Quick answer
THC and CBD potency is measured as a percentage of dry weight for flower and as a percentage of total volume or weight for concentrates, edibles, and tinctures. Flower sold at US dispensaries runs about 15% to 25% THC. Vape distillate runs 80% to 95% THC. CBD-dominant hemp flower runs 10% to 20% CBD with THC at or below 0.3%. Federal law caps hemp THC at 0.3% on a dry weight basis.
cannabis potency vs dosage explained
Potency ranges by product class
- Flower: 15% to 25% THC typical, with 30% at the top end. CBD flower: 10% to 20% CBD.
- Hash and kief: 20% to 60% THC.
- Wax, shatter, budder: 60% to 90% THC.
- Distillate: 80% to 95% THC. CBD distillate: 70% to 90% CBD.
- Isolate: 95% to 99.9% of a single cannabinoid.
- Tincture: 1 mg to 5 mg THC per drop. Bottles list total mg per package.
- Edibles: 10 mg THC per serving in most adult-use states. Package caps sit at 100 mg in most of those states.
Ratio labels
A ratio label shows THC to CBD by milligrams. A 1:1 product carries equal mg of each. A 1:20 product carries 20 mg CBD for every 1 mg THC. The ratio matters more than a single number for users who want less impairment. A 5% THC flower at a 1:20 ratio delivers 1 mg THC per 20 mg CBD in the same material.
Marijuana Strength Guide for Budtenders: Reading THC Labels
Onset and duration
Inhaled THC reaches peak blood levels in 5 to 10 minutes. Effects last 2 to 3 hours. Oral THC peaks in 60 to 180 minutes. Effects last 4 to 8 hours. The liver converts oral THC to 11-hydroxy-THC, a metabolite with higher potency than THC itself. That step explains the stronger response from edible doses at the same milligram count.
Label variance
Third-party lab tests carry measurement error. State programs allow variance of 10% relative or more between the label and the lot. A flower labeled 22% THC can test from 19.8% to 24.2% inside that band. Grower, harvest date, and storage change results. Cannabis held at room temperature for six months loses THC as it converts to CBN.
Cannabis Potency Testing Explained: How THC and CBD Numbers Are Measured
How to read a chart fast
- Find the product class first. Percentage ranges do not compare across classes.
- Check total mg per package for edibles and tinctures. Percentage figures apply to flower and concentrates.
- Check the ratio label for CBD content.
- Check the lab date and the batch number.
- Confirm the state cap. Some states cap THC at 5 mg per serving.
Convenience and dose control
Single-serve formats changed what buyers pick. A 10 mg gummy, a 0.5 g pre-roll, and a 1 g vape cartridge each carry a known dose. That removes guessing at the counter. A 20% flower and a 90% concentrate can deliver the same THC when the user adjusts the amount, but onset time differs by route.
Unknown for any single package: exact potency. The lab report for that batch answers it.