Legal cannabis product labels contain details meant to help users understand the contents better. Below is a brief but thoroughly detailed guide on reading a cannabis product label.
Health Canada stringently controls the packaging and labeling standards for legal cannabis products. This necessitates legitimate producers to share tons of information concerning their products directly on the respective containers.
While this means that the container might be too detailed, it also means that users will find all the necessary information to help them understand what they are purchasing. Fortunately, the labeling is consistent for all the products, and you can understand all products when you understand one. Below is a summary of the information you can expect to find on the container’s label and how to decipher it.
The cannabis class, strain, and species
By reading the label, you will understand the product’s class, whether it is fresh or dried cannabis, topical, edible, extract, plants or seeds. Additionally, by reading the label, you will learn the cannabis species used in the product from among Indica, Sativa, and hybrid, where each has its outstanding characteristics. Additionally, some labels may show the exact strain name the producer has given the specific plant used.
Packaged-on and expiry dates
The label must be clear on the date the cannabis was packaged, which is different from the harvesting date; it should be when the final product was put and sealed in the packaging. The purpose of expiry dates is to communicate the product’s stability as far as potency is concerned and are not mandatory according to regulations. Therefore, they will be present on some labels and absent on others. *Note, some cannabis some products may not have an expiry date due to the method of packaging such as air tight sealed etc.
Presence of THC and health risks
It is mandatory for any product with at least 10 micrograms of the content per gram to show the cannabis symbol, which is represented by a white cannabis leaf in a red hexagon, with the text THC in black. Additionally, the label has a message about the potential health effects and risks of using cannabis and a “keep out of reach of children” statement, which is in upper case. The entire health risks statement is highlighted in yellow.
Total volume or weight
Dry cannabis is measured in grams, and this weight appears on the label.
The products that are shipped to the OCS / Retailers from licensed producers are already individually packaged and sealed with an excise stamp. Health Canada sets strict standards for the net weight and net volume included on cannabis product labels. These rules allow for weight and volume to vary from labelled amounts within certain limits. If the product is between zero and two grams, Health Canada allows for a 10 percent variance. If the product is more than two grams, Health Canada allows for a 5 percent variance.
The amount of THC and CBD
Since they are the primary causes of cannabis effects, CBD and THC amounts in the product must be displayed on the label. This will help you as a consumer to make the right decisions.
Dried Cannabis
THC levels are presented in two different formats,
- THC -Prior to decarboxylation / Burning, the THC content of the dried cannabis without burning.
- Total THC – After decarboxylation / Burning, the “Total” THC / CBD
| THC | Total THC | CBD | Total CBD |
|---|---|---|---|
|
15.4 mg/g or 1.54% |
63.2 mg/g or 6.32% |
9.6 mg/g or 0.96% |
113.4 mg/g or 11.34% |
The producer
Legalized producers are required to provide their company details on their product labels in case a customer would like to reach out to them.
Ingredients, nutrition facts, and allergens
Topicals, edibles, and extracts must display all their ingredients. Additionally, like conventional packaged foods, all edibles must feature a nutrition facts table on their label.