As more and more states legalize marijuana, companies are facing new pressure from lawmakers across the country — and Capitol Hill — to limit the strength of their products.
The steadily rising levels of THC — the component of marijuana that gets users high — is causing widespread concerns about the public health consequences.
Lauren Davis, a Democrat, who has twice introduced legislation to cap THC potency in concentrates, products such as oils, wax and shatter.
The cannabis industry — with $20 billion in legal sales last year — is pushing back hard against proposals like Davis’.
“We welcome the conversation about public safety, and want to be an active part of it.
Proposals to limit the potency of THC have been introduced by both Democrats and Republicans, and are likely to proliferate as the legal pot market expands and matures.
Supporters of THC caps argue that they’ll protect unwitting consumers from ingesting highly potent products without significantly infringing on the rights of marijuana enthusiasts.
Increasingly, parents are raising alarm bells about the issue.
Data is dodgy and incomplete about exactly how strong weed has become.
But that doesn’t reflect the reality of marijuana products broadly on the market.
They argue that dodgy science and irrational fears are driving the debate, and that marijuana should be treated the same as alcohol, with state regulators empowered to ensure that products are safe.
Morgan Fox, spokesperson for the National Cannabis Industry Association, points to the 2019 vaping crisis as a warning sign of what could go wrong.
“The reason we even have high potency products is because of the legal market,” Sabet said.
Kris Krane, the president of marijuana company 4Front Ventures, disputes this assertion.
Garnett, the Colorado speaker, argues that the disconnect between state and federal laws has made it more difficult to gather credible scientific data about the impact of high-THC products.
The human brain’s formation is assisted by the body’s endocannabinoid system, explained Deepak Cyril D’Souza, a Yale University scientist who has studied the relationship between cannabis and psychosis for 25 years.
“What happens is the endocannabinoid system — when it turns on — its effects last for just a few milliseconds to seconds.
Davis’ Washington state bill differs from other THC potency cap proposals, because it would limit the purchase of concentrates to individuals over the age of 25.
Nowhere has the issue gotten more attention than in Florida, where the debate has played out for three straight years.
Republican House Speaker Chris Sprowls, citing scientific studies showing that products with high levels of THC altered brain development in young people, is backing legislation this year that would limit flower products to a 10 percent THC concentration.
The debate over strong weed isn’t going to fade away in Florida or anywhere else.