| Despite some cultivators’ and retailers’ efforts to divert focus away from THC potency, most consumers still shop for and select cannabis products based on the highest percentage of this dominant cannabinoid. Like the sativa and indica dichotomy, THC percentage is what is most familiar and known. It’s what consumers understand. Or, at least, it’s what they think they understand. As Dr. Markus Roggen, president and chief science officer of Delic Labs, a licensed cannabis and psychedelic R&D laboratory, writes in a guest column published in the December issue of Cannabis Business Times, “The market is tilted toward buying the highest total THC percentage because it is a number that everyone believes they understand. There is a lot wrong with this.” He illustrates three reasons why this figure is miscalculated and misunderstood, both by the general public and the industry, and offers alternatives for how to present potency and make labels easier to understand, which he believes is a necessary step to shift attention away from THC. As Roggen writes, “No one shops intending to pick a good wine but then opts for vodka because it has more alcohol content.” The focus on THC percentage has many ramifications for an industry still working to educate consumers about cannabis’ myriad terpenes and benefits. And the problem of potency inflation, which CBT Managing Editor Patrick Williams examined in the November cover story, chips away at consumer trust, though it’s something regulators are working to combat. While reporting on these and other articles about THC potency inflation, the CBT team (and some cultivators we interviewed) wondered, how exactly do labs measure for this defining characteristic of cannabis? One Florida-based cannabis testing lab shared details of its practices and procedures and what potency testing involves. As is always the case, we’d love your take on THC potency and its industry influence. There are many ways to reach us and start a conversation, including via our LinkedIn page. -Michelle Simakis, Editor-in-Chief | 