The chemistry of cannabis is something about which we still have much to learn. That point was underscored again recently when chemists testing the THC content of marijuana edibles revealed there is something about chocolate that seems to skew the potency tests.
The California Bureau of Cannabis Control requires not only that edible cannabis products be tested for the presence of pesticides and other contaminants, but also that their THC content be tested and accurately labeled on the project. Single-serving edibles sold in California can contain no more than 10 milligrams of THC, per the BCC. Packages can contain no more than 100 milligrams of the psychoactive ingredient.
But if your edible product contains chocolate, the labels on your marijuana products may not be accurate. Chocolates labeled as containing 10 milligrams of THC may in fact contain far more, which is a possible public health concern, as well as a liability for marijuana edible manufacturers and retailers.
The newest research on how chocolate interferes with the pot potency tests was recently presented at a conference in San Diego, representing just one of the ways in which chemistry is increasingly a factor in marijuana product manufacturing and sales.
Chemists have learned that the more chocolate is in a particular item, the less reliable the results on THC potency.
Cannabis Chemists File for Scores of Patents
Chemists are reportedly trying to determine how to glean a more accurate THC test result when chocolate is involved, as well as determine how to extend the shelf life of marijuana edibles. They also are looking at ways to make these products safer and how to retain the plants unique smell (by way of preserving the chemicals called terpenes that lend its pungent, telltale scent). Terpenes can get lost when making extracts from the plant, but many users say they want it.
Los Angeles marijuana lawyers understand some of the chemists working on these issues are taking action to legally protect their methods and other intellectual property, so they can be purchased by cannabis companies in the future. Cannabis-related invention patents are on the rise. Some industry insiders refer to some of the patented ideas more marketing than progress, but amid that, there is real advance happening on this front, with ideas that are likely to be deemed significantly valuable.
For example, some chemists are working on trying to determine how to ensure THC and CBD oils mixed into drinks and food won’t separate into layers while sitting for extended periods of time the shelf. These oils don’t just dissolve in water, which poses some issues for cannabis businesses looking to create new drinks that will sit on shelves for extended periods of time.
In a sense, chemists are working overtime because there has been so little study of the drug under the last eight decades of federal prohibition. As a Schedule I narcotic, it was considered to have no useful medicinal purpose and thus was barred from most human and animal studies.
Ultimately, more testing will lead to better standards for testing and, hopefully, better, safer marijuana products.
The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, ancillary companies, patients, doctors and those facing marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.
Additional Resources:
How much marijuana in that pot brownie? Candy bar? Chocolate can throw off potency tests, Sept. 18, 2019, By Carla K. Johnson, Associated Press