Why One Government Agency Is Selling Cannabis At $174 A Gram And A Jar Of Peanut Butter For $1,143: It’s All For Science
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently launched a new hemp reference material, RM 8210, to enhance the accuracy of THC and CBD measurements in cannabis products.
Priced at $783 for 4.5 grams, this product aims to provide a robust tool for laboratories to ensure precise and reliable testing results.
The Importance Of Reliable Reference Materials
In an industry where the difference between legal hemp and controlled marijuana hinges on THC content, accurate measurement is critical. Hemp is legally defined as cannabis containing no more than 0.3% THC.
Anything above this threshold is classified as marijuana, a controlled substance under federal law.
“If we have 0.31% THC, it’s now called marijuana, and it is illegal,” explained Susan Audino, chemistry laboratory consultant at S.A. Audino & Associates, in a recent NIST video.
Reference materials are essential for ensuring that laboratories’ measurements are consistent and accurate. They serve as benchmarks against which other samples are measured. NIST’s hemp reference material is particularly valuable because it contains precisely quantified amounts of THC, CBD and toxic elements like arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium. This allows …