The Race for All-Powerful Pot
At Stiiizy, the best-selling cannabis brand in America, the goal is explicit: producing powerful and cheap marijuana. Inside its Los Angeles headquarters, crews dust joints with concentrated THC, the intoxicating component of cannabis. They package pocket-size vape cartridges that promise “the highest potency possible.” On its website, the company declares that “it has never been easier (or quicker) to get silly high for an affordable price.”
More than a decade after states began legalizing recreational marijuana, businesses are enticing customers with unproven health claims, while largely escaping rigorous oversight. A New York Times review of 20 of the largest brands found that most were selling products with such claims, potentially violating federal and state regulations. And as companies compete, potency has gone up — with some products advertised as having as much as 99 percent THC — and prices have gone down.
The industry’s focus on potency has led to a surge in the use of concentrates, such as waxes, liquids, and crystalline “diamonds,” which have gone from niche to mainstream. These products have been linked to a growing number of cases of cannabis-induced psychosis, addiction, and other harms.
Despite the risks, many companies continue to make unproven health claims about their products. Stiiizy, for example, still makes health claims on its website, including in guides describing different cannabis breeds. Each of the more than 80 guides reviewed by The Times highlighted at least one health condition that the breed “helps with,” including depression, P.T.S.D., gastrointestinal disorder, A.D.H.D., migraines, Crohn’s disease, and asthma.
The industry has also fought many attempts at regulation by states, arguing that stricter rules would drive consumers to the illegal market and cost states tax revenue. As a result, many states have taken a lax approach to regulation, leaving consumers vulnerable to the risks of untested and unregulated products.
Public health experts are increasingly alarmed by the industry’s actions. “When companies make unproven health claims about their products, it can put consumers at risk,” said Rosalie Liccardo Pacula, a professor at the University of Southern California who researches cannabis health policy. “And consumers who are exposed to more potent cannabis are more likely to experience serious health effects.”
The industry’s focus on profits over public health has also led to a surge in the use of cannabis among young people. According to a national survey on drug use, nearly 18 million Americans now report using marijuana daily or near daily — more than the number drinking alcohol that often. A growing number are enduring addiction, psychosis, and other harms.
As the industry continues to push the boundaries of what is considered acceptable, it is clear that the race for all-powerful pot has come at a high cost to public health. It is time for policymakers to take a closer look at the industry’s actions and to prioritize the well-being of consumers over profits.
