U.S. Federal Bureau of Science Updates Cannabis-Related Guidance in New 2025 Industry Manual
An updated industry standards manual released by the federal government this month includes new guidelines on allowable moisture loss in cannabis — standards designed to ensure that patients and consumers don’t receive packages containing less product than advertised.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has added a variety of updates to its lineup of industry manuals for 2025, including one that says products can lose up to 3 percent of their total weight as a result of moisture loss. While marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, the move acknowledges that some plant material may dry out during shipping or storage, but that buyers still deserve their full purchase.
Dozens of states are expected to adopt the new standard, which will help guide enforcement efforts and respond to consumer complaints, said Charlie Rutherford, co-chair of the Cannabis Task Force of the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM).
NCWM members approved the change in July, and it went into effect Jan. 1 with the publication of NIST’s new manual “Verification of Net Contents of Packaged Products,” also known as Handbook 133.
In all, 24 states have adopted and updated their packaged product standards to align with Handbook 133, according to a separate NIST document. Another 20 have similar laws or regulations “in effect,” using the NIST standard as the “baseline for adoption, but from a previous year." That means nearly all states will likely eventually adopt the new allowable moisture loss standard.
At an NCWM meeting starting this weekend, the group is expected to focus on how various state agencies are using the new standards to guide enforcement and regulatory implications.
This weekend, the NCWM will hold a meeting to discuss how state agencies are using the new standards to guide enforcement and regulatory implications. According to NCWM members, the adoption of the new standard stems from the realization that in the cannabis retail trade, little attention is paid to moisture migration into or out of some packaging. This often results in underweight products, penalizing patients and consumers.
Source: https://sechat.com.br/noticia/novos-padroes-federais-sobre-umidade-da-cannabis-garantem-transparencia-para-o-consumidor
New Federal Cannabis Unit Standards Ensure Transparency for Consumers
