What is “Total THC” and Does It Matter?

Proponents of the “Total THC” position contend that both THCA and delta-9 THC concentrations must be taken into consideration to determine if a hemp plant is lawful.

[Editor’s note: Since publishing this article the USDA has issued an Interim Rule mandating the use of total THC as the standard. You can read more about it by clicking here. -Rod Kight]

I’m frequently asked whether or not a certain hemp strain is “compliant” (ie, lawful). Typically, this occurs when a client sends me a certificate of analysis (COA) showing values for the concentration levels of various cannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in the hemp strain at issue. The client always wants to know if the THC levels are ok.

According to the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) lawful hemp is distinguished from unlawful marijuana by virtue of its delta-9 (∆9) THC concentrations. Hemp is defined as cannabis sativa L with ∆9 THC concentrations that do not exceed three tenths of one percent (0.3%) on a dry weight basis. For this reason, when I receive a client’s COA I immediately look at the ∆9 THC values. If they do not exceed 0.3%, then I tell my client the hemp is compliant. It usually takes five or ten seconds. That’s when my client says, “Are you sure?

I should note that my clients understand how to read a COA, and they always know when the ∆9 THC concentrations in their COA exceed 0.3%. In fact, I have never been asked whether a hemp strain is compliant in circumstances where the ∆9 THC exceeded 0.3%. So, what gives? Why do so many of my clients call me to ask about whether their hemp is compliant when they know that its ∆9 THC levels do not exceed 0.3%? And why do they say, “Are you sure?” when I say that their hemp is lawful? The answer has to do with tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) and what has become known as the “Total THC” argument.

In this article I will describe what is meant by “Total THC”, discuss why it has become an issue, lay out the arguments that support it, and conclude by arguing that the concept of “Total THC” is misplaced and not supported by the plain language of the 2018 Farm Bill. As a postlude I will explain why adopting the Total THC position is bad public policy, regardless of its legality.

[Editor’s note: The USDA’s October 29, 2019 issuance of the Final Interim Rule regarding hemp requires pre-harvest testing to take into account “total THC” for compliance. While this article argues that such a regulation was neither mandated by the statute nor good public policy, keep in mind that the USDA’s regulations are currently the law. -October 29, 2019]

Background

There are various forms of THC. The two most common are ∆9 THC and THCA. (The “A” stands for “acid”.) ∆9 THC is the “neutral” form of THC. As most people know, it is the cannabinoid known for its psychoactive effects: it gets you high. ∆9 THC is commonly referred to simply as “THC”. (Although it’s a bit more cumbersome, I will use the full term “∆9 THC” in this article for clarity.)

THCA is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid commonly found in cannabis plants, including both marijuana and hemp. It is the acidic form of THC. According to the 2018 Farm Bill, neither its presence nor its concentration in a particular hemp plant is relevant to a determination of the plant’s legal status. Although this should be the end of the issue, it is actually the beginning. But, before delving into the arguments used to support the total THC position, it is important to understand some basic issues regarding decarboxylation and cannabis testing.

Testing Methods

There are several methods for testing the ∆9 THC concentrations in a hemp sample. The two most common are gas chromatography (GC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). (Note: You can read a more in-depth discussion of these testing methods here.)

When a hemp sample is analyzed using HPLC, one of the most common and reliable testing methods for botanicals, the cannabinoids remain unchanged and an accurate reading of their concentrations is obtained. In other words, an HPLC test of a hemp sample will reveal exactly the amount of ∆9 THC, along with any other cannabinoids, terpenes, and other phytonutrients, in the sample.

When THCA is heated it undergoes a chemical process through which it loses a carboxyl ring and transforms into a different molecule. This process is called decarboxylation. The molecule that THCA transforms into when it is decarboxylated is ∆9 THC, the molecule that determines the legal status of a hemp plant. As opposed to HPLC, the GC testing method heats up a sample in order to separate out its constituent parts to measure them. The heat it produces is sufficient to decarboxylate THCA in a hemp sample. In other words, the GC testing method creates the very molecule that it is measuring. This is loosely akin to a radar gun that speeds up the car it is clocking or a thermometer that heats up the water it is measuring.

By any reasonable view, GC is an improper test for measuring ∆9 THC levels in a hemp sample. By creating ∆9 THC, the GC method significantly increases the likelihood that the sample it measures will test “hot” (ie, that ∆9 THC concentrations will exceed 0.3%), resulting in the hemp crop from which the sample was taken being deemed non-compliant.

