ACS Laboratory's Accurate Cannabis Potency Testing
ACS Laboratory’s cannabis potency tests quantify up to 30 cannabinoids using highly accurate high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipment. This method ensures compliance with federal and state laws and provides brands with critical labeling information. For growers, testing cannabis potency early and often maximizes their crop’s cannabinoid profile, including THC and CBD concentration.
This article explains how testing cannabis potency with accredited facilities like ACS Laboratory provides accurate results that maintain safety and quality across all product types.
What Is Cannabis Potency Testing?
Cannabis potency testing quantifies the total amount of cannabinoids present in cannabis and hemp plants and products.
Cannabis sativa plants contain over 118 different cannabinoids that synergize to produce each strain’s therapeutic and cognitive effects. The two major cannabinoids present in the highest quantities are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Minor cannabinoids such as cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), CBC (cannabichromene), and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) have also gained popularity for the effects they contribute.
Why is Cannabis Potency Testing Important?
Testing cannabis potency for major and minor alkaloids allows consumers to make informed purchasing decisions based on a product’s reported strength and the therapeutic effects of the compounds it contains. Sometimes, potency testing is also a state or federal requirement for legal sales.
As a result, accurate results are critical from pre-harvest through post-processing for hemp and cannabis products.
For hemp growers
Hemp growers must test plants for potency early and often to ensure compliance with federal law. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp by defining it as Cannabis sativa plants with extremely low concentrations of the psychoactive compound Delta-9 THC. Cannabis sativa plants must contain no more than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis to be considered hemp, and testing cannabis potency throughout the growth cycle and right before harvest ensures they are within the acceptable limit.
Alternative cannabinoid producers
Alternative hemp-derived cannabinoids like Delta-8, THCP, and HHCP must also meet Farm Bill guidelines to be federally compliant. Testing cannabis potency ensures the total Delta-9 THC concentration doesn’t exceed 0.3%.
Testing cannabis potency for these compounds also gives consumers an idea of the type of effects they can expect. For example:
- Delta-8 THC is known for its milder psychoactive effects compared to Delta-9 THC, offering a more relaxed and clear-headed experience.
- THCP, being potentially much more potent than Delta-9 THC, may induce more substantial psychoactive effects and pronounced therapeutic benefits, such as pain relief or appetite stimulation.
- HHCP, with its similar structure to THC, is also thought to produce more potent effects, although research is still ongoing to understand its properties fully.
Consumers who understand the concentration of these alternative cannabinoids can create tailored and enjoyable experiences.
For cannabis growers
High-THC Cannabis sativa plants, like hemp, must undergo potency testing for legal and consumer-driven reasons.
Testing cannabis potency is typically required for medical and recreational growers in states with regulated programs. Cannabis potency testing also helps growers optimize their crops. For example, cultivators who send plant samples during the growing cycle can know when buds have reached their optimum potency before they harvest an entire greenhouse or acre. This information allows them to fine-tune nutrients and sunlight for the best outcome.
Processors and brands
Testing cannabis potency is also critical for end-product producers so they can publish accurate label information. Accurate label information helps consumers determine which products will achieve their desired effects and how much they should take.
For example, a consumer looking for a mild, relaxing effect might choose a flower with a lower THC percentage, starting with a small amount and gradually increasing it until they reach their desired effect. Conversely, someone seeking stronger pain relief or sleep aid might opt for a higher THC percentage in a product, using caution and starting with a low dose to assess their tolerance.
Similarly, when choosing edibles, consumers can utilize potency information to determine how many milligrams of THC they want to consume, factoring in their tolerance and desired effects.
Accuracy in Cannabis Potency Testing
Accurate cannabis potency testing is critical for ensuring consumer safety and product efficacy. However, Inaccurate potency testing is a pervasive issue that can lead to brands mislabeling their products with the wrong THC concentration.
- Studies indicate that the THC potency of marijuana flower sold in legal stores in four states is routinely and systematically inflated, sometimes by as much as 25% or more.
- A 2023 study across ten dispensaries in Colorado found that over 70% of samples inaccurately labeled their THC content. According to the researchers, the “average observed THC potency was 23.1% lower than the lowest label reported values and 35.6% lower than the highest label reported values.”
Why inaccurate potency testing happens
There are several reasons why some laboratories testing cannabis potency get it wrong.
Lack of uniform testing protocols: Currently, there are no federally regulated methods to assess cannabis products for potency and safety in the United States. Each lab must choose or develop its own procedures to meet state testing requirements. Unfortunately, sometimes, their methods do not align with industry standards, like those created by the Emerald Scientific Inter-Laboratory Comparison proficiency test. Laboratories order certified reference materials from different sources. They all differ in how they conduct their sample preparation.
Limited regulatory oversight: Cannabis's illegal status at the federal level means there is no industry-specific regulation for it. On the state level, regulation is a complicated patchwork, with testing requirements and laws often varying wildly between states and even cities.
Financial incentives to market high THC potency: Many brands and consumers correlate high THC content with quality, making potency a primary factor in determining pricing for cannabis flower, edibles, and other products. This fact can incentivize manufacturers to go “lab shopping.” where product manufacturers and retailers seek out facilities that will return friendly results in the form of high THC readings.
Why accurate cannabis potency testing is so critical
Research on the lack of accurate reporting of THC potency shows that the practice can negatively impact consumers and the industry in many ways.
- Unsafe products entering the market put consumers' health at risk.
- Medical and recreational consumers can’t reliably control dosage or achieve their desired effects.
- Consumers second-guess the credibility of cannabis products, losing trust in the industry.
Testing Cannabis Potency with ACS Laboratory
When done correctly, cannabis potency testing can achieve extremely high accuracy and precision. ACS has received 82 Emerald Badges for reliable purity and potency cannabis testing–more than any facility in the USA.
ACS Laboratory tests various cannabis products, including flower, edibles, extracts, and beverages, for 30 cannabinoids using Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technology. HPLC is the preferred instrument for testing cannabis edibles and extracts because it can test samples at room temperature without requiring a catalyst to produce a heat reaction. This method can also test for the acidic forms of THC and CBD (THCA and CBDA), which contribute to the potency of many products.
ACS Laboratory offers five cannabinoid potency testing panels:
- Potency 10: This test is the state-mandated nationwide standard for all retail products derived from hemp.
- Potency 11: This specific test is state-mandated by the Florida OMMU for all products sold in Florida MMTCs.
- Potency 13: This test adds Delta-8 THC and Delta-10 THC to the standard Potency 11 test.
- Potency 25: This most inclusive cannabinoid potency panel in the U.S. covers 30 analytes.
- HHC Potency: This specialized test for HHC derivatives includes a compliance check for Delta-9 THC.
Bottom Line
Standardized and consistent cannabis potency testing is necessary for all product types to ensure accurate labeling and dosing, keeping consumers safe from unwanted side effects. Testing cannabis potency throughout the cultivation process also allows growers to optimize their crops and achieve the highest quality results. For hemp and alternative cannabinoids like Delta-8, potency testing is a requirement to prove that they contain less than the maximum federal limit of Delta-9 THC (0.3%).
Brands looking to stay on top of safety and quality standards can contact ACS Laboratory to start testing cannabis potency today.
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