Business
Cannabis Company Sued for Not Getting People High Enough – Inflated THC Potency Claims Cause California Lawsuit
Can you sue if your cannabis product has inflated THC percentagesj on the packaging?
The latest lawsuit making waves in the US cannabis industry is against the makers of Jeeters’ pre-rolled joints. The lawsuit alleges that the giant company has been falsifying details of its THC composition. According to the lawsuit, the joints do the opposite of what the company claims, as it contains far less THC compounds than stated.
Jeeter brand’s prerolled joints are some of the most popular cannabis joints in the market. And their catchphrase, “get you to mars quicker than Elon Musk”, has appealed to several cannabis lovers and is one of the reasons why the products have sold very well in the market.
Smoke Jeeters To Stay Closer to Earth
The lawsuit was filed early this month in the Superior Court in Los Angeles. The plaintiff alleged that the THC composition claims on the Jeeter labels are far from correct. They explained that the defendants have dramatically overstated THC content on all products by DreamFields Brand Inc. and Med for America Inc. The complaint also reads that the defendants intentionally misled consumers into assuming that the psychoactive effects of THC in the prerolls are more effective than they are.
According to the lawsuit, the producers of Jeeter cannabis joints are falsifying claims to push sales and make more profits. This is because most cannabis lovers are all about potency, and when they can, they are always willing to pay a premium.
Two California residents brought on the lawsuit, and they are represented by the Santa Monica-based law firm Dovel & Luner. The 26-page lawsuit was filed on October 20 by Long Beach residents Jasper Centeno and Blake Wilson of Fresno. These plaintiffs seek to be compensated with unspecified damages and restitution. The law firm also says it is working towards elevating the lawsuit’s status to a class action.
The California Department of Cannabis Control rule establishing a 10% margin of error for the THC concentration reported on the packaging forms the basis of the complaint. The real THC of the product must be between 27 and 30%, according to the lawsuit, if the THC content is expressed as a percentage and is listed as 30%. The counsel for the plaintiffs cited testing of Jeeter products conducted by Weed Week and reported in a September article, which revealed that the THC level in some products was far lower than stated on the label.
According to the complaint, the Baby Jeeter Fire OG Diamond Infused 5-Pack Preroll’s THC content was listed on the label as being 46%. However, the independent lab testing revealed that the product’s real THC concentration was far lower, ranging from 23-27% THC. The THC concentration was therefore exaggerated by 70 to 100%, which is far greater than the 10% margin of error permitted by California laws.
Basis of The Plaintiff’s Claims
According to state law, marijuana businesses must test their products for poisons and other contaminants besides THC. A certificate of analysis that must be given to state regulators contains the findings of those tests.
Several items from the Jeeter range were tested by Weed Week, including Baby Jete Fire OG Diamond Infused joints, which were reported to have 46% THC by weight. The certificate of analysis for the product also revealed a 46% THC concentration. According to Weed Week, testing revealed that the real content was between 23% and 27%, representing an “implied inflation” of up to 100%.
In response to WeedWeek’s findings for the Fire OG product, Georg Kallert of Landau Labs, which tested items for Jeeter, stated: “A check of provided CoAs shows moisture content analysis was conducted differently from Landau Labs…thus final results were falsely lowered.” Also, in response to WeedWeek’s claim that Jeeter’s Churros Diamond Infused 5-Pack Preroll has implied THC inflation of 28% to 42%, Kallert stated that Landau Labs stood by its findings.
A Baseless and Ludicrous Case
The Jeeter brand described the lawsuit as “baseless and ludicrous”. In an email, the team explained that the claims were lies. It can be recalled that Forbes claimed that Jeeter joints, sold in millions each year, were the best-selling pre-rolls in the nation last year.
The team explained that the accusations were false and intended to destroy the brand’s reputation and business procedures. They stressed that they are proud of their adherence and dedication to the independent, third-party testing requirements set forth by the state. As a firm, they place a high value on the product and its integrity, and they take all necessary legal precautions before releasing the product.
The brand statement reads, “Our love for cannabis and our commitment to morality, values, and culture formed the basis of the firm we have developed. We are proud of all the jobs we have produced and the progress we have made in the sector. We take these allegations extremely seriously and are eager to learn the truth, no matter how absurd and unfounded they are.”
To prove their innocence, the brand has challenged the plaintiffs and other complainants to show where they have violated their stated THC contents. In the concluding part of the email, the company stated that it looks forward to the truth emerging.
The weed week article did point out that the experiment was imperfect since it did not take into consideration factors like how long the products had been on store shelves or whether they had possibly been exposed to severe temperatures. According to Weed Week, the test implies potency inflation is rampant in California. The results, however, are insufficient to apply to any specific brand, business, product, or testing facility. The article also mentions that Jeeter items were tested twice, with the second round including a bigger sample size and Jeeter paying for the products’ costs. Between 28% and 42% of inflation was visible in the second round.
Final Note
The main reason customers buy cannabis is its therapeutic and psychological effects, and the THC level of the product substantially drives those therapeutic and psychological effects. Like attorney Christin Cho of Dovel & Kuner said, consumers are willing to pay more for cannabis products with higher THC concentration and anticipate spending less for cannabis goods with lower THC content.