Why The 0.3% THC Legal Limit for Hemp is Flawed

Why The 0.3% THC Legal Limit for Hemp is Flawed

Why The 0.3% THC Legal Limit for Hemp is Flawed

Why The 0.3% THC Legal Limit for Hemp Is Flawed
Professor DeBacco
Research Article
Small, E., & Cronquist, A. (1976). A Practical and Natural Taxonomy for Cannabis. Taxon, 25(4), 405–435.
https://doi.org/10.2307/1220524

The 0.3% THC Legal Limit
The 0.3% THC level is the make or break point if a cannabis plant is to be classified as either hemp or marijuana.
This can be the determining factor to determine if the plant material can be sold or is a federal crime.
However, how did this number come to be the standard?
The Story Behind the Number…
Since this 0.3% THC limit is so well established looking into the supporting literature to how this came about reveals an interesting story.

The entire basis for this set point is based off only one article (the one cited earlier), so that makes reviewing the data easier.

So this is article is comprised of only two scientists/authors.
*Note: They were not the ones that put this into law.
Now this is not saying that one or two people can not produce quality work but the research base is certainly smaller than many would assume.
Quote 1, Part 2
Arbitrarily = in a way that is based on chance rather than being planned or based on reason.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/arbitrarily
Adopt = to accept or start to use something new:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/adopt
So, roughly translated… 0.3% THC level is based on chance more than reason and it will be used starting “now” (now is 1976 the year the article was published).
*But wait there is more…
Quote 1, Part 3
The flower concentration is not even considered only the young, vigorous leaves of “relatively” mature plants.

Quote 2
Upper young leaves were the source of plant material tested.
When it comes to testing final product it is the flower that is tested, and not the leaves.
Research Article
Richins RD, Rodriguez-Uribe L, Lowe K, Ferral R, O’Connell MA (2018) Accumulation of bioactive metabolites in cultivated medical Cannabis. PLOS ONE 13(7): e0201119.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201119

Accumulation of Δ9-THC
Accumulation of Δ9-THC in organs of Sour Willie or Bohdi Tree following floral induction.

Δ9-THC levels in samples collected from Sour Willie (A, B) or Bohdi Tree (C, D) at days post-induction are represented.
Panels A and C report average (n = 3) Δ9-THC levels in floral samples (solid line) and leaf samples (dotted line).
Panels B and D report Δ9-THC levels in floral samples from the top of the plant (solid) or bottom of the plant (dotted line).
Leaf Compared to Inflorescence Cannabinoid Content
Leaf cannabinoid content of Cannabis plants cultivated in a greenhouse.
Inflorescence cannabinoid content of Cannabis plants cultivated in a greenhouse.
Direct quote
There is some variability as expected, but in general a 10-fold lower concentration of THC in the leaves compared to the flowers based on this data.
Why The 0.3% THC Legal Limit for Hemp Is Flawed
There is the current regulation of 0.3% THC as the federal limit, but this is based on data that is known not to be representative of practice.
The original article arbitrarily selected 0.3% THC level and the testing for this is based on leaves, which are shown to be at least 10-fold lower than flowers.
So, currently flowers are tested and the percentage of THC to determine the classification is based on data generated at random and from leaf tissue.
Taking This a Step Forward…
With the data presented this would support a federal limit of Δ9-THC of 3.0% in the actual flower.
While this may be ten times the current level based on the data it would suggest this would be representative of what is being tested (the flower) compared to what the current rules article is based on testing (the leaves).
What Would a 3% Δ9-THC Limit Allow?
The major advantage this would offer is a more reasonable threshold to increase the amount of potential cannabis plant types that can be used as hemp based products.
This would reduce the current limits on the CBD production as to increase levels of CBD often THC will have some degree of increase as well.
Research could be conducted on low level THC for potential interaction benefits with CBD and terpenes.
*Caution should be taken by any user of any new product that will enter the body.

