A study published by Johns Hopkins Medicine on July 20 found that in an evaluation of numerous CBD products, many contained an inaccurate amount of THC. Entitled “Cannabinoid Content and Label Accuracy of Hemp-Derived Topical Products Available Online and at National Retail Stores,” the study analyzed 105 topical CBD products—specifically lotions, creams, and patches—collected from “online and brick-and-mortar retail locations” in Baltimore, Maryland between July and August 2020 (but analysis didn’t occur until March through June 2022). For storefronts, this included grocery stores, pharmacies, cosmetic and beauty stores, and health and wellness stores.
The study’s lead author, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Tory Spindle, Ph.D., explained the objective behind this analysis. “Misleading labels can result in people using poorly regulated and expensive CBD products instead of FDA approved products that are established as safe and effective for a given health condition,” said Spindle.
The results found that 18% of the products contained 10% less CBD than advertised on the label. Additionally, 58% contained 10% more CBD than advertised, while only 24% contained an accurate amount of CBD.
Thirty-five percent of these products contained THC, although the amount per product did not exceed 0.3% THC, which is the legal limit for hemp. Eleven percent of those products were labeled as “THC free,” while 14% said that they contained less than 0.3% THC, and 51% did not mention THC on the labels at all.
Spindle said that the presence of THC in alleged CBD-only products could potentially put some people at risk. “Recent research has shown that people who use CBD products containing even small amounts of THC could potentially test positive for cannabis using a conventional drug test,” Spindle said.
Some of the medical claims made by these products were also inaccurate, and none of them are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Twenty-eight percent made claims about pain or inflammation, 14% made claims regarding cosmetic or beauty, and 47% specifically noted that they were not approved by the FDA, while the other 53% didn’t mention the FDA at all.
The study’s Senior Author, Ryan Vandrey, Ph.D., who is also professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, explained that this stark difference in results requires more research. “The variability in the chemical content and labeling found in our study highlights the need for better regulatory oversight of CBD products to ensure consumer safety,” Vandrey said.
This study is the latest to discuss the inaccuracy of cannabis products. The University of Kentucky also recently analyzed CBD oil products earlier this month, finding that out of 80 CBD oil products, only 43 contained percentages of CBD that were within 10% of the claimed content. The University of Colorado, Boulder, in partnership with Leafly, also found that cannabis labels were inaccurate.
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The first time I tried a commercial cannabis-infused beverage, many moons ago, it made a lot of promises: fast-acting, consistent and controlled dosing, a euphoric and short-term experience; a bona fide alcohol replacement. If you were also part of this early cohort of weed-drink guinea pigs, you’d agree that these lofty marketing promises were not met.
Sure, the liquid carrier may have led to a faster onset, if the formula had been properly incorporated, and I might have been inclined to put down a beer if I could expect a consistent buzz. But more often than not, I ended up with a mouth coated in oil droplets and sediment that didn’t really make me feel anything.
Thankfully, legalization and scientific application have made it easy these days to infuse everything, from seltzer water to coffee to fake beer, with the cannabinoids of your choosing.
While the options are abundant, canna beverages are beholden to state regulations. Many brands consider a can or bottle to be a single dose, so they usually max out at 10 mg, and often go lower to ensure consumers aren’t overwhelmed. After all, a drink or edible high and a smoking high vary greatly.
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But what if you want a beverage based on a specific strain, or flavors not yet found on shelves? Plenty of people still make edibles at home to better control the experience they want to have. A cannabis drink shouldn’t be any different, so we asked the experts on two different methods.
How to make a cannabis simple syrup
Maybe you’ve got a soiree to host or want to try a different kind of cocktail experience after a pandemic that catalyzed an increase in drinking at home across the US.
Jamie Evans, also known as the Herb Somm, has been exploring the intersection of cannabis, wine, and fine dining since 2017. Evans worked for years in the wine industry before recognizing the parallels of wine pairings and profile evaluation with weed, and has even launched her own alcohol-free cannabis wine, Herbacée.
(Courtesy Colleen Eversman of 2nd Truth Photography for Cannabis Drinks)
“As I started learning about cannabis, I started seeing that there are so many similarities, and we can approach cannabis from a gourmet angle, thinking about flavors, aromas, and how you can incorporate it into a meal,” she told Leafly. “A lot of times you’re seeing these commercial bevs, and you don’t get to pick. At home, it caters to what you need.”