The obvious defect in the GC method for testing hemp, particularly when HPLC testing is available, begs the question of why GC should even be considered as an option. Surprisingly, GC appears to be used more often than HPLC for hemp testing. This is largely due to a misplaced belief that hemp should be tested for its “total available” or “total potential” THC concentrations. This position is flawed for several reasons. However, before explaining why it is flawed, it is important to understand what is meant by “total THC” and the arguments that are used to support it.

Total THC

“Total THC” refers to the legal argument that in order for a particular cannabis sample to meet the definition of “hemp” set forth in the 2018 Farm Bill both the ∆9 THC and the THCA concentrations must be taken into consideration. Specifically, in order to determine whether a specific hemp sample is legally compliant the ∆9 THC levels in a hemp sample must be added to 87.7% of the THCA levels in a hemp sample. (Note: The short reason for this is that ∆9 THC is only 87.7% of the molecular weight of THCA. I’ll explain it in more detail, below.) If the sum of these two figures does not exceed 0.3% then the hemp sample is lawful. If it exceeds 0.3% it is unlawful.

For example, if a hemp sample has ∆9 THC concentrations of 0.10% and THCA concentrations of 0.20%, then the “total THC” is 0.10% + (0.20% x 87.70%) = 0.28%. Under the Total THC view, this sample is compliant. However, a sample with the same ∆9 THC concentrations of 0.10% and THCA concentrations of 0.30% is not compliant because it has “total THC” concentrations of 0.10% + (0.30% x 87.70%) = 0.36%. In this second example, neither the ∆9 THC nor the THCA levels exceed 0.3%; however, added together they exceed (slightly) the legal limit of 0.3%. Therefore, the sample is unlawful “hot” hemp.

The Arguments in Support of Total THC

There are several arguments in support of the Total THC position. I will describe them here and then respond in seriatim (in serial order), below. I should note that in coming to understand these arguments over the past several months, which I have attempted to present in as compelling a manner as possible, I spoke with a number of very smart, impassioned people. Although these arguments, if generally accepted, would do great harm to the hemp industry, no one with whom I spoke had bad faith or any apparent ill motive towards the hemp industry. In fact, most are participants in it. To me, this is concerning. If the very people whose livelihoods would be negatively impacted by widespread adoption of these arguments are seduced by them, they are very powerful tools in the hands of those who would use them to subvert the industry or twist it to their benefit.

The first argument in support of the “total THC” position is scientific. Under this argument, THCA is composed of ∆9 THC. Specifically, it is composed of 87.7% ∆9 THC. Another way of thinking about it is that THCA “contains” ∆9 THC in concentrations up to 87.7%. Therefore, in order to obtain an accurate reading of the ∆9 THC levels in a hemp sample the ∆9 that is part of the THCA must be counted in addition to the ∆9 THC that is not bound up in THCA molecules. The reason THCA must be counted is because the 2018 Farm Bill definition of “hemp” is the cannabis plant and “any part” of it, “including…. acids… with a ∆9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent”. Since one of the plant’s acids (ie, THCA) is composed of 87.7% ∆9 THC, it must be included in the equation.

The second argument is based on one of the particular uses of hemp, namely, inhaling it. This is done by smoking or vaping the hemp, both of which heat it. According to this argument, THCA represents “available” or “potential” ∆9 THC. If a hemp sample is decarboxylated by heating it (as when smoking or vaping), then up to 87.7% of the THCA is chemically converted to ∆9 THC. Congress intended to limit ∆9 THC to 0.3% by setting that as the legal limit. In order to do this, some ways of using hemp, such as smoking or vaping, must be taken into consideration. The only way to ensure that ∆9 THC levels do not exceed 0.3% for all users is to factor in the ∆9 THC levels that are “contained” within the THCA molecule. Therefore, the potential ∆9 THC in a sample must be taken into consideration by either using the equation I discussed above, or by using the GC testing method since it heats up and decarboxylates the sample.

The third argument in support of the “total THC” position is statutory. Specifically, this argument points to the language used in the 2018 Farm Bill that requires a state choosing to regulate hemp to submit a plan for approval by the Secretary of the USDA that includes, among other things, “a procedure for testing, using post-decarboxylation or other similarly reliable methods, ∆9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration levels of hemp produced in the State or territory of the Indian tribe[.]” The argument is that the statute requires a state to use a “post decarboxylation” method [1] or a “similarly reliable” method that takes total THC into consideration. (“It’s right there in the statute” is a common phrase I hear.)

