Labels on Edible Pot Products May Be Misleading
Labels on Edible Pot Products May Be Misleading
By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, June 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to edible medical marijuana products, new research shows that ailing people are unlikely to get what they pay for in that pot brownie or chocolate chunk cookie.
Most edible pot products sampled in three major U.S. cities were mislabeled, often containing less active ingredient than promised on the packaging, according to a report published in the June 23 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"The concern is that people are purchasing a product, and not getting what they are paying for," said study author Ryan Vandrey, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. "These are individuals who are using cannabis for a medical benefit, and they won't get the benefit if the drug is not in there."
Only 17 percent of 75 marijuana edibles purchased in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle carried packaging that accurately reported the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical in pot that produces a high, the researchers found.
Three out of five marijuana edibles contained less THC than promised. "We had products that were supposed to have 200 milligrams and only had 2 or 3 milligrams," Vandrey said.
On the other hand, nearly a quarter of edible pot products contained more THC than expected. Patients who take these might overdose and wind up experiencing anxiety, a panic attack, paranoia and, in extreme cases, even hallucinations or acute psychosis, Vandrey said.
"It can be a miserable experience, and through the edible route of administration, that miserable experience can last many hours," he said of taking more THC than expected.
For the study, researchers collected 75 different edible cannabis products -- baked goods, beverages and candy or chocolates -- representing 47 different brands. The products were legally purchased from a sample of three medical dispensaries in each of the three cities.
The cities were chosen based on the location of the labs chosen to test the edibles, "because you can't transport these products across state lines legally," Vandrey explained.
HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, June 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to edible medical marijuana products, new research shows that ailing people are unlikely to get what they pay for in that pot brownie or chocolate chunk cookie.
Most edible pot products sampled in three major U.S. cities were mislabeled, often containing less active ingredient than promised on the packaging, according to a report published in the June 23 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"The concern is that people are purchasing a product, and not getting what they are paying for," said study author Ryan Vandrey, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. "These are individuals who are using cannabis for a medical benefit, and they won't get the benefit if the drug is not in there."
Only 17 percent of 75 marijuana edibles purchased in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle carried packaging that accurately reported the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical in pot that produces a high, the researchers found.
Three out of five marijuana edibles contained less THC than promised. "We had products that were supposed to have 200 milligrams and only had 2 or 3 milligrams," Vandrey said.
On the other hand, nearly a quarter of edible pot products contained more THC than expected. Patients who take these might overdose and wind up experiencing anxiety, a panic attack, paranoia and, in extreme cases, even hallucinations or acute psychosis, Vandrey said.
"It can be a miserable experience, and through the edible route of administration, that miserable experience can last many hours," he said of taking more THC than expected.
For the study, researchers collected 75 different edible cannabis products -- baked goods, beverages and candy or chocolates -- representing 47 different brands. The products were legally purchased from a sample of three medical dispensaries in each of the three cities.
The cities were chosen based on the location of the labs chosen to test the edibles, "because you can't transport these products across state lines legally," Vandrey explained.
