With the expanding legal cannabis edibles market in the US comes the need for quick, precise examination of the molecular content of cannabis edible products to regulate and reduce fraudulent product production.
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Cannabis edible products are made using cannabis extract. The primary active ingredients in cannabis extract are cannabinoids.1 Of the 100+ cannabinoids currently described, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the most commonly consumed for medicinal and recreational use.2
THC is a psychoactive cannabinoid that has been shown to have important antiemetic and analgesic properties. CBD, on the other hand, is non-psychoactive and generally used for anxiolytic, antiseizure, and anti-inflammatory purposes. 3,4
With such rapid growth in the cannabis market in the United States, many regulation challenges have arisen. One of the major problems now is the production of counterfeit cannabis edible products made using synthetic chemicals. Counterfeit edibles pose a great safety threat to consumers and reduce consumers’ trust in the legal market.
Now, important advancements in spectroscopy for the analysis of cannabis edible products are evolving to combat this issue.
The US legal cannabis market: Growth and challenges
Driven by consumer preferences for smoke-free cannabis products and greater recognition of marijuana’s medicinal properties, the United States’ legal cannabis edibles market was valued at 8.01 USD in 2022. Popular cannabis products include gummies, chocolates, hard candies, and cannabis-infused beverages, with baked goods being the most popularly consumed cannabis-infused food items in the States.5
One issue with the US legal cannabis market is the increased potency of edibles, which varies between brands and can be falsely represented on packaging. This increased potency, combined with delayed onset effects, of cannabis edibles can result in overconsumption and potential adverse experiences.6
Regulation of cannabis edible products is also not policed at the federal level, and only local brand protection is available, resulting in the production of fake, counterfeit versions of nationally reputed brands that consumers will seek out.7 These counterfeit sellers are incorporating synthetic cannabinoids into their products, reducing the quality and safety of the product because it is less expensive, quicker, and easier to produce.8
Accurate, fast, and simple molecular analysis of cannabis edible products is, therefore, central to policing counterfeit cannabis edibles.
The role of spectroscopy in the analysis of counterfeit cannabis edibles
Although the most predominantly used spectroscopy techniques have been gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography, infrared and Raman spectroscopy are now being successfully applied in the analysis of cannabis counterfeit products. These vibrational spectroscopy methods are highly advantageous in the analysis of cannabis edible products because they have increased user-friendliness, extremely rapid testing, and high accuracy.9
Portable infrared and Raman spectroscopy devices are now becoming more readily available and financially accessible, facilitating accurate and fast onsite testing for the policing of cannabis production facilities and dispensaries.
Pittcon is dedicated to exploring the most recent advancements in the molecular analysis of cannabis edibles, hosting a seminar series on the detection and analysis of counterfeit cannabis products. This series includes the following talk, “Combatting Counterfeit Cannabis Edibles with Laboratory and Portable Spectroscopy,” presented by Brooke Kammrath from the Forensic Science at the University of New Haven and Co-Executive Director of the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science.
Counterfeit products are an interesting and varied issue within forensic science, threatening public health and violating intellectual property. Brooke Kammrath will discuss the problems associated with the rise of counterfeit cannabis edible products, including the varying sources and differing quality, which have not been scientifically investigated.
She will highlight the value of portable infrared and Raman spectroscopy devices in the identification of counterfeit edible packaging and the edibles themselves and determine the best analytical scheme for their identification and classification. She will also draw light on the success of the LightLab portable HPLC cannabis analyzer for edible products and suggest the need for a multi-toolkit approach.10
Reports now state that the illegal cannabis market is dominated by organized crime groups counterfeiting publically highly regarded cannabis brands. Experts will gather at Pittcon to discuss these topics, drawing information from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the US Farm Service Agency (FSA), leading forensic university research groups, and commercial organizations that specialize in portable spectroscopy devices.11
Richard Crocombe, principal of Crocombe Spectroscopic Consulting, will delve further into the use of portable instruments for the identification of counterfeit products during his talk, “Detection and Analysis of Counterfeit Pharmaceutical and Cannabis Products Via Portable Instruments in the Field.” He will outline the successful specialization, supply, training, and deployment of portable instruments for molecular analysis of counterfeit products, as well as offer a broad overview of accompanying challenges and how to overcome them.11
Fast, accurate, and relatively easy identification and quantification of natural and counterfeit cannabis edible products is required for effective regulation of the cannabis market to ensure consumer safety. Portable spectroscopy instruments are vital for such analysis, and Pittcon is at the forefront of technological advancements that have pioneered this valuable field of molecular research.