The Total THC Arguments Are Flawed

Despite how compelling the above arguments may appear to be, they are all flawed and cannot withstand careful analysis.

First, the so-called “scientific argument” is anything but scientific. Asserting that THCA “contains” or is “composed of” ∆9 THC is to misunderstand basic chemistry. THCA is a separate and distinct molecule from ∆9 THC. It does not “contain” ∆9 THC any more than wood “contains” ash or a caterpillar “contains” a butterfly. Certainly, burned wood can transform into ash (and other compounds) and a caterpillar can transform into a butterfly; however, arguing that wood “contains” ash and caterpillars “contain” butterflies is to enter into the realm of teleological philosophy, not science. The same is true for THCA and ∆9 THC. The fact is that decarboxylation, a chemical process, renders a THCA molecule into a ∆9 THC molecule by changing it: a carboxyl group is removed and carbon dioxide is released. In other words, ∆9 THC is not Han Solo trapped in carbonite by Jabba the Hutt, waiting to be released by his Rebel friends. A better analogy is Harrison Ford himself, who was transformed by Hollywood into Han Solo, an entirely different (though perhaps similar) person with different attributes.

Additionally, it is not even entirely accurate to say that THCA decarboxylates into 87.7% ∆9 THC. The most accurate statement is that ∆9 THC is 87.7% of the molecular weight of THCA. The decarboxylation process is not particularly efficient. In the best of conditions, only 75% of THCA can be converted into ∆9 THC. Usually, the percentage is much less. For this reason, and according to Leafly, “There is no official industry standard for calculating the total THC of a cannabis product and different producers and testing facilities calculate it in different ways.” So, even if the scientific argument for the total THC position was valid, simply using an equation that added 87.7% of the THCA concentrations to the ∆9 THC concentrations is inaccurate and greatly inflates the actual “total THC” (or total potential THC) in a hemp plant.

This leads to the second argument, which is that some hemp is inhaled by smoking or vaping and so the total “potential” (or total “available”) THC should be taken into consideration. The fact is that smoking and vaping hemp are both highly inefficient ways of decarboxylating THCA. Up to 70% of the “available THC” is lost in the process of smoking hemp due to pyrolysis (thermal decomposition) and side-stream smoke. Although vaporizing is more efficient, up to 50% of the “available THC” is lost. Thus, neither the mathematical method (using 87.7% as a multiple) nor an efficient decarboxylation testing method (such as GC) accurately capture the actual ∆9 THC that a hemp smoker or vaper receives. Both methods greatly inflate the amount. And, of course, this doesn’t take into consideration the fact that smoking or vaping hemp remain relatively novel. Most hemp is processed into oils or industrial products and is not decarboxylated. Why should hemp biomass that is destined to become CBD oil be subjected to decarboxylation testing for compliance when it will never be decarboxylated?

Finally, the third argument, which posits that measuring “total THC” is mandated by the statute, is flawed by reference to the plain language of the statute itself, which contemplates testing for ∆9 THC concentrations using a post-decarboxylation method or another similarly reliable method. In other words, the statute contemplates that a state will have two options for testing ∆9 THC levels in a hemp strain: (1) a “post decarboxylation” method, or (2) a non-post decarboxylation method, provided that it is a “similarly reliable” method for testing ∆9 THC. Setting aside the fact that “post decarboxylation” is not actually a testing method (see footnote 1, below), HPLC is a highly reliable and scientifically approved method of testing for ∆9 THC. It is, in fact, the most reliable method.

So, rather than supporting the argument that the statute requires a “post decarboxylation” method (presumably, GC), the plain language of the statute actually supports the opposite conclusion: that a state plan to regulate hemp can employ either a post-decarboxylation or a non-post decarboxylation method, provided that the latter is reliable. For reasons I assert below, it is vitally important for the USDA and the states to support farmers by adopting HPLC for compliance testing, a highly reliable method that is authorized by the statute.

