Steep Hill
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America’s legal cannabis industry has an obsession with THC potency. The percentage of THC content is a driving factor in a cannabis consumer’s purchasing decision, making it an opportunity for labs to reap the financial rewards associated with every marginal increase in THC potency. For cannabis consumers, THC potency is the equivalent to nutrition labels on foods in the grocery store. But what happens when the labs testing for THC inflate its potency out of financial incentive? Lab corruption is jeopardizing consumer safety to capitalize on the THC market.
The inflation of THC is a widespread issue, laboratories across the US are experiencing suspension and fines for manipulating potency results (some labs falsifying results entirely) and passing tests with deficient contaminant detection procedures. One of the most recent well-known suspensions includes Praxis Laboratory, a Washington state lab that conducts consumer safety tests and THC potency analysis for legal cannabis products.
“THC inflation is pernicious, it’s easy to accomplish, and there are strong financial incentives to do it,” said Don Land, Chief Scientific Consultant to Steep Hill and professor of chemistry and forensics at the University of California Davis.
If the THC inflation issue only seems to be spreading now that more states are legalizing marijuana, what will the future for the cannabis consumer be?
What Happens Next?
New York revealed plans of basing the wholesale tax for cannabis on the THC content when commercial sales begin in the next upcoming years. The New York cannabis taxes will also be above the average compared to those in other states. If this form of taxation wasn’t already complicated, fraudulent THC lab reports make this taxation even more difficult. Inflated lab tests have severe financial impacts on America's multi-billion-dollar legal cannabis market. If a sample fails its quality assurance test, the farmer could potentially have to destroy an entire crop of cannabis. The benchmark for wholesale and retail cannabis prices for cured flower products is THC potency. As a result, THC has a strong correlation to the retail price. California's market sells cannabis that tests anywhere from 7-14 percent THC at a lower retail price than cannabis with results over 21 percent THC, according to Flowhub.
As a cannabis consumer, your priority should be to get your strain tested before use. Not only have molds in cannabis been associated with multiple health issues, but with an increase in THC inflations in labs, it’s even more important to know if you are getting your money’s worth.
THC Potency Testing at Steep Hill
Steep Hill makes it a priority to give customers an accurate understanding of what's in their strain. Steep Hill delivers a standard lab-certified potency report for THCA, ∆9THC, CBDA, CBD, CBN, and CBG. An extended list of cannabinoids is also available. Steep Hill’s tests provide truthful THC: CBD ratios because we value the purity of the cannabis strains that enter our labs and scientific integrity.
In addition to potency testing, Steep Hill offers cannabinoid & terpenoid profiling, microbiological screening, quantified pesticide testing, and residual solvent analysis.
Every consumer deserves to know what they are smoking. Steep Hill works to deliver reliable test results and thorough safety procedures to ensure the safety and validity of each cannabis sample.
20% off your next potency test with Steep Hill: https://linktr.ee/steephill