California’s cannabis has long been known for being notoriously strong, but test results from the state’s legal stores show that weed in the Golden State is getting weaker.
Experts say there’s more to the story.
Cannabis potency is usually measured by levels of THC, the most common intoxicant in marijuana. State law requires that all cannabis products be tested for THC content, which means there’s ample data on how strong the state’s weed is.
The median THC potency for cannabis flower has been dropping for the past six months and fell 7% in the past three months alone, according to data shared with SFGATE by Headset, an analytics firm. Headset’s data is based on over 90,000 test results compiled from retail stores and grouped into monthly averages. The median THC potency in December was 30.7%, but as of March 1, it was hovering at 28.5%, according to Headset’s data.
A 7% relative change in THC potency over the past three months may not seem like a lot, but the drop is the result of an ongoing issue with how California labels its pot.
The cannabis potency data printed on pot labels in California has received criticism for years for being inaccurate. Pot shops can charge more money for pot that has higher THC content, and industry observers have accused labs of doctoring test results to give pot companies higher THC potencies. [Read More @ SFGATE]