Link to Lecture Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15xahzbMYiK7F33MAs9Oe5pCevMKRAIKt/view?usp=sharing

420 Magazine Source Content by Slide Title:
Quote 1, Part 3
https://www.420magazine.com/community/gallery/sensi-seed-blackberry-cake-day-29.1864978/
https://www.420magazine.com/community/gallery/sensi-seed-blackberry-harvest-pic.1868329/

*Due to the description character limit the full work cited for “Why The 0.3% THC Legal Limit for Hemp is Flawed” can be viewed at… https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rl2xR2q3yHSVrjXzsZo2i08q0Ec7RgNL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104237452697237972847&rtpof=true&sd=true

34 Comments

  1. @C...G... on April 20, 2024 at 8:37 am

    👍😀



  2. @ianjimenez9769 on April 20, 2024 at 8:38 am

    Yes. Forced to farm with genetics from the US here in PR and everything goes hot but usually stays under 1%. One of the many reasons why a majority of farmers already abandoned the crop here.



  3. @cannabisthailandinpattaya1484 on April 20, 2024 at 8:38 am

    Hello Doctor
    From THAILAND
    How Removal THC Homemade?



  4. @paddler-sn7ub on April 20, 2024 at 8:39 am

    I think it’s only chapter 1 of the struggle, in earlier times leaves were harvested and consumed. It’s interesting to see how far we would go considering how far we have came- 😂 k.Harris moment



  5. @CannabinaTV on April 20, 2024 at 8:40 am

    If you please would be awesome if you could keep bringing this new studies from hemp industry and cannabis. Once i read an article about phosporous need in greenhouse hemp farm, it was enlightening would be nice if you share your knowledge about this studies aswell.



  6. @whatthehell406 on April 20, 2024 at 8:40 am

    I’m guessing the 2 researchers that tested the leaves for THC levels were probably under the assumption the leaves are consumed primarily for effect, otherwise testing the leaves doesn’t make much sense.



  7. @flummytommy1957 on April 20, 2024 at 8:42 am

    42prozent cbg CBD and 0.3prozent THC ?



  8. @SooperFlye on April 20, 2024 at 8:43 am

    0.3% is flawed? Hell, I can’t smoke anything less than %25 THC!



  9. @OliveMule on April 20, 2024 at 8:44 am

    Great topic



  10. @kylefitts3254 on April 20, 2024 at 8:47 am

    And thca is legal lol 😂 yeah it’s flawed



  11. @wastedwages8229 on April 20, 2024 at 8:47 am

    Who cares just let my people grow !



  12. @warrenberns5268 on April 20, 2024 at 8:53 am

    What??? You mean the US GOV mucked it up????



  13. @patb5923 on April 20, 2024 at 8:56 am

    Just get thc-a .3 delta 9 and like 20 something percent thc-a. Heat it boom same as thc. Only difference is it’s federally legal. In you can skip the dispo and just go to your vape shop. lol



  14. @Jojo-tq5pt on April 20, 2024 at 9:01 am

    How stupid is the US hemp is legal to take but if you get drug tested you will lose your job?! How stupid is that 😂



  15. @SouthAfricanCannabisExtraction on April 20, 2024 at 9:02 am

    👏 Several countries define hemp at 1% = Switzerland 🇨🇭 Czech Republic 🇨🇿 Malawi 🇲🇼 even Colombia 🇨🇴 defines psychotropic licenses at 1%.



