is considered as regular marijuana.

“I would say we probably have about 20-25 per day that come in that are looking for, not necessarily a delta-8 or delta-9, but something to help them out,” Fink said. “It’s just amazing some of the successes that we’ve had.”

Congress’ Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 allowed for hemp products to be sold as long as they have .3% THC or less.

“Delta-8 is sort of like delta-9 light,” Fink said. “It gets you about half to two-thirds as high.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued guidance on their website that under the law, the Drug Enforcement Administration no longer has the authority to seize and criminalize sending or buying seeds with less than .3% THC. The DEA has also given this statement to numerous attorneys around the country with the same advice, including specifically addressing cannabis. This could change soon, though.

“It is a huge, huge market and for those of us that are doing it through the hemp program in Ohio, we’re doing it properly,” Fink said.

But he is worried. Gov. DeWine has been begging the lawmakers to get moving on recreational marijuana policy, but he also wants to address hemp.

“Today we have kids who are walking into these places, retail places in Ohio and buying this junk,” DeWine said during a press conference Thursday. “We have no way to prohibit them from getting it.”

Ohio doesn’t have an age requirement to buy delta-8 since it is .3% or less. Thus, hemp products can be sold almost anywhere in the state, and the government has no jurisdiction over it.

“It is intoxicating, it is something that needs to be banned,” the governor continued. “As soon as the legislature can do this, we’ll be able to stop these sales.”

The Senate changed the definition of hemp in its proposals for recreational marijuana policy — raising concerns that it may outlaw delta-8.

DeWine said that at his request, Senate lawmakers are drafting a standalone bill to regulate the selling of it. This may include only allowing licensed dispensaries to sell THC products of any kind.

The governor isn’t alone here. Each medical dispensary WEWS/OCJ has spoken with is not a fan of delta-8 sellers.

However, their reason could also be related to getting rid of competition and wanting all products to face the same health guidelines and scrutiny, according to retailers on each side of the issue.

Some House representatives think adding guardrails could also be helpful.

“I think there is a good chance that there will be some action to deal with the delta-8 and delta-9 products with high THC content,” said state Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord). “Those products are currently unregulated and being marketed and sold to minors. I think that regulating the high THC hemp can be accomplished without disturbing the legitimate hemp market.”

Fink agrees that there should be guardrails on age — noting that his customers must be 21. However, getting rid of his ability to sell delta-8 entirely could cause his business, and many others, to suffer.

Right now, many retailers and consumers don’t exactly trust the government to handle marijuana products fairly.

“There’s a lot of people out there that still do need hemp,” Torchinsky argued. “I think it’s ridiculous for the lawmakers to even consider taking this away from you.”

Senate and Gov. versus House

Right now, there are no authorized sellers of recreational marijuana in Ohio. The Division of Cannabis Control isn’t set to start processing retailer applications until June, which means users likely won’t be able to legally buy marijuana until fall. To learn how to access marijuana, click here.

The state Senate passed a bill to make weed available in medical dispensaries if the proposed law takes effect. The lawmakers took H.B. 86, which dealt with micro-distilleries, and added their marijuana policy to it.

Their version is seemingly universally hated by House members on each side. It would limit home growth, reduce THC levels and ban the vast majority of vapes. It also raises taxes, a major sticking point for many lawmakers. With this proposal changing the language and definition of hemp, it is unclear what impact that could have on delta-8 users.

Callender, the de-facto and seemingly bipartisan spokesperson for the House on marijuana continues to fight back against the pressure from the Senate and the governor to concur on the other chamber’s legislation.

“I want to make sure that here in this chamber, the People’s House, that we carry out the will of the people — and the people have spoken,” Callender said.

State Sen. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon), the de-facto and seemingly bipartisan spokesperson for the Senate, assured his proposal wasn’t going against the will of the people since he believes that the voters didn’t really know everything that they were voting on.

“I think what the voters really voted for would have been access to products,” the senator added.

State Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Violet Twp.) is livid about his bill being hijacked for the Senate proposal — one that disregards the “will of Ohioans,” he said.

“Slap in the face of Ohio voters,” LaRe told WEWS/OCJ in December.