Conclusion
Pittcon offers a vital platform for the discussion of molecular analytical research, including the success of Raman and infrared spectroscopy in combatting counterfeit cannabis edibles. These techniques are at the forefront of overcoming the challenge of counterfeit cannabis edibles, and the increased portability of these instruments is helping to give researchers and regulators the upper hand.
This seminar series is one of many exciting and innovative talk sessions that will be hosted at Pittcon. To find out more, visit the Pittcon website.
References
- Blake, A. and Nahtigal, I. (2019). The evolving landscape of cannabis edibles. Current Opinion in Food Science, 28, pp.25–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2019.03.009.
- McClements, D.J. (2020). Enhancing Efficacy, Performance, and Reliability of Cannabis Edibles: Insights from Lipid Bioavailability Studies. Annual Review of Food Science and Technology, 11(1), pp.45–70. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-food-032519-051834.
- Araújo, M., Almeida, M.B. and Araújo, L.L.N. (2023). The cannabinoids mechanism of action: an overview. BrJP, (online) 6, pp.109–113. https://doi.org/10.5935/2595-0118.20230028-en.
- Abramovici, H. (2013). INFORMATION FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS Cannabis (marihuana, marijuana) and the cannabinoids Dried or fresh plant and oil administration by ingestion or other means Psychoactive agent. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/documents/services/drugs-medication/cannabis/information-medical-practitioners/information-health-care-professionals-cannabis-cannabinoids-eng.pdf.
- Global Market Insights Inc. Cannabis Edibles Market Statistics | Growth Forecasts 2032. (online) Available at: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/cannabis-edibles-market.
- Barrus, D., et al. (2016). Tasty THC: Promises and Challenges of Cannabis Edibles. Methods Rep RTI Press. (online) https://doi.org/10.3768/rtipress.2016.op.0035.1611.
- Denton, A. WHY BRAND ENFORCEMENT LAWS FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA ARE DEFICIENT, AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE INDUSTRY’S PRODUCT SAFETY EFFORTS. (online) Available at: https://www.mitchellwilliamslaw.com/webfiles/Denton_article.pdf (Accessed 16 Jan. 2025).
- Synthetic cannabinoids: What are they? What are their effects? | HSB | NCEH (2017). http://med.iiab.me/modules/en-cdc/www.cdc.gov/nceh/hsb/chemicals/sc/default.html.
- Amorn Slosse, et al (2023). Analytical strategies for herbal Cannabis samples in forensic applications: A comprehensive review. Wires Forensic Science, 5(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/wfs2.1479.
- Pittcon.(2025). Combatting Counterfeit Cannabis Edibles with Laboratory and Portable Spectroscopy. (online) Available at: https://labscievents.pittcon.org/event/pittcon-2025/planning/UGxhbm5pbmdfMjQ1MzY4Mg== (Accessed 16 Jan. 2025).
- Pittcon. (2025). Detection and Analysis of Counterfeit Pharmaceutical and Cannabis Products Via Portable Instruments in the Field. (online) Available at: https://labscievents.pittcon.org/event/pittcon-2025/planning/UGxhbm5pbmdfMjQ1MzY4MQ== (Accessed 16 Jan. 2025).
About Pittcon
Pittcon is the world’s largest annual premier conference and exposition on laboratory science. Pittcon attracts more than 16,000 attendees from industry, academia and government from over 90 countries worldwide.
Their mission is to sponsor and sustain educational and charitable activities for the advancement and benefit of scientific endeavor.
Pittcon’s target audience is not just “analytical chemists,” but all laboratory scientists — anyone who identifies, quantifies, analyzes or tests the chemical or biological properties of compounds or molecules, or who manages these laboratory scientists.
Having grown beyond its roots in analytical chemistry and spectroscopy, Pittcon has evolved into an event that now also serves a diverse constituency encompassing life sciences, pharmaceutical discovery and QA, food safety, environmental, bioterrorism and cannabis/psychedelics.
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