Evans’ favorite method, by far, is infusing drink staples like bitters and simple syrup, which she recommends making from cannabis flower. This not only incorporates into most drinks without texture or taste issues, but also gives you, the amateur mixologist, the power to make a drink tailored to your preference. A Mimosa-infused mimosa, anyone?
“You can infuse bitters, simple syrup, things we normally combine into a cocktail, and tie them into a drink pretty seamlessly. It takes a lot of experimentation,” she said. But don’t worry: “Once you know the techniques, it gets simple.”
Adding a commercially-made cannabis beverage to a tried-and-true recipe is easy, but you might not live in a state with a market for them. Adding a tincture dose or dehydrated cannabinoid isolate to your drink means you know exactly how much you’re getting, but the formula may disrupt the drink’s texture and taste. And with isolates, you don’t get the entourage effect. Evans recommends drinks that can be blended or shaken if you go this route, like smoothies.
(Courtesy Fair Winds Press of Quarto Publishing Group)
Her new book, Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home, breaks down some additional methods of cannabis infusion in any beverage of your choosing. Each method has its pros and cons, and readers will find some better than others depending on the kind of drink they want to shake, stir, or muddle up.
Cannabis-infused simple syrup recipe
Depending on your preferences, this recipe can be modified with other ingredients of your choice. Evans recommends using mid-grade cannabis flower to start, so you aren’t shelling out $60 an eighth in case there’s a kitchen snafu. These infusions can last for months. This is adapted from a recipe by Jamie Evans.
Yield: about 15 to 16 ounces (465 to 480 ml)
Target Dose: 16 mg CBD | 4 mg THC per ounce (using a flower infusion)
Weigh out 3 grams of decarboxylated flower. Decarboxylating your flower involves exposing it to controlled heat in order to activate the THC and other cannabinoids and impart the desired euphoric effects. Set aside.
Step 2: Boil liquids
Combine the water and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a soft boil, stirring until the honey dissolves into the water.
Step 3: Mix together
Reduce the heat to around 160°F to 180°F (71°C to 82°C) and add the decarboxylated cannabis.
Step 4: Infuse the cannabis
Simmer over low heat for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and add the vegetable glycerin—this will give the CBD and THC something to bind to. Continue to heat and stir for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Step 5: Strain and start mixing!
Pour the infused simple syrup into a 16-ounce (480-ml) mason jar, through a cheesecloth placed in a fine-mesh strainer to remove the solids. Let cool. This syrup can now be added to any cocktail or mocktail of your choice.
Seems simple (wink, wink) enough, right? Evans also shares two recipes with Leafly from her book for summertime sipping, below. One of these does call for alcohol, which not everyone may want to mix with cannabis, but it can easily be made as a mocktail. As with other intoxicating substances, Evans says the rule of thumb is “start low and go slow.”
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How to make a cannabis emulsion
One of the first things you learn in high school chemistry class is that oil and water don’t mix, at least not without some scientific intervention. An emulsion is a liquid concoction that combines water and an oil, which are bound together by an emulsifier to stabilize the mixture. Some popular emulsifiers include soy lecithin, eggs, and mustard, but don’t worry, there are no eggs in these drinks.
Turn your kitchen into a laboratory with this emulsion recipe. (Courtesy Vertosa)
Dr. Harold Han, President and Chief Science Office of Bay Area-based emulsion infusion company Vertosa, says that despite how complicated it may seem, anyone with the right equipment, patience, and a healthy serving of curiosity can make an emulsion at home. He didn’t try cannabis until he was 30 years old, but the shift in his perception was immediate. With a PhD in emulsion chemistry, Han helped found Vertosa to ease consumer access to and appreciation for cannabis beyond fearmongering and enduring stigma.
“As a consumer, if you have some interest or chemistry background and you have some equipment and emulsifiers, you can definitely make a homebrew or home emulsion that you can put into your beer or coffee. I actually encourage people to try it, because it’s fun,” said Han.
In addition to producing emulsion formulas for dozens of cannabis companies across the US and Canada, Han breaks down how he and his team at Vertosa turn weed into wine (or coffee or gummies or soda) on the Vertosa YouTube channel. Essentially, an emulsion requires a basic understanding of chemistry (the ingredients and how they interact) and physics (the energy needed to sustain that interaction).