Unfortunately for LaRe, the House sticking to their guns about following the will of the people and ignoring the Senate version hurts his original legislation.

“[H.B.] 86 is dead until we put it back to its original form,” he said last week. “Amendment to do so has been drafted.”

This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland.

Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.

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Dec. 14, 2022 update Since this article was first posted in April 2022, two studies have been published that raise alarms about vaping or smoking THC-O.

THC-O is created by chemically converting CBD into either delta 9 THC or delta 8 THC, and then converting those cannabinoids into their acetate ester form, which is called THC-O for short. The studies listed below show that when enough heat is applied to THC-O, thermal degradation can cause the formation of a dangerous lung toxicant called ketene.

The same thermal degradation process causes vitamin E acetate to generate ketene---a probable cause of the 2019 vaping lung injuries mistakenly called “EVALI” by the CDC. (Black market cannabis processors used vitamin E acetate to dilute THC oil in order to save money.)

The danger is not caused by cannabis itself, or vaping itself, but by the interaction of heat with the acetate form of various chemicals, including THC. In fact, any acetate ester subjected to heat could produce ketene.

It’s not certain if the amount of ketene produced by a vape cart is enough to create an immediate danger to the user, but it’s possible. It is also possible that lung damage could be caused by repeated small exposures.

Based on this research, we urge cannabis users to avoid vaping or smoking THC-O or any acetate form of any cannabinoid.

THC-O gummies and tinctures do not pose the same health risk.

SOURCES Benowitz, N.L., Havel, C., Jacob, P. et al. Vaping THC-O Acetate: Potential for Another EVALI Epidemic. J. Med. Toxicol. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-022-00921-3

Kaelas R. Munger, Robert P. Jensen, and Robert M. Strongin. Chemical Research in Toxicology 2022 35 (7), 1202-1205 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00170

Following passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp cultivation, there has been a commercial wave of products made from the legal plant. Aside from non-intoxicating CBD, which is found organically in hemp plants and can be easily extracted, there is a growing list of cannabinoids that have been manufactured by subjecting CBD to various chemical processes.

THC-O is one of the latest of those cannabinoids. It follows in the commercial footsteps of delta 8 THC and other “new” cannabinoids, which found a presence in the marketplace when manufacturers discovered how to produce them in large quantities by chemically processing CBD extracted from legal hemp plants.

However, as of February 2023, THC-O is not considered legal. Unlike delta 8 THC and other hemp-derived cannabinoids, THC-O is not found naturally in hemp plants and therefore federal law enforcement officials consider it a federally illegal controlled substance.

What is THC-O?

THC-O is the acetate ester form of THC, sometimes called THC acetate ester, or O-acetyl-Δ9-THC. It’s usually known as THC-O acetate (or ATHC or THC-Oa) among experts, but has been shortened by almost everyone to THC-O. Sometimes people drop the hyphen and call it THCO or THC O. However you decide to spell it, it’s pronounced “THC-oh”—that’s the letter O, not a zero.

Like delta 10 THC and the other hemp-derived cannabinoids on the market, THC-O is chemically almost identical to delta 9 THC, the intoxicating compound that dominates marijuana plants. And its effects are very similar to delta 9, but because it binds more tightly to the body’s cannabinoid receptors than the other THC forms, THC-O is more intoxicating than delta 8, delta 10 or HHC—and is even stronger than delta 9 THC (more on that below).

THC-O is available in all the usual cannabis styles: vapes, oils, edibles and flower. THC-O vape carts and disposable vapes are sold with either unflavored distillate or with added terpenes for flavor. THC-O is also mixed with edible oils like MCT to make tinctures for oral use. There are THC-O edibles available too, including gummies and chocolates. Finally there is “THC-O flower,” which is simply hemp flower infused with THC-O.

WARNING For the reasons noted at the beginning of this article, we recommend NOT using any inhaled form of THC-O---including vape carts or smoked flower. The heat applied in creating vapor or smoke could cause formation of ketene, a dangerous lung toxicant.

Further, since the DEA now considers THC-O a federally illegal, Schedule 1 drug, it is illegal to buy or sell in any form---although we're not aware of any arrests having yet been made.

What are the effects of THC-O?