  16. @hewasdeadwhenigotthere46 on April 20, 2024 at 9:06 am

    Fascinating! And redundant lol



  17. @travistrammell3424 on April 20, 2024 at 9:06 am

    Great video. I’m a small grower in tn around 75 plants made it. i planted 200 seeds half were grizzly and they haven’t did much. My cherry wine came back hot i have 100’s of hrs of labor in it and several thousand dollars in it. The TDA Came out and took samples of the best flowers no leaves. to see if it was in the 0.3% and was telling me it was going to be hot. My plants are beautiful i worked very hard to get them to were they are now and and was hopping to make enough money to get me back on my feet after my painting and drywall had gone to almost nothing. I’m 61 and bearly making ends meet these days. They called and the plants are HOT And will be coming out to watch me destory them next week. How can we get these limits changed i’ve herd lots are coming back hot and they really don’t care



  18. @1isaacmusic on April 20, 2024 at 9:07 am

    I know that when hemp was grown commercially " back then ", it was harvested with no buds, only leaf – see this pic as an example – https://c8.alamy.com/comp/T0YRNC/cutting-hemp-1900-1910-T0YRNC.jpg

    Excellent video, ty again !



  19. @CannabinaTV on April 20, 2024 at 9:07 am

    What a great video! Thanks for sharing the data, never heard before about this studies.



  20. @orcoastgreenman on April 20, 2024 at 9:08 am

    The government’s current definition of “Hemp” is such an arbitrary and fictitious legal distinction between strains and even different growing methods, of the same plant. Time to get rid of THC prohibition. If they want a guaranteed THC free product, those pesky excess resins can be stripped right out with some alcohol or CO2. In the aggregate, after the alcohol comes out, they are less toxic than water… and even have been found to be significantly a health tonic instead.

    Free the plant. All of the plant. End the fraud against humanity, and restore our self sufficiency for food, fiber, fuel, and medicine.



  21. @rismiris4033 on April 20, 2024 at 9:09 am

    Polskko – 0,2% THC
    Czech Repoblik – 1% THC
    Rakousko – 0,3%
    ……..



  22. @greg9069 on April 20, 2024 at 9:11 am

    So just make the gummies heavier and use more THC 🤦‍♂️



  23. @Jack-gn4gl on April 20, 2024 at 9:12 am

    The THC part is where the medical properties come from,CBD will help with anxiety but the THC part will stop you from killing anyone,big pharmaceutical companies will fight against medicine that works and can be grown by anyone, it’s your duty to break the law if it’s so blatantly wrong,it’s a war on people.



  24. @franjopenezic5554 on April 20, 2024 at 9:16 am

    i aked that yesterday,mysrlf



  25. @wildwilly1363 on April 20, 2024 at 9:17 am

    👍



  26. @The_Oblivion_Light on April 20, 2024 at 9:18 am

    I read the data sheets of every type of hemp flower I buy and I see on average of 0.4XX-0.5XX. I haven’t seen 0.3 yet.



  27. @PotatoesOBrienINC on April 20, 2024 at 9:18 am

    The Man is Back



  28. @blim76 on April 20, 2024 at 9:20 am

    It poses the question: Would it be fair to suggest as a defence in court that the testing of contraband property confiscated by police was not done in line with testing that the regulation relied on, therefore no real breach of regulation can be proved?
    (some would say that ‘Defence’ is not the position to be in, and that it may be prudent to prosecute others for administering property without right.)

    The UK uses a 0.3% limit, could it be that we used the same study cited by DeBacco Uni, and no other studies?

    I obviously dont expect a legal answer, but to put the thought out there for others. 😉



  29. @kartoffelcreek2609 on April 20, 2024 at 9:20 am

    Very interesting 👍 thx alot



  30. @TheGoaterGoat on April 20, 2024 at 9:21 am

    have these people never watched the Lorax
    mess with the weed we break your knees



  31. @geo_neo9 on April 20, 2024 at 9:27 am

    Actually cannabis only has 0.3 % THC. Cannabis is full of thca not thc. So their legal fake system is full of it.



  32. @richnsmokes4525 on April 20, 2024 at 9:27 am

    Why are they selling weed that is less than 0.3 at dispo as real weed then



  33. @NoBody-xj4bc on April 20, 2024 at 9:30 am

    ❤️‍🔥



  34. @Hookstergram on April 20, 2024 at 9:31 am

    Another top informative video