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Is Today’s Cannabis Really As Potent As The Percentages?

Today's Cannabis Percentages?
Written by Corre Addam

It’s a well-known fact that the cannabis of today is way stronger than it was in yesteryear, but are the THC percentages claimed really accurate?

Back in 2015, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) carried out a survey looking at the potency of THC in Cannabis in Colorado. They found an average of 17.1 percent for dried flower, and 62.1 percent for concentrates. Compare that with THC levels of just one percent back in the 1960’s and cannabis is now many times stronger, allegedly.

While stronger cannabis is associated with improved cultivation over the years, the market is also very much dependent on the demand, and these days people want stronger and stronger herbs. Back in the old days, up until fairly recently, consumers had to go by eye and smell as no percentage of potency figures were available. These days, the first question many people ask is, “How much THC is in that bud?”

Ingrid Henderson, manager at MiNDFUL dispensary told reporters, “THC testing isn’t a universal key to how [cannabis] is going to affect your body; it’s simply a parameter.” And Ingrid is of course correct, as there are many other factors at play including CBD levels, and terpenes, which change the overall affect of the cannabis, whatever its alleged THC is.

Ingrid added that, “My dispensary is fortunate enough to have most strains above 20 percent. but I swear to God some of the lower percentages get me higher.”

The founder of Gobi Labs, Bugi Perrone, also spoke to the press, regarding THC percentage in cannabis, “Curing and testing samples the day we receive them is important. Dry and lighter is better because the analysis is based on the ratio of trichomes [those little hairs on a bud] to the sample’s weight. “There are more factors to marijuana’s medicinal/psychological properties than just THC percentages. Also, my liver is different than your liver so all the cannabinoids will naturally affect and heal us differently.”

When all is said and done, according to Perrone, THC labelling may be off by “About 10-15 percent,” and that is an issue that needs to be solved, sooner rather than later.

[Image credit: Pixabay]

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About the author

Corre Addam

Addam spends the lion's share of his day fixated on his computer screen. When he isn't in front of his computer, you'll most likely find him editing or researching his next fascinating article on his smartphone or tablet. When he manages to pull himself away from technology, you'll find him chilling hard somewhere, probably under a tree with an ice-cold Iced-tea, pondering life...