ABSTRACT
Turkey has an important place in tea marketing around the world and ice tea is one of the most popular products in the recent years. In this study, we aimed to evaluate ingredients of the substances written on the can of “Cannabis Ice Tea”; which is presented as psychoactive substance cannabis positive.
The drink was analyzed by immunoassay and chromatographic methods whether it contains prohibited substance under the relevant legal regulations. In the immunoassay studies; cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, synthetic cannabinoids, opiates and benzodiazepine groups were analyzed. Cannabis, amphetamines and derivatives, analgesics/non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), antidepressants, antihypertensive, hypnotics/sedatives, neuroleptics, opioids and caffeine were analyzed by using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.
“Cannabis Ice Tea” was analyzed by immunoassay and parameter results were determined to be negative according to cut off values. The obtained analysis results by chromatographic method showed that, cannabis, amphetamines and derivatives, analgesics/NSAIDs, antidepressants, antihypertensive, hypnotics/sedatives, neuroleptics, opioids were negative, while caffeine was positive (62 μg/mL).
Cannabis Ice Tea, which is being sold in many countries in the world and is prohibited to be sold in our country, follows a sales policy for product by exaggerated taste and sense descriptions. According to the analysis results; caffeine-containing beverage was not containing any cannabis or any other prohibited psychoactive substances, however, it can create a potential incentive effect that suggests the use of cannabis in the subconscious mind with an ice and hemp like logo. It is suggested that, increased awareness, necessary legal arrangements, studies and audits are required to be carried out in the product sales where the visuals of hemp plant are being used that is known to contain psychoactive substances.
Keywords: Ice Tea, Hemp, Cannabis, Marijuana, Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, Caffeine
