Colorado cannabis vapes show signs of hemp inversion

Hemp-derived THC continues to be inverted into Colorado’s legal cannabis market in violation of state law, a recent independent investigation suggests.

Three of 14 cannabis vaporizers purchased at Denver-area legal cannabis stores showed signs of banned hemp-derived cannabinoids in lab tests, The Denver Gazette and ProPublica reported.

Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division declined to comment on the results.

Hemp inversion continues in legal cannabis markets, tests show

Complaints of hemp-derived THC produced outside of legal channels appearing on legal store shelves – a practice called “inversion” – have arisen in several states, including New York as well as Colorado.

As MJBizDaily reported last year, Colorado operators have been raising the alarm about hemp THC inversion for more than a year – going as far as to identify the method by which alleged inversion thwarts track-and-trace systems.

But, according to critics, regulators have been slow to react and implement testing to detect inversion or punish violators.

To test the inversion claims, the Denver Gazette and ProPublica purchased and tested 14 cannabis vaporizer products from Denver-area retailers.

Three of the samples tested contained levels of delta-8 or delta-10 THC ranging from 1.1% to 3.3%.

Those compounds are naturally occurring in cannabis trace amounts. But they appear at higher concentrations when hemp-derived CBD is chemically converted into THC, a process that’s prohibited in Colorado.

Tests found banned compounds, solvents in Colorado cannabis

The investigation flagged products from specific licensed manufacturers.

Two vape products from Dutch Botanicals tested positive for delta-8 THC. The company’s license was suspended in May amid allegations of producing intoxicating hemp-derived THC, the outlets reported.

Owner Jenny Tran denied using hemp and is battling to keep her license in the face of state action, according to The Gazette .

A vape product from Rockin Extracts showed unusual levels of delta 10-THC and solvent residues differing from what was listed on the package. The company’s attorney attributed the findings to natural degradation and said the oils was sourced from a third party.

A “Flyin’ Hawaiian vape” from C2CC, doing business as Bonanza, contained toluene, a solvent that the outlets said is indicative of hemp conversion processes.

Co-founder Conlan Keller said the distillate was purchased from a supplier that provided the certificates of analysis C2CC requires.

Can Colorado cannabis regulators stop illegal hemp inversion?

In a lawsuit last year, a licensed cultivator called Mammoth claimed that regulators have been unable or unwilling to thwart this alleged “blueprint for laundering marijuana” into regulated sales channels.

A judge declined to force MED to take action, but the agency launched a pilot testing program last fall.

According to The Gazette, the program is in the early phase. Permanent implementation will require increased resources and funding.