The fact is that the argument for total THC by reference to the statute fails by the statute itself, which does not use the terms “total available” or “total potential” THC. Rather, the 2018 Farm Bill uses the term “delta-9 THC”. It would have been easy enough for Congress to use these terms (or even simply “THC”) rather than “delta-9” had they intended for THCA be a factor in determining the legal status of a hemp plant. Yet, they did not use these terms. Consequently, the concentrations of THCA in a hemp plant are irrelevant to its legal status.

Adopting Total THC is Bad Policy

Aside from legal considerations, the reason that this issue is important is because widespread adoption of the total THC position would be harmful to the hemp industry. In particular, it would harm hemp farmers. Requiring total THC concentrations to remain within 0.3%, rather than just limiting ∆9 THC, severely limits the hemp strains a farmer can grow. Growing hemp for cannabidiol (CBD) is difficult enough. Limiting the strains a farmer can grow places an undue and unnecessary burden on an already difficult activity.

Moreover, as states are beginning to submit their proposed regulatory plans under the 2018 Farm Bill to the USDA, the ones that take the total THC position, and in particular that require GC testing for compliance, place their farmers in a worse economic position than farmers in states who do not take this position and do not require GC compliance testing.

As a simple example, consider farmers in the fictional state of Xtucky, which requires hemp to be tested using GC and thus takes the total THC position. These farmers will compete in the market against farmers in the fictional state of Zarolina, that does compliance testing using HPLC and does not take THCA levels into consideration. The Xtucky farmers are constrained by the hemp strains they can use, while the farmers in Zarolina are not. Consequently, the Zarolina farmers will have a competitive edge in the market with more varieties to sell. They will also more easily find strains and phenotypes that work in their particular environments. And, of course, the Xtucky farmers will soon be competing with farmers in the international market, including farmers whose countries do not take the total THC view. There is no compelling reason to hamper hemp farmers in this way, particularly when the legal arguments used to support this position are flawed.

Conclusion

We all know the old saying that, “the Devil is in the details.” This is a good phrase to keep in mind as hemp regulations begin to emerge. A legal position that seems self-evident or even seductive may be anything but when analyzed under the proverbial microscope. Of the emerging positions, “total THC” is particularly fraught with Devils. Don’t be tempted.

Footnote:

[1] It is important to note that there is actually no such thing as a “post decarboxylation” testing method. Presumably, Congress intended to refer to GC but did so without receiving sufficient scientific input, thus resulting in a nonsensical term appearing in the statute. This nonsensical term has already caused considerable confusion.

May 10, 2019

Rod Kight is an attorney who represents lawful cannabis businesses. He speaks at cannabis conferences across the country, drafts and presents cannabis legislation to foreign governments, is regularly quoted on cannabis matters in the media, and maintains the Kight on Cannabis legal blog, where he discusses legal issues affecting the cannabis industry. You can contact him here.

33 comments on “What is “Total THC” and Does It Matter?Add yours →

  1. I agree
    THCA that went through the decarboxylation process during lab testing unnaturally converting it to THC is not a true indication of naturally occurring Delta 9 THC in the hemp because energy in the means of heat was artificially introduced into the process thus creating a processed hemp product.
    The Testing altered and compromised the results making them null.

  2. Great information – Who do we as consumers (and sellers of CBD products) contact to make a difference? We have potential clients daily who want to use CBD Oil but because of current drug testing cannot because of the possibility of testing positive on a work related drug test. We have at least three of our largest employers that have point blank told employees they will be fired on the spot if they test positive – even if the employee tells them up front they are taking CBD and offers a COA. It almost seems that CBD is being “targeted” now. It is ridiculous that this product helps so many people and is so misunderstood. I try to learn as much as I can – from legitimate sources- to share with our clients. Thank you for the information you are sharing.

    1. Thank you for reading and commenting, Danielle. I recommend contacting your state legislators and department of agriculture.

  3. Rod,
    Thank you so much for a well written informative article. I’m a grower in Va
    who worked within a VT research program last year and went through
    VDACS testing, which is flawed to say the least. I’ve been in contact with the commissioner of VDACS previously, who has been responsive toward the testing protocol and how they can improve it. This article will help tremendously to add to the conversation I’ve opened with her.