As with the other hemp-derived THC variations, the big question about this one is, does THC-O get you high? The answer is a resounding yes. In fact, THC-O is purported to be 2-3 times more powerful than the delta 9 THC found in marijuana.

Measuring the effects of THC-O versus delta 8 THC, delta 10 THC or HHC is subjective, of course. But by most accounts, THC-O gets you higher than delta 8—and is a much more intense experience than all other forms of THC.

Not only is THC-O stronger than other forms of THC, but the psychoactive effects are much different. Many users describe THC-O as producing an almost psychedelic high, with borderline hallucinogenic effects. Both drug experts and sellers advise new users to go very slowly when trying this powerful cannabinoid.

There’s another reason to go slow: the effects of THC-O are always delayed. It’s a so-called “prodrug,” which means that the THC-O you swallow or inhale isn’t pre-activated by heat like most THC (the process called decarboxylation). Instead, the effects of THC-O aren’t felt until it’s been fully processed through the body—just like THC edibles.

So, whether you’re eating THC-O gummies or vaping a THC-O cart, you won’t feel any effects for 20-60 minutes. Since it’s so strong, it’s important to use a small amount first, then wait and see how you react before ingesting more.

WARNING For the reasons noted at the beginning of this article, we recommend NOT using any inhaled form of THC-O---including vape carts or smoked flower. The heat applied in creating vapor or smoke could cause formation of ketene, a dangerous lung toxicant.

Further, since the DEA now considers THC-O a federally illegal, Schedule 1 drug, it is illegal to buy or sell in any form---although we're not aware of any arrests having yet been made.

Will THC-O show up in a drug test?

There is practically no research on how the body processes THC-O. But as the acetate ester form of THC, it seems almost certain that drug tests will pick up THC metabolites in the blood, urine, or hair of a THC-O user. There is no information on how long THC-O remains in the body, but it’s safe to assume that it can be detected for at least as long as delta 9 THC—possibly for weeks or months.

The same warning applies to THC-O as delta 8, delta 10, and HHC: if your employer tests for marijuana use, it’s best to avoid THC-O.

Is THC-O safe?

THC-O is not safe to vape or smoke.

THC-O is created by chemically converting CBD into either delta 9 THC or delta 8 THC, and then converting those cannabinoids into their acetate ester form, which is called THC-O for short. The studies listed in the note at the top of this article show that when enough heat is applied to THC-O, thermal degradation can cause the formation of a dangerous lung toxicant called ketene.

The same thermal degradation process causes vitamin E acetate to generate ketene—a probable cause of the 2019 vaping lung injuries mistakenly called “EVALI” by the CDC. (Black market cannabis processors used vitamin E acetate to dilute THC oil in order to save money.)

The danger is not caused by cannabis itself, or vaping itself, but by the interaction of heat with the acetate form of various chemicals, including THC. In fact, any acetate ester subjected to heat could produce ketene.

It’s not certain if the amount of ketene produced by a vape cart is enough to create an immediate danger to the user, but it’s possible. It is also possible that cumulative lung damage could be caused by repeated small exposures.

Based on this research, we urge cannabis users to avoid vaping or smoking THC-O or any acetate form of any cannabinoid.

THC-O gummies and tinctures are not a health risk. The danger created by heating THC-O is not present in edible forms. Since there are lots of non-inhaled options available, THC-O fans should seek those instead.

Producing THC-O is definitely dangerous. Acetic anhydride is flammable, and using it creates a risk of fire and explosion. As with butane hash oil (BHO), it can only be made in properly equipped labs by people very familiar with the process. And even with experienced processors, there remains the chance that traces of the chemicals used to create THC-O could remain in the final product.

Is THC-O legal?

THC-O is no longer considered legal.

In the 2018 Farm Bill, Congress legalized hemp and all of its compounds and derivatives, as long as they contain less than 0.3 percent delta 9 THC. In May 2022, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that delta 8 THC meets the Farm Bill definition of a federally legal hemp product.

Based on the Farm Bill language and the later court decision, many manufacturers have considered THC-O to also be a legal hemp derivative. However, in February 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) explained in a letter to cannabis attorney Rod Kight that the agency considers THC-O a federally controlled, Schedule 1 drug.