(Via Youtube)
While the emulsion method requires some investment and practice, it’s one of the quickest ways to infuse your favorite water-based drink with a controlled dose of cannabis.
Cannabis emulsion recipe
Ingredients and equipment
High-speed mixer
Food-grade emulsifier (like sodium citrate)
Oil-based cannabis tincture
Water
Directions
Different emulsifiers will call for different amounts in your emulsion, but Han says it really is as easy as mixing the water, oil, and emulsifier together, throwing them into a high-speed mixer or sonicator (a machine that uses ultrasonic vibrations), and mixing until you reach the consistency you want.
Keep in mind this is a highly perishable product, and you may need to remix it between uses as it can separate. It also might not gel well with your beverage of choice, but half the fun is finding that out.
Spicy melon margarita cannabis drink recipe
The Spicy Melon Margarita of your dreams. (Courtesy Colleen Eversman for Cannabis Drinks)
Recipe by Jamie Evans, The Herb Somm, featured in her latest book, Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home (published by Fair Winds Press of Quarto Publishing Group)
Yield: 1 Drink
Equipment
Blender or food processor
Fine-mesh strainer
One 8-ounce (240-ml) sterilized Mason jar
Saucer
Citrus juicer
Old-fashioned glass
Shaker tin
Jigger
Hawthorne strainer
Ingredients
Watermelon Juice
1/2 small seedless watermelon
Chili Salt Rim
1 tablespoon (9 g) salt
1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder or standard chili powder
1 lime wedge
Spicy Melon Margarita
3 ounces (89 ml) watermelon juice, pulp removed
1 1/4 ounce (38 ml) fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce (15 ml) Infused Rich Simple Syrup (page 89 in Cannabis Drinks book, or use the recipe above)
1/2 ounce (15 ml) tequila blanco
1/2 ounce (15 ml) mezcal
1/2 teaspoon Aperol
1 jalapeño pepper, sliced into rounds (set 1 slice aside for garnish)
Ice
Jalapeño or lime round, for garnish
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the watermelon juice
Place the watermelon flesh into a blender or food processor and purée for 1 minute or until the watermelon chunks
turn into juice.
Step 2: Strain
Using a fine-mesh strainer, separate the pulp from the juice over an 8-ounce (240-ml) Mason jar. Discard the pulp and set the jar aside.
Step 3: The chili rim
Combine the salt and chili powder in a shallow saucer. Rim the glass with a lime wedge, then dip the glass into the salt mixture. If you have Tajín on hand, this works great, too!
Step 4: Bring it all together
Add all the ingredients into a shaker tin, including 3 ounces (90 ml) of watermelon juice and the jalapeños.
Step 5: Shake
Add ice, cover, then shake for 25 seconds.
Step 6: Pour
Fine strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with jalapeño rounds or a lime wheel.
Ginger Rabbit cannabis drink recipe
Get your herbs and veggies with the Ginger Rabbit. (Courtesy Colleen Eversman for Cannabis Drinks)
Recipe by Jamie Evans, The Herb Somm, featured in her latest book, Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home (published by Fair Winds Press of Quarto Publishing Group)
Yield: 1 serving
Target Dose: 8 mg CBD | 2 mg THC per drink (using Infused Ginger Simple Syrup, find the recipe in the book) or your preferred dose (using a commercially made CBD or THC tincture of your choice, see note below)
Equipment
Muddler
Shaker tin
Fine-mesh strainer
Collins glass
Bar spoon
Reusable straw
Ingredients
1 (1-inch or 2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
2 ounces (60 ml) fresh-pressed apple juice
4 ounces (118 ml) fresh-pressed carrot juice
1½ ounces (45 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ ounce (15 ml) Infused Ginger Simple Syrup (find the recipe in the book)
Ice
Splash of ginger beer (Q recommended, see note)
Carrot greens, edible flowers, and a slice of lemon, for garnish
Directions
Step 1:
Muddle the ginger and apple juice at the bottom of a shaker tin. Muddle well to extract as much ginger flavor as possible.
Step 2:
Add the carrot juice, lemon juice, infused ginger simple syrup, and ice. Cover then shake for 15 seconds or until very cold.
