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Japan: Updated Guidelines On THC Limits Don’t Address All Gaps, Says Expert
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s (MHLW) Narcotics Control Division updated its guidelines on THC limits for CBD products as it prepares for new rules expected to take effect in December 2024. However, some industry experts suggest that the updated guidelines don’t address all the gaps.
Dr. Yuji Masataka, MD, Japan’s first specialist in medical cannabis, told Business of Cannabis that in addition to specific THC thresholds for various product categories such as oils, powders and aqueous solutions, there should be categories for raw materials and revised definitions for oils.
Among key updates, oils are defined to contain more than 90% glycerin and fatty acid compounds, which potentially restricts CBD oil concentrations. Also, the guideline suggests 10 ppm threshold for CBD oil, hemp seed oil, comsetic oils, CBD powder and protein powder.
Masataka said that this 1ppm threshold is likely to apply to a raft of CBD raw materials.
“However, most cannabinoid raw materials are highly viscous, and it is expected that only a limited number of products, such as CBD isolate powder, will be able to stably maintain the particle size below 850 μm, as stipulated in the latest guidelines,” Masataka said. “If the intention of adding the ‘powder’ category was to ease restrictions on cannabinoid raw materials, this design is insufficient.”
He also suggested that the definition for oils is problematic because if the cannabinoid content exceeds 10%, the products will no longer meet the definition of oils, and the 1 ppm restriction …