What is degradation of cannabinoids, and why is it important? Degradation refers to the transformation of one cannabinoid into another due to environmental, storage, or other ambient conditions. In cannabis flower, THCA decarboxylates into d9-THC, where a carbon dioxide molecule is removed from THCA to turn it into d9-THC. In turn, d9-THC can degrade into other cannabinoids, such as CBN and THCV, through exposure to a variety of conditions. This degradation process highlights the necessity of proper cannabis storage, as exposure to light, fluctuating temperatures, or increased humidity for extended periods of time can change cannabinoid ratios in cannabis flower.
For a real-life example, we can look at a hypothetical cannabis flower sample that is tested in a lab in January, with a reported THCA content of 25% and a d9-THC content of 1%. The sample may then be stored in a vault and eventually put on the shelves in a dispensary in August of the same year. If the sample is submitted for follow-up lab testing from a separate lab or even the same lab, the newer lab test may result in significantly lower THCA content and/or higher THC content. This could arise due to various factors, including:
(1) THCA degrades into d9-THC over time and may degrade more significantly based on storage conditions.
(2) The sample submitted to the original lab test in January is not the exact same bud from the same plant that ended up on dispensary shelves in August, so natural potency variability across the plant could result in two different lab values.
(3) If two different labs test the two samples, they may have different extraction and/or analysis methods when collecting potency data, which could cause different results.
(4) One of the samples may have a higher moisture content, which would offset the ratio of cannabinoids to water in the product, causing different results.
There are many reasons that a sample from the same batch as the lab tested sample may be different for off the shelf testing. To eliminate some of this variability, we strongly support standardized sampling protocols and test methods. If you are curious about any results or have any questions about your product, feel free to message us, leave a comment, or email us and we would be happy to help!