The DEA could take enforcement actions against THC-O producers or sellers anytime, including seizing products, arresting employees, and charging companies and individuals with violating the Controlled Substances Act.

THC-O products are sold online by many of the same retailers that sell CBD (and delta 8, delta 10, HHC, and THCP). THC-O can also be found in convenience stores, head shops, gas stations, and some vape shops.

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Smokers created vaping without help from the tobacco industry or anti-smoking crusaders, and I believe vapers have the right to continue innovating to help themselves. My goal is to provide clear, honest information about the challenges vaping faces from lawmakers, regulators, and brokers of disinformation. I’m a member of the CASAA board, but my opinions aren’t necessarily CASAA’s, and vice versa. You can find me on Twitter @whycherrywhy

DALLAS – While Delta Air Lines (DL) doesn’t count the Second City as one of its hubs, the airline has been committed to elevating the passenger experience and beefing up its presence at Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD), where it has invested US$50m in its new Terminal 5 home.

Just this week, the airline moved its operations from older ORD Terminal 2 facilities into newly rebuilt and renovated areas of Terminal 5, where it will operate from gates M2 through M11. DL has also opened a dazzling new 22,000-plus-square-foot Delta Sky Club within Terminal 5—four times the capacity of its old Terminal 2 club.

A quick look at Delta’s presence at Chicago-O’Hare:

Delta also services Chicago’s Midway Airport (MDW) with about 10 peak-day departures to its Atlanta, Detroit, and Minneapolis-St. Paul hubs.

Airways had a look at Delta’s new Terminal 5 home—an impressive space where premium passengers especially will rejoice with state-of-the-art features designed to elevate the airport experience.

“Guests will find much to love in this new space—in addition to its amenities and stunning design, the T5 lounge offers one-of-a-kind experiences unique to our Club network,” said Claude Roussel, Managing Director, Delta Sky Club.

“On behalf of the entire City of Chicago, I’d like to thank Delta Air Lines for its ongoing commitment to connecting our city to the world through its investment in O’Hare International Airport’s Terminal 5 as part of its $1 billion transformation,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, in a statement.

“With the help of Delta and our other airline partners, Chicago stands ready to welcome visitors from all over the United States and the world and show them why Condé Nast Traveler readers have rated us as the Best Big City in the U.S. for six years in a row.”

Delta has spent the past decade investing more than $12 billion in airport hubs across the country, including recent upgrades at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA).

Featured image: Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines is set to move into a new terminal at O’Hare International Airport Wednesday, the latest step in ongoing construction at the airport.

The carrier will move from Terminal 2 to Terminal 5, which was formerly the international terminal but now also includes domestic carrier Southwest.

The move comes as a $1 billion renovation and expansion of Terminal 5 is slated to open in phases through 2023. The work is expected to increase the terminal’s gate capacity by 25%, increase passenger amenities and security checkpoint lanes, replace the aging baggage handling system and reconfigure customs and immigration facilities. Work is also underway on a new parking garage, and new concessions are planned for the terminal.

Terminal 2, where Delta had been located, is slated to eventually be torn down and replaced by a new Global Terminal and two satellite concourses as part of a massive overhaul of the airport, but for now the gates Delta had previously used will go to United and Alaska airlines.

In Terminal 5, Delta will have 10 gates and is opening a new, 22,000-square-foot Sky Club with nearly four times the capacity of the old Delta club. The move to the new terminal marks an investment by Delta in an airport where it traditionally has not been a dominant carrier. It also marks a commitment to a luxury experience often favored by business travelers, as international and business travel have been slower to come back from pandemic lows than leisure travel.

“This is a long-haul decision,” said Steve Sear, executive vice president of global sales and distribution for Delta.

Delta said the move to Terminal 5, where it invested $50 million, puts travelers in closer proximity to the carrier’s international airline partners, eliminating the need for international travelers to leave security and travel to a new terminal. It also offers travelers the option to board at some gates directly from the lounge, without leaving to enter the general airport.

The carrier will gain some gates in the move, but said it has also been flying large planes with more seats in and out of O’Hare. The carrier has averaged 40 more seats per departure than in 2019 on its route to Atlanta.

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