2Firsts Analysis: 69.8% of North American Cannabis Vapes Lack Clear Ingredient Labeling, Raising Compliance and Safety Concerns

Key Findings from the Report:

• Cannabis vapes made up 37.9% of the sample, including cartridges, disposables, and vape oils.
• Nearly 70% lacked calculable potency information; only 17% clearly labeled mg/mL concentration.
• Health warnings on the main display panel were rare (11.7%), with most warnings placed only on side or back panels.
• Common marketing tactics included the use of “hemp” wording, legality cues, cannabis symbols, cartoon imagery, and candy-style packaging.

Detailed Breakdown:

Among the 53 cannabis vape products surveyed:

• Cartridges: 22.1%
• Disposables: 12.9%
• Vape oils: 1.4%
• Unspecified subtypes: 1.4%

Labeling Issues:

• 69.8% (37/53) could not have potency calculated—labels listed only milligrams, net weight/volume, or unclear units (e.g., “Delta 8 • One Gram” without specifying whether “one gram” referred to net weight or cannabinoid content).
• Only 20.8% (11/53) could be expressed as percentage concentration.
• Only 17.0% (9/53) listed mg/mL concentration:

1. Vape oils: 16.7–200 mg/mL (lower range)
2. Cartridges & disposables: 653–950 mg/mL (higher range)

Health & Safety Warnings:

• Very low main-panel coverage (11.7%) with most products only showing “Keep out of reach of children” or pregnancy risk warnings on side/back panels.
• Some products included lab test QR codes or third-party testing statements.

Marketing Approaches:

• Legality cues such as “<0.3% Delta-9 THC” or references to the 2018 Farm Bill.
• Cannabis cultural symbols (leaf icons, “420” references).
• Youth-appealing designs, including bright colors, cartoon imagery, and candy brand mimicry.

Research Team’s Warning:
Given the current regulatory environment, the lack of transparency in ingredient labeling, combined with high-potency products and youth-targeted packaging, could heighten misuse potential and public health risks. The study recommends:

• Standardizing potency labeling in both mg/mL and percentage.
• Increasing the proportion of health warnings on main display panels.
• Restricting high-potency and youth-appealing packaging designs.

Cover image credit: keck.usc.edu