Post: Detecting Counterfeit Cannabis Edibles with Spectroscopy

With the expanding legal cannabis edibles market in the US comes the need for quick, precise examination of the molecular content of cannabis edible products to regulate and reduce fraudulent product production. Image Credit: Victor Moussa/Shutterstock.com Cannabis edible products are made using cannabis extract. The primary active ingredients in cannabis extract are cannabinoids. 1 Of the 100+ cannabinoids currently described, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the most commonly consumed for medicinal and recreational use. 2

THC is a psychoactive cannabinoid that has been shown to have important antiemetic and analgesic properties. CBD, on the other hand, is non-psychoactive and generally used for anxiolytic, antiseizure, and anti-inflammatory purposes. 3,4

With such rapid growth in the cannabis market in the United States, many regulation challenges have arisen. One of the major problems now is the production of counterfeit cannabis edible products made using synthetic chemicals. Counterfeit edibles pose a great safety threat to consumers and reduce consumers’ trust in the legal market.

Now, important advancements in spectroscopy for the analysis of cannabis edible products are evolving to combat this issue. The US legal cannabis market: Growth and challenges

Driven by consumer preferences for smoke-free cannabis products and greater recognition of marijuana’s medicinal properties, the United States’ legal cannabis edibles market was valued at 8.01 USD in 2022. Popular cannabis products include gummies, chocolates, hard candies, and cannabis-infused beverages, with baked goods being the most popularly consumed cannabis-infused food items in the States. 5

One issue with the US legal cannabis market is the increased potency of edibles, which varies between brands and can be falsely represented on packaging. This increased potency, combined with delayed onset effects, of cannabis edibles can result in overconsumption and potential adverse experiences. 6

Regulation of cannabis edible products is also not policed at the federal level, and only local brand protection is available, resulting in the production of fake, counterfeit versions of nationally reputed brands that consumers will seek out. 7 These counterfeit sellers are incorporating synthetic cannabinoids into their products, reducing the quality and safety of the product because it is less expensive, quicker, […]

Detecting Counterfeit Cannabis Edibles with Spectroscopy