Why is the weed wrap so extra?

Voted “Best Budtender in Chicago”, Lorena Cupcake has answered hundreds of questions from cannabis buyers and patients during her time as a budtender. And now they’re turning that experience into a monthly advice column, Ask a budget tender. Have a question for cupcake? Send your questions to askabudtender@weedmaps.com.

Dear cupcake,

20+ year old cannabis enthusiast here asking if the over-packaging trend is simply the result of the commercialization of weed or if I get packaging that looks like this every time I buy weed, pre-rolls or gums how it could be. . . less than . . . for safety reasons? Is there anything i miss?

IMO, it would be great if I could “bring my own bag” so to speak so I don’t feel like I’m killing Mother Earth every time I buy a big old joint and it comes in a test tube size container that I recycle or throw away immediately.

-Dave

Dear Dave,

According to San Jose Inside, the cannabis packaging significantly outweighs the products inside. 3.5 grams of flower could be delivered in a 184 gram jar; A 1 gram joint comes in a doob tube that weighs 40.5 grams. The packaging of edibles can weigh up to 22 times as much as the gums or capsules in it.

The industry is creeping in and taking small steps towards ecological sustainability. New Jersey gently recommends that “cannabis companies use good faith efforts to use packaging that is biodegradable,” while brands like Stone Road voluntarily package their products in 100% recycled goods.

Unfortunately, most cannabis packaging is still bulky and difficult to recycle. To find out why, I went straight to the main source: the Byzantine laws regulating cannabis packaging, each specific to a particular state with some form of legalized cannabis.

Save the children

According to Alaska regulations, packaging must “be designed or constructed in such a way that it is very difficult for children under the age of five to open it; but usually not difficult for adults to use properly. “Anyone who has ever bothered opening their new concentrate or edible has to laugh at the second half.

States like New Jersey and Maryland adhere to edible cannabis product packaging to the same poisoning prevention standards that apply to mouthwashes, detergents, and medicines). Utah seems a little more relaxed as it allows cannabis processors to adhere to the rules set out for the dietary supplement industry.

One bright spot is that California regulators have rolled back requirements for opaque, child-resistant “exit bags,” adding to the expense and waste of pharmacy travel. With most customers having their products removed from home, the focus now is on keeping individual products child-proof.

Protect the product

Most state cannabis laws contain rules similar to Maryland’s edible cannabis packaging requirements, which state that “any container or package containing cannabis edible products should be used to protect its contents from contamination.”

Flower containers need to keep away the cannabinoid-degrading oxygen and the instantly noticeable damp smell inside. In some states, packaging must also be tamper-evident, with the contents sealed that cannot be consumed without breaking the seal.

While some packaging options are strictly purpose-tied, marketing also plays a role. Customers often find an eighth in a heavy glass vessel and a colorful box to be more valuable than an eighth in a Mylar foil bag. Many well-known pre-roll companies have built their brand identities on reusable cans with branded designs.

Identify products and potencies

It makes sense to mandate easy-to-read labels: budtenders need to be able to pull the eighths of Alien OG straight from the gram of chili verde, and customers want to know the details of their purchases. Almost all states require basic information such as harvest date, expiration date, ingredients, recommended dosage, laboratory results, batch and batch numbers, a unique serial number, and information about the cultivation and processing facilities.

Some states require products to disclose which solvents have been used to process cannabis concentrates, along with chemical additives such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Others are demanding warnings in clunky language, like Michigan’s many “marijuana” disclaimers.

States even mandate that product designers should use a certain font size (or larger) in order to remain legible, meaning that all of this information takes up space; too much space for a tiny sticker on a pre-roll can or jar. This means that product containers made of glass or plastic are often packed in cardboard boxes: they are easier to stack in pharmacy safes, but more environmentally friendly.

Recycling programs

As I currently work in the cannabis industry, I am often asked if they can bring used cannabis containers back to their pharmacy for recycling. Illinois specifically prohibits the return of open products to pharmacies, which means that collecting empty (well, slightly kief-y) jars on the premises could potentially disrupt operations.

According to MJ Brand Insights, the West Coast has the most recyclable atmosphere in the US, with Seattle pharmacies Canna West and Canna Culture Shop featuring recycling bins. Bay Area-based Canna Cycle reuses glass flower and concentrate jars in the cannabis industry and turns other recyclable materials into 3D printer filaments or fuel for delivery vehicles.

Recycled cannabis packaging is expressly prohibited in Maryland. Even so, the local nonprofit The High 5 initiative is committed to diverting pop-top cannabis containers from their landfills. In 2020, their collection centers kept about 100,000 pop-tops out of local landfills and turned them into non-food-safe items like air conditioning pads.

The patient-led organization has some suggestions for the industry. “Growers, processors, and pharmacies can try to keep the containers of the # 5 plastic packaging that the majority of the industry uses,” they write on their website. “This helps keep the potential for contamination low, as every plastic has different properties.” They also suggest using labels that are easy to peel off.

If federal cannabis reform becomes a reality, it could be an incredible step towards sustainability. In Canada, where cannabis has been legal since 2018, Terracycle accepts any brand of cannabis packaging at over a hundred collection points across the country. In the US, legalization could lead to a better future for both our citizens and our environment.