    1. I have also contacted VDACS in regards to making a change to Virginia protocol insisting on post-decarboxylation testing. Virginia has a choice I hope more states will make the change so the crop can be utilized instead of trashed. Especially if the final product will never be burned or heated (ie cbd oil)

  4. i own a cbd company in GA and get this question a lot. although my answer fills in the details, you have helped hone them into a simpler and more finished answer. thanks Rod

  5. Compelling, well-written analysis of how hemp should be tested for THC. Thank you …but since this is now in the hands of politicians,… might the University of Kentucky’s announcement of a new zero THC hemp variety hold disproportionate weight in determining the final regulatory language? Who do you see advocating for your rationale in the current USDA deliberations on federal hemp laws?

    1. Thank you, Damon. I do believe that the University of Kentucky’s announcement may have an impact on the final regulatory language. (KY has already submitted a proposed regulatory plan to the USDA which mandates post-decarboxylation testing.) My post was as much a “call to action” as anything else. A primary point of it is to let people know that the states (and the USDA) have options in enacting testing methods. I think that all farmers should be advocating for the rationale I discuss in the article.

  6. Rod, thank you for your compelling and detailed analysis of hemp testing. I work for an independent, certified lab in SC and customers are asking us the same question: Are my results compliant? We use HPLC and I do not believe SC requires post-decarboxylation testing. I do have one question for you. Since the law requires results be reported on a dry weight basis, it would see essential that customers provide samples that are already dry or else we would need to air dry them in the lab before analysis. Is this the recommended approach? Or can results be corrected for moisture content? Thank you.

    1. Great question. In the absence of specific regulations I recommend using dried material for testing. This may change with the USDA and individual state regulatory plans.

  7. Total THC should be placed at 1 or 2% since most Cannabis (Hemp and Marijuana) has 0.3% of less D9THC. I have strains of Cannabis with 0.3% or less D9THC but 15% THCa, according to the the 2018 Farm Bill this is Hemp and we all know this is not what anyone intended.

    1. Thank you for your comments, Chris. While I agree with you that the THC limits should be expanded, I do not believe that will happen any time soon. With respect to your comment that “we all know this is not what anyone intended”, I respectfully disagree. In statutory construction it is fundamental that the words are given their plain meaning and that we do not read “intent” into a statute that is clear and unambiguous. The 2018 Farm Bill clearly and unambiguously states that the distinguishing factor between lawful hemp and illegal marijuana is delta-9 THC concentrations. If Congress intended for “total THC” to be the standard, it easily could have said so in the statute. It did not, and so we can infer that it did not intend for “total THC” and/or THCA concentrations to play a part in determining whether a particular cannabis sample is lawful hemp or unlawful marijuana.

  8. Thank you! I pray that your arguments prevail!! I’m quite familiar with the details and issues as well as the consequences of our DAG’s adopting total THC and you have written a wonderful article explaining it all. The other issue affecting hemp growers is the “whole plant” language for testing protocols. Some DAG’s are testing the “buds of flowers” only and considering total THC – these practices will make high CBD farming extremely difficult. I will share your article with our DAG .
    Chuck Romanoli
    Hemp Farmer and Processor

  9. Mr. Kight,

    First of all, thank you for everything you’re doing here! Your blog has become a major resource for me as I have recently begun working in Industrial Hemp.

    I’m currently attempting to compile a list of States that require CG testing or otherwise differentiate between Delta-9 and Total THC in their laws. I see some discussion of Kentucky in comments here. Do you know if there already exists some sort of database with this information? I’m up to my ears in various state laws and would love to streamline the process.

    Thanks!

  10. We are already finding customers in certain states like Wisconsin feeling the pressure of “total THC” laws being used so that they will not purchase industrial hemp even if the d9THC is zero but the THCa is 0.4. What we have seen though, is for strains to get the <0.3% "total" – it dramatically reduces the CBD content. So, not only will those law affect competition unfairly, it will unfairly block access to states for selling CBD which is a direct contradiction of the farm bill's intent. Furthermore, forcing farmers to reduce their CBD content to make the 0.3% "total" thc limit is a direct correlation to the pharmaceuticals and their lobbying this industry to death. As of right now, our "method" of converting industrial hemp into oil takes concentrations of 0.64 THCa and 0.02 d9 THC and results in a ZERO "total" THC. We do NOT strip the THC, either. So – the idea that our product could be forcibly decarboxylated into more d9 THC is a fallacy dependent upon the methodology. We do use labs that use the Kentucky HPLC method and we test when required (30 days before harvest), and then we voluntarily test again after harvest. What we've discovered is that depending on how one handles their product, the CBD can go up while the THC goes down or remains null. This is a very disturbing issue. With the current grow methods of farmers around the ENTIRE nation in 2019 dependent on the d9THC as the measurement: this will literally bankrupt millions of farmers to the tune of tens of millions. Our state is waiting for the "USDA" results and will just go with whatever they say. I want to see this article given to the USDA and lobbied to political officials. There has to be a way to protect an industry that only 100 years ago was a LEGALLY required industry.

