It’s no secret that weed prices vary drastically across the country. An eighth of pot (3.5 grams) can cost anywhere from $20 to $80 or more after taxes, depending on location and quality. But a new batch of high-priced pot is blowing these products out of the water—and the bud isn’t even meant for smoking.
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a federal research agency and division of the U.S. Department of Commerce, recently introduced a line of weed called “hemp reference material.” The product is meant to help testing labs and law enforcement agencies calibrate their technology and ensure accurate measurements. In a statement, NIST calls the hemp “some of the most carefully quantified cannabis ever sold.”
The product was introduced in response to widespread discrepancies in cannabis testing. Each order comes with an information sheet highlighting cannabinoid content and heavy metals. If a lab runs a test on a sample and the results don’t match the data provided, it will know it needs to calibrate the equipment.
According to NIST officials, the pricey pot will protect hemp farmers trying to avoid crop destruction due to “hot” tests where plants test over the allotted 0.3 percent THC. Another goal? Boosting consumer confidence in cannabis products.
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“If you buy a product that claims to have 25 milligrams of CBD per dose, you should be able to trust that number,” said NIST biologist Colleen Bryan. “People who use cannabis for medical reasons may be particularly concerned about safety. This reference material will help ensure that the cannabis they buy does not contain unsafe levels of toxic elements.”
The material costs $783 for three 1.5-gram packets. While that may seem expensive to the average consumer, the price is on par with other government-testing products. For testing labs striving to guarantee an accurate result for their clients, the ROI on the high-priced pot is clear. With so much controversy on testing lately, the NIST hemp could be a game-changer for operators and consumers alike.
