Up In Smoke: The Truth Behind Potency Inflation

Total THC is king in the cannabis industry. Will the race for higher THC levels leave the industry and its consumers up in smoke? How can analytical cannabis labs lead the charge in solving this problem?

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This workshop will explore the complexities of cannabinoid analysis, potential sources of potency inflation, and the remediating role analytical labs will play in the evolution of the industry.

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The accurate measurement of cannabinoid content is governed by sampling, homogenization, dilution, analysis, and data review methods. This workshop will focus on the major points of the analytical pipeline to explore the challenges and solutions in cannabinoid analysis with a special focus on potency inflation.

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During the session, the following questions are to be answered during the workshop:

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Sampling Bias

How does sample selection and size impact the results produced by laboratories?

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Sample Homogenization

How can the grinding and compositing process affect the cannabinoid content that is measured in a sample?

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Sample Extraction and Dilution

How do analytical techniques used for sample preparation impact the results that laboratories obtain?

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LC-UV Data Acquisition

How does the analytical method and reference materials utilized by the laboratory affect the calculated concentration of cannabinoids? What safeguards can laboratories use to ensure that the data being generated is accurate, reproducible, and legally defensible?

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Data Analysis and Review

How do high throughput laboratories calculate and apply measurement uncertainty for potency testing?

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Credits to our presenters:  Jini Curry, M.S. (Modern Canna Labs), Vernon LaLone, PhD. (Cambium Anlaytica), Wyatt Bergel (Modern Canna Labs), and Douglas Smith, M.S. (Cambium Analytica)