Bubble Bud Calls Out Canada Testing Standards for THC Beverages

"Some beverages were tested to be overdosed by over 71 percent."

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Cannabis beverage maker Bubble Bud is calling for Health Canada to take immediate action to address critical flaws in cannabis beverage testing standards. The company warns that current inadequacies in THC potency testing and labelling are putting consumer safety at risk and threatening the integrity of Canada's legal cannabis market.

"The lack of accurate, standardized testing protocols for cannabis beverages is allowing products with THC levels an average of 41 percent above legal limits to flood the market," said Callum Hanton, CEO of Bubble Bud. "Some beverages were tested to be overdosed by over 71 percent. Not only does this compromise product consistency and market integrity, it also exposes consumers to serious health risks from unknowing overconsumption."

In collaboration with Agilent Technologies, Bubble Bud developed a dedicated testing protocol that revealed significant discrepancies between existing methodologies and actual THC content. Their 15-month research showed that many products in the market contained higher THC levels than labelled. Following external validation to ensure data accuracy, the company shared its findings with Health Canada in January 2024.

Bubble Bud is calling on the regulated cannabis industry to join in prioritizing consumer safety and advocating for collaboration between industry, government, and regulators to enhance THC regulation enforcement and develop more effective testing protocols.

"We applaud Minister Nally for recognizing these risks and publicly calling out the need for change, but the Government of Canada and Health Canada must step up and implement robust, consistent testing methodologies across the board," Hanton concluded. "We need to protect public health, uphold market integrity, and create a fair, safe market for both consumers and responsible producers and urge Health Canada to match Alberta's urgency in addressing this critical issue." Minister Dale Nally, Alberta's Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, spoke at the 2024 GrowUp Conference earlier this week, highlighting this critical issue of inaccurate THC labelling in cannabis beverages.

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