  11. Mr. Kight: Thank you for your article. I sit on the editorial board of Cannabis Science and Technology magazine, and publish a regular column for them called “Cannabis Analysis”. My next article is entitled, “Hemp Testing Insanity” and addresses many of the issues you raise here. One thing though, THCA converts to THC at a known rate (I published the research on this). So, Total THC is still of interest as an estimate of the highest THC value you may get if all of the THCA happens to convert. This is particularly important for material that is going to be stored for long periods of time. Thanks again, Brian C. Smith, Ph.D.

    1. Good question, Robert. Shipping hemp through states is expressly allowed by the 2018 Farm Bill and individual states cannot prohibit it. That being said, most state crime labs use a testing method that decarboxylates the THCa. For this reason, if a carrier has compliant hemp that was grown in a state that does not use a “total THC” standard then it could test “hot” (ie, as marijuana). The new USDA standards, which will implement a “total THC” pre-harvest testing regime across the country, will eliminate this issue as hemp grown under the USDA regulations will all have to be within 0.3% total THC.

  12. Very well spoken. After reading this I once again have hope that the past 3 years of my life is not in vain. I can rest tonight knowing tomorrow I stand with you and hopefully many others in saying that delta-9 THC is not Total THC.

  13. Rod – Thank you for lending your expertise gratis. I’m going to state the obvious here: If all strains of cannabis were de-scheduled tomorrow, these total THC issues would be moot. De-scheduling, to me, is too distant a goal, again obviously. So, being these technical points are difficult for many politicians to understand and it would seem the USDA is intent on stating to the industry that “these are the rules – live with them”, I do not think the state legislatures are going to be interested in spending the resources to argue the USDA’s intent, until the economic impact to the growers, processors, consumers and the states’ tax coffers are spelled out to these politicians. That last point is our most valuable: the states’ tax revenue, yet to drafted or in existence now, would be impacted by these proposed rules. I believe that is what we need to focus on when talking with our legislators.

  14. It is interesting that hemp crop over 0.3% total needs to be “destroyed”. Aside from the USDA and the DEA defining destruction of a controlled substance differently, why is destruction necessary? Hemp can be processed in ways that permanently remove all THC. Why cannot any crop tested over 0.3% be forced into a specific process and not allowed to be sold to a consumer directly. The real goal of the industry should be to regulate the end product to the consumer. The distilled alcohol industry does exactly this as an industry standard practice.

    Maybe a cap of 1.0% before destruction. Anything 0.3%-1.0% can be allowed to have the THC processed out and disposed or destroyed separately without the need for the entire crop destruction. This would really help farmers at any scale.

  15. Rod,
    Very good writing here about total THC and the language of “…or similarly reliable…” That definitely seems like the best angle to pursue with USDA. You have made a very solid case about the flexibility provided in the law but also understand that they have to be presented a justifiable and defensible scientific argument.
    If they are going to use a factor what could we argue is the best factor supported by the science? Half of the 87%?
    Could you please elaborate on these points and/or provide sources?
    The decarboxylation process is not particularly efficient. In the best of conditions, only 75% of THCA can be converted into ∆9 THC. Usually, the percentage is much less.
    The fact is that smoking and vaping hemp are both highly inefficient ways of decarboxylating THCA. Up to 70% of the “available THC” is lost in the process of smoking hemp due to pyrolysis (thermal decomposition) and side-stream smoke. Although vaporizing is more efficient, up to 50% of the “available THC” is lost. Thus, neither the mathematical method (using 87.7% as a multiple) nor an efficient decarboxylation testing method (such as GC) accurately capture the actual ∆9 THC that a hemp smoker or vaper receives. Both methods greatly inflate the amount
    Thank you!

    1. Russell- Thank you for your comments. You make excellent points, the most important of which is the inefficiency of smoking and vaporization as decarboxylation. With respect to the flexibility of the law, my position is that only delta-9 THC needs to be taken into account. The statute never mentions “total THC”, “potential THC”, or any other cannabinoids. -Rod

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