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Should THC Be a Range Instead of One Number? with guest Ben Cleary
In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk
sits down with cannabis research scientist Ben Cleary to unpack
groundbreaking research published in Scientific Reports examining THC
variability in cannabis flower and what it means for consumers, cultivators,
laboratories, and regulators.
If you've ever wondered why the same strain can feel
different from batch to batch—or why chasing the highest THC percentage often
leads to disappointment—this conversation explains the science behind it.
Ben shares how his team's research demonstrates the natural
variability of THC within a single cannabis plant and why reporting one THC
percentage may not accurately represent what consumers actually purchase.
Together, Riley and Ben discuss the future of cannabis labeling, range-based
THC reporting, lab testing variability, terpene science, chemical diversity,
and how better education can improve purchasing decisions and consumer trust.
They also explore why aroma may be a better guide than THC
percentage alone, how Canada's cannabis industry is beginning to implement THC
ranges, the role of laboratory variation in cannabis testing, and what future
cannabis packaging could look like as science continues to evolve.
Whether you're a cannabis consumer, cultivator, scientist,
budtender, regulator, or simply curious about how cannabis testing really
works, this episode offers an evidence-based look at one of the industry's
biggest conversations.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Meet Ben Cleary
01:02 Inside Village Farms
02:55 Why Study THC Variability
04:37 Single Number Problem
07:25 Sampling The Whole Plant
10:26 Ranges At The Dispensary
12:11 How To Set THC Ranges
14:07 Low Dose Product Access
16:29 Health Canada And Pilot Launch
17:36 Let Consumers Smell Flower
19:00 Beyond THC CBD Terpenes
22:53 Lighting Scale And Microclimates
25:15 Talking Science With Consumers
29:01 Genetics And Morphology Effects
30:34 Building Ranges From COAs
33:26 Lab Testing Trust Issues
34:41 Lab Variability Triad
36:58 Beyond THC Quality Metrics
38:57 Industry Adoption Call
40:49 Why Village Farms Leads
43:04 Next Research Frontiers
45:04 Real World Data And ML
46:31 Community And Conferences
48:48 Clinicians Knowledge Gap
52:34 Chemical Diversity Score
55:53 Simplifying Consumer Labels
57:12 Where To Follow Research
59:14 Closing Thanks And BC Invite
Read the Scientific Reports paper discussed in this
episode:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-06962-2
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-06962-2
Connect with Ben Cleary
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-cleary-746b00172/
Village Farms International: https://villagefarms.com/
Want Exclusive Content and ad-free episodes?
Join the Bioactive Patreon community for as little as
$1/month to ask guests your burning
questions, access exclusive content, and connect with Dr.
Kirk one-on-one.
www.Patreon.com/Cannabichem
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification
bell for more expert insights into
cannabis science, plant biology, and more!
Sign Up for Emails!
www.AppliedPharmacognosy.org
Keep up with Dr. Riley Kirk:
https://www.bioactivepodcast.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@cannabichem
https://instagram.com/cannabichem
https://www.appliedpharmacognosy.org/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
View all episodes
By Riley D. Kirk, Ph.D.
5
8989 ratings
In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk
sits down with cannabis research scientist Ben Cleary to unpack
groundbreaking research published in Scientific Reports examining THC
variability in cannabis flower and what it means for consumers, cultivators,
laboratories, and regulators.
If you've ever wondered why the same strain can feel
different from batch to batch—or why chasing the highest THC percentage often
leads to disappointment—this conversation explains the science behind it.
Ben shares how his team's research demonstrates the natural
variability of THC within a single cannabis plant and why reporting one THC
percentage may not accurately represent what consumers actually purchase.
Together, Riley and Ben discuss the future of cannabis labeling, range-based
THC reporting, lab testing variability, terpene science, chemical diversity,
and how better education can improve purchasing decisions and consumer trust.
They also explore why aroma may be a better guide than THC
percentage alone, how Canada's cannabis industry is beginning to implement THC
ranges, the role of laboratory variation in cannabis testing, and what future
cannabis packaging could look like as science continues to evolve.
Whether you're a cannabis consumer, cultivator, scientist,
budtender, regulator, or simply curious about how cannabis testing really
works, this episode offers an evidence-based look at one of the industry's
biggest conversations.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Meet Ben Cleary
01:02 Inside Village Farms
02:55 Why Study THC Variability
04:37 Single Number Problem
07:25 Sampling The Whole Plant
10:26 Ranges At The Dispensary
12:11 How To Set THC Ranges
14:07 Low Dose Product Access
16:29 Health Canada And Pilot Launch
17:36 Let Consumers Smell Flower
19:00 Beyond THC CBD Terpenes
22:53 Lighting Scale And Microclimates
25:15 Talking Science With Consumers
29:01 Genetics And Morphology Effects
30:34 Building Ranges From COAs
33:26 Lab Testing Trust Issues
34:41 Lab Variability Triad
36:58 Beyond THC Quality Metrics
38:57 Industry Adoption Call
40:49 Why Village Farms Leads
43:04 Next Research Frontiers
45:04 Real World Data And ML
46:31 Community And Conferences
48:48 Clinicians Knowledge Gap
52:34 Chemical Diversity Score
55:53 Simplifying Consumer Labels
57:12 Where To Follow Research
59:14 Closing Thanks And BC Invite
Read the Scientific Reports paper discussed in this
episode:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-06962-2
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-06962-2
Connect with Ben Cleary
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-cleary-746b00172/
Village Farms International: https://villagefarms.com/
Want Exclusive Content and ad-free episodes?
Join the Bioactive Patreon community for as little as
$1/month to ask guests your burning
questions, access exclusive content, and connect with Dr.
Kirk one-on-one.
www.Patreon.com/Cannabichem
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification
bell for more expert insights into
cannabis science, plant biology, and more!
Sign Up for Emails!
www.AppliedPharmacognosy.org
Keep up with Dr. Riley Kirk:
https://www.bioactivepodcast.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@cannabichem
https://instagram.com/cannabichem
https://www.appliedpharmacognosy.org/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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