Proposals to cap the amount of THC in cannabis flower and concentrates have been gaining traction in a number of state legislatures, and earlier this week the idea reached the federal level.
In a report released on Wednesday, the US Senate’s Caucus on International Narcotics Control recommended looking into THC caps on state-legal, regulated products. Politico was first to break the news of the report, which was led by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), co-chairs of the Senate caucus. Cornyn and Feinstein are longtime opponents of cannabis legalization.
Most cannabis flower in America’s legal regulated markets ranges between 18% and 23% THC. Cannabis concentrates, including vape cartridge oils and dabbing products like wax, shatter, and distillate typically contain THC levels from 70% to 90%.
Proposals to limit THC levels often aim to cap the allowable level of THC at 15% or lower. THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, but it is not the only psychoactive cannabinoid. The legal definition of hemp, which cannot go above 0.3% THC, is the fullest expression of a THC cap currently in place in the United States.