Step 3:
Using a fine-mesh strainer, separate the solids from the liquids over a Collins glass filled three-quarters with fresh ice. Top with a splash of ginger beer, give it a good stir with a bar spoon, then garish with a sprig of carrot greens, edible flowers, and a slice of lemon.
More ways to drink your cannabis
Amelia Williams
New York-based freelance cannabis journalist Amelia Williams is a graduate of San Francisco State University’s journalism program, and a former budtender. Williams has contributed to the San Francisco Chronicle’s GreenState, MG Magazine, Culture Magazine, and Cannabis Now, Kirkus Reviews, and The Bold Italic.
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It appears cannabis legalization has made American roads safer for everyone. A new study recently pointed out that truck driving in legalized states is safer than ever.
The study observed trends in legalized states and noticed that the positives of legalization far outweigh the negatives. The adult-use cannabis market, which many assumed would be the cause of accidents, has done the opposite. There are reduced numbers of traffic accidents and risks on U.S state and federal roads. This new study specifically looks into the connection between recreational cannabis legalization and truck driving in legal states.
Marijuana Legalization and Truck Safety
Researchers from the University of Arkansas, in conjunction with Iowa State University, conducted this study to investigate whether or not cannabis legislation has had adverse effects on the United States’ multi-billion truck driving industry. The research, which was dubbed ” Does the pineapple express damage more pineapples?” analyzed statistical data from 2005 to 2019.
The researchers sought to understand, using a state panel of heavy truck crash data and a difference-indifference estimation technique, the impact of cannabis use on heavy truck drivers. At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that there had been no increase in the average crash rate of heavy-duty trucks since cannabis got legalized in the various states considered.
Instead, the results showed that the legalization mostly gave drivers a sense of responsibility as heavy truck accidents were reduced by over 10% in the examined states. The researchers highlighted that six out of eight states showed a reduction, while the remaining two increased slightly from their average rate. The states with the lowest heavy-duty truck crash since their legislation was passed in 2018 and 2013, respectively, are Vermont and Washington.
In Vermont, there was a profound decrease in accidents by -21.5%, while Washington recorded -20.1%. Massachusetts and Colorado followed with a -18% and -18.3% decrease, respectively. The final two are Oregon and California, with a -3.8 and -3.1% reduction, respectively. The two states which showed the expected increases out of the eight examined are Maine and Nevada at 4.20% and 25.7%.
At this juncture, we must stress that the above information is merely a preprint and is yet to be subjected to further peer review. Once the study has undergone the peer review stage, it will be published.
Why the Reductions?
The researchers explained that they are yet to arrive at a primary reason causing the profound reduction in heavy-duty truck crashes. However, they offered a few hypotheses for why it is so.
They pointed out that because marijuana is typically enjoyed at home rather than in a bar or restaurant, truckers are likely unable to obtain or consume marijuana while working quickly.
It is also possible that former drinkers of alcohol converted to marijuana even though it is still illegal to drive while high; research indicates that this is much less likely to result in a fatal accident than driving while intoxicated by alcohol. Naturally, operating a motor vehicle while completely sober is the safest option.
The legalization of marijuana has resulted in a lot of developments for the transportation business as well. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration debuted its drug and alcohol registry in January 2020. Although a return-to-duty procedure is in place, it details all commercial drivers who have failed a substance abuse test.
The clearinghouse’s primary goal is to promote truck safety on the road by ensuring those truck drivers who break drug and alcohol laws can’t easily land another driving position without changing their previous conduct.
While the extent to which these goals have improved safety on the road for truckers and other drivers is still unclear, they have resulted in the removal of specific drivers. A total of 124,000 drivers were fired from their jobs as industrial truck drivers between January 2020 and April 2022 due to failed drug tests, and 31,000 have completed the return-to-duty process to go back on the road.
However, most breaches involve medicinal marijuana rather than narcotics like opiates, amphetamines, methamphetamine, or cocaine. Since January 2020, more than 74,000 truckers who tested positive for marijuana have already been banned from operating commercial trucks.
Other Details
The comparison of Nevada to Vermont, which experienced the most significant decline of any state, enables the researchers to take a deeper look at the rise in accidents in Nevada.
They discovered that Nevada has more travelers unfamiliar with the state’s roads than Vermont, which has significantly less tourism. In Nevada, visitors are also more likely to consume marijuana outside the home, such as when they are in Las Vegas, which suggests that there is a higher chance that they will drive after consuming marijuana. On the other hand, Vermont has a denser population than Nevada but shorter stretches of road. Hence, drivers are inclined to go more carefully with a clear head.
