The Myth of THC
Many retail cannabis customers believe the potency of pot is the based on the percentage of THC in the flower they’re buying. It’s not. Cannabis is the most chemically complex plant in the world. While it makes a bit of sense to believe that the chemical compound that constitutes the highest percentage in the plant would determine the ‘potency’ of the product, this is deceiving. Cannabis is not an alcoholic beverage where alcohol makes most of the alcoholic “bang”. Cannabis contains at least 500 different compounds and there is very little research about how these different compounds work with THC.
Growers need to produce a product that will bring them the most cash, so their solution (duh) is to grow plants with the highest THC they can. I’m not the only one who believes that THC percentages aren’t the mark of quality in cannabis. It’s a shared opinion by most in the industry. What can be done about it?
Origins of the Myth
Regulatory origins: Every state where cannabis is legal has a regulatory body that runs licensing as well as labeling. Somehow the regulators got it in their collective brains that the percentage of THC or CBD must be listed on the label. Note that the wine industry requires such labeling for wines with 14% alcohol or above. Under 14% alcohol wines can be just called “Table Wine”. Perhaps the cannabis regulators should have the plants that test over 25% THC (by weight) be labeled as such. Anything below that could be called uh, “table weed”? (We note that edibles report THC by milligrams, but in most cases terpenes cook off during the process.)
A Customer Walks Into a Cannabis Shop
I’ve been in dispensaries all over the country (where cannabis is legal) and the most common statement I hear customers ask (and budtenders and owners both agree) is; “What’s the highest THC weed you have?” To me, this is the same as a customer who walks into a wine store and asks; “What is the highest alcohol Chardonnay you have?” But why would they do this in either place? There’s a belief that flower with higher analyzed THC content is better. Well, here’s the bad news. It’s a myth. Just as a high alcohol Chardonnay is probably not a good wine, higher THC is not necessarily better. THC is only one of the many indicators of quality.
Retailers have a bit of the blame to take here as well. Many dispensaries price their cannabis by percentage of THC with the ‘top tier’ being the highest both in THC and the price. It doesn’t work this way in the wine industry at all. There it’s based on the sensory experience of the wine.
Good budtenders understand that it’s terpenes and other compounds that influence the experience, and they are in the best position to describe the usual experience of a particular strain to set expectations with customers.
Solutions
Education. Education. Education. We have to start with consumer education. Over time, customers will come to realize that the ‘potency’ of weed isn’t just how much THC there is in the flower, but is different when experiencing different strains. This is because of the terpenes and the myriad of different compounds in the plant. THC is THC and customers need to learn what strains are best for them. There are hundreds or even thousands of strains and they all have different effects. Terpenes, phenols, and other compounds all work with the THC. Perhaps a solution might be to offer sampler packs (like “flights”) so that customers can see how their bodies (and minds) react to various strains.
If you are a consumer, we recommend trying different strains and making notes on the experience — because terpenes and other compounds aren’t required to be documented by the testing labs or put on labels.
Retailers should become educated as well. Perhaps stop pricing cannabis by the THC percentage and start pricing based on the overall quality. Currently, staff reporting and consumer surveys are two ways to introduce this approach to your retail brand.
And Finally…the Growers
Growers could benefit from taking on the consumer perspective. Stop breeding and growing for high THC, and promote the entire plant. Sadly, not all growers follow proper dry and cure processes for their flower they worked so hard at growing.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve purchased harsh bud or dried out flower with low terpene levels (just from the aroma). Some growers are starting to add terpenes to their flower. Poor choice. Terpenes that are not naturally in the flower DO NOT smell or taste the same. In the 1700s, tobacco growers knew that proper drying and curing was essential to getting the best price for their product.
Consumer education is not a one way street. Growers and retailers will need to learn what consumers like best. Cannabis needs an innovation cycle: Growers and retailers creating better products based on how consumers respond to their products. Then, retailers will be able to more accurately communicate the kind of cannabis experience they’re delivering. We recommend using our 4-20s Review System.
