Study Shows Regulating Marijuana Sales May Be More Complicated Than We Thought

One of the benefits of legalized marijuana is that it gives people confidence in the product they are purchasing. While states with recreational and medical markets are still sorting out how to go about setting up rules governing handling and labeling procedures, a new

suggests that regulating the industry to provide consistency could be more difficult than initially believed.

A Colorado-based lab analyzed 600 samples of marijuana and determined that while the concentration of THC in the plant had sharply risen, the cannabidiol (CBD) content had declined. The findings showed that marijuana has gotten increasingly more potent over time and that differing strains don't actually differ much in terms of THC to CBD ratios. More concerning was data showing that CBD content in the samples analyzed showed that it was on the decline. CBD is the component that medical researchers are exploring as possible treatment for diseases like Huntington's or Alzheimer's; so that means those using it for medical reasons may not be getting the desired therapeutic effect.

The lab tests also revealed that the samples had ranging concentrations of fungi, something researchers said is relatively normal for a natural substance. Many samples also revealed traces of butane, a chemical used for THC extraction.

The study showed that marijuana markets have a long way to go before becoming completely reliable for consumers. While growers may claim that THC to CBD ratios are different from plant to plant, the study showed that may not be entirely true. Consumers may not be getting what they pay for when it comes to both medicinal and recreational weed.