In addition, some findings in this report are more or less opposite of other recent studies on the relationship between cannabis legalization and vehicle crashes in legal states. For instance, in 2021, researchers from Boston University revealed that heavy truck and vehicle accidents due to substance use have not decreased in the last decade. The Boston study found that cannabis-related crashes have more or less doubled.
Some other studies suggested that marijuana legislation may become the leading cause of road crashes In the coming years. Although, this doesn’t mean that the impacts would be fatal.
Bottom Line
In the meantime, it is advisable to drive while sober and stick to the rules and regulations proffered by your state’s cannabis legislation.
Note that this study does not encourage cannabis use while driving or moments before driving. Researchers say cannabis can impair a person’s driving ability for as long as four hours after consumption. So, before getting behind the wheel after ingesting cannabis, be sure the effects have worn off. Take stock of how sharp your senses are before you move your truck. All in all, you must consider your safety and that of other road users.
Rosin is a popular cannabis concentrate that is known for it’s potency and flavor—without the use of chemicals. Because of the way it’s made, rosin carries over a lot of aroma and flavor from the original plant used to make it. Just like essential oils, rosin is solventless, meaning it’s not made with ethanol or alcohol. Instead weed material is pressed between two heated plates, squeezing out a gooey oil- or honey-like extraction.
The low heat used to press rosin means terpenes are better preserved, making rosin more terpy and flavorful. Because rosin is made by hand it is usually more expensive, but it is also considered to be “cleaner” without the chemicals.
Rosin is often sold in globs in individual packages meant to be dabbed in a dab rig, but more and more, companies are putting rosin in cartridges for easy, discreet consumption through a vape pen or 510 thread rechargeable battery.
Check out our video on how Nevada producer CAMP makes rosin carts, above.
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Leafly’s guide to rosin: What is it and how do you make it?
Types of weed used for pressing rosin
Rosin can be made from flower, kief, or hash. The quality of the starting material will determine the quality of the finished, pressed rosin—fire in, fire out, as they say.
Trim or shake will produce low-quality rosin that will be low in potency and flavor, as trim and shake don’t have much THC and are harsher when smoked than buds. The same is true for low-grade kief or hash.
When flower is used for pressing rosin, it is often dried, but the above video from CAMP uses fresh frozen flower to produce ice water hash—this makes their product live rosin, since frozen plants are used instead of dried. Buds are flash frozen in their prime, before terpenes have time to degrade, making the final product incredibly terpy and flavorful.
There are a lot of consumer rosin presses out there to make your own rosin at home, fresh and on-demand. But rosin carts typically need to be bought from licensed dispensaries because of the process of adding rosin into a cartridge. There are refillable vape carts out there, but most vapers find it easier (and less messy) to buy a pre-filled cart.
How to make live rosin weed carts
Cannabis company CAMP uses fresh frozen plants as source material for their live rosin carts, and turn it into ice water hash, but rosin can also be made with dried cannabis, kief, or hash. Texture and consistency of the finished product may vary depending on the source material, and thick rosin may be difficult to put into a cart and properly vaporize.
CAMP grows all of their own weed plants, as opposed to sourcing starting material from another farm. Plants are grown to maturity and harvested. Buds are then put in a cryogenic freezer, keeping below -42°F/°C, which helps preserve cannabinoids and terpenes.
Once frozen, buds are placed in giant buckets to make ice water hash. Ice water is added to the buckets and then buds are stirred, freezing trichomes and breaking them off. The water/trichome mixture is drained and the ice water hash separated through a series of sieves with finer and finer meshes. The hash is then dried in an oven.
Once dry, the hash is then pressed into rosin, poured into vape carts, and ready for the dispensary. The rosin is not diluted and there are no additives introduced when added to the vape carts. This fresh frozen, ice water hash method ensures that a high level of terpenes and cannabinoids are kept in the final rosin, giving the consumer a terpy, flavorful experience.
Pat Goggins
Pat Goggins is a senior editor who handles Leafly’s informational content and specializes in cannabis cultivation after working for a commercial grower in Oregon. When not fixing typos, you’ll probably find him on a boat or in the mountains.
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