Two million adults in New York State reported using cannabis in 2023. That is a striking number on its own. What is more striking is how few of those users understood the labels on the products they were buying. Cannabis label literacy among consumers is alarmingly low, according to a new University at Buffalo study. Researchers say legal frameworks are falling short in communicating genuine risks to the public.

Daniel J. Kruger, a research associate professor of community health and health behaviour at the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions, led the research. His team surveyed nearly 200 adult cannabis users in New York during late 2024. They recruited participants from dispensaries and social media. The journal Psychoactives published the findings.

What New York Cannabis Product Labelling Requires

New York State requires all legal cannabis products to carry a specific set of symbols and disclosures. Every package must display the universal cannabis symbol. That is a bright yellow equilateral triangle featuring a stylised cannabis leaf and the letters “THC!” in bold black. The symbol tells consumers that the product contains tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis.

Labels must also state the total THC and cannabidiol (CBD) content per serving and per package. They must include the number of servings and the net weight or volume. Two additional required symbols round out the regulatory framework. A red circle containing “21+” signals the product is for adults only. An outline of New York State with the words “New York State” confirms legal production within the state.

Each package must also carry a scannable QR code. Scanning it takes the consumer to the product’s Certificate of Analysis (COA), a laboratory document confirming what the product actually contains.

On paper, this is a robust framework. In practice, cannabis label literacy among real consumers tells a very different story.

Consumers Cannot Identify the Labels on Their Products

The survey exposed a significant cannabis label literacy gap. Three quarters of participants incorrectly selected the symbol required in California when asked to identify labels on New York cannabis products. This is not a minor error. It suggests that large numbers of consumers either buy from the illicit market or have never looked closely at what New York labelling requires. California symbols routinely appear on grey market and unregulated products.

Kruger says both explanations likely play a role. “This suggests that people are still purchasing a considerable amount of cannabis from the black market,” he said. “These products may be legal products shipped from California or illicit cannabis mimicking California products. With illicit products, you do not really know what you are getting.”

Cannabis label literacy also extends to understanding what the COA means. The COA specifies exactly what a product contains. Kruger pointed to a previous study from a cannabis industry organisation. It found that grey market products from unregulated outlets contained mould, heavy metals, and industrial solvents. Licensed dispensaries must carry COA documentation and meet laboratory testing standards. Consumers who cannot read or interpret these labels lose their most fundamental layer of product safety.

Cannabis Label Literacy and the THC Dosage Problem

The study also found poor consumer understanding of THC dosage and its effects. Different cannabis products carry widely varying concentrations of THC. Edibles carry a particular risk that many consumers underestimate.

“Different forms of cannabis contain varying amounts of THC and produce different effects, which people may not realise until it is too late,” Kruger said. “You hear stories about people who take way too much and have a panic attack. Usually, they are consuming edibles and do not realise that it could take an hour or more to feel the effect.”

Nearly 40% of survey participants reported using cannabis to manage medical conditions or to reduce their reliance on pharmaceuticals or other substances. This group needs accurate dosage and content information most of all. Their cannabis label literacy shapes not just recreational choices but decisions with direct health consequences.

Legalisation Has Not Produced an Informed Consumer

New York legalised recreational cannabis for adults in March 2021. The first licensed dispensary opened in late 2022, and legal cannabis outlets are now widespread across the state. Most adult consumers have therefore had years of exposure to the regulated market. The cannabis label literacy findings are all the more surprising against that backdrop.

Kruger points to a broader culture of distrust toward government health messaging. “We have the additional challenge that people may not trust the government as a source of information about cannabis,” he said. “People may have heard that it is addictive or a gateway drug. But they try it and have a good time. This makes it difficult to convince people that there are genuine risks and potential harms.”

Legalisation may compound the problem in another way. Products in polished, professional packaging carry an implicit message of safety. When cannabis product labelling uses the same visual language as any other consumer good, shoppers treat it accordingly. Most do not read it.

Labels Alone Are Not Enough

Labelling requirements are necessary but not sufficient. Cannabis product labelling that consumers cannot read or do not understand offers limited practical protection. The study calls on states with legal cannabis markets to invest in targeted public education and outreach. That means helping users understand not only what the required symbols are. It also means explaining what the information behind them means for their health.

Researchers also recommend continued work to develop effective communication strategies for both experienced and first time users. The space between what information exists and what consumers actually absorb is precisely where preventable harms occur.

The findings point clearly to a need for cannabis consumer education that goes well beyond the point of sale.

Source: medicalxpress