Choosing Cannabis Products
How to Understand THC, CBD and Other Cannabinoid Content on Product Labels
Cannabinoid content is one of the top considerations when choosing cannabis products. But it can be difficult to understand how this content is represented on cannabis product labels. Here’s how to tell how much THC or CBD is in the product you’re buying.
Last updated October 17, 2025 | Published on April 1, 2022
The amount of THC and CBD may be one of your top considerations when choosing cannabis products. While you may see some of the cannabis plant’s many cannabinoids referenced on product packaging, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and cannabidiol, or CBD, content must be listed, as these two cannabinoids are primarily responsible for the effects of cannabis.
Even though the information is there to help you make an informed decision, cannabis product labels can be difficult to understand. Each product must list the total THC and CBD it will contain when it’s heated or otherwise prepared for consumption. However, products may also list the THC and CBD they contain when purchased, before consumption.
You’ll see this information represented as different units of measure depending on the product format.
So how do you know how much of each cannabinoid is in the product you’re buying? Read on to learn how to understand the THC and CBD content listed on cannabis product labels.
Total THC and Total CBD
While Licensed Producers may call out the cannabinoid content per unit or using another measurement, you will find the THC and CBD content expressed on a product label as “total THC” and “total CBD.” These numbers refer to the levels of active cannabinoids when the cannabis is prepared for consumption.
For dried cannabis and pre-rolls, these numbers reflect the amount of THC and CBD the product will have when it's heated for consumption. For products like edibles or capsules, which have already been heated and processed, the THC and CBD listed on the label is how much the product contains when consumed out of the package. Keep reading to learn why.
Not all cannabis has fully activated
cannabinoid content
Cannabinoids are activated by time and heat. During the drying process, some cannabinoids are activated, which is why dried flower contains a small amount of THC and CBD. Once it’s heated, however, the cannabinoids are activated and increase, allowing them to produce potential effects. This heating process is called decarboxylation.
Dried flower and products intended for heating
For products that are meant to be heated before consumption, like dried flower, the “total” numbers represent the level of cannabinoids after they’ve been activated through decarboxylation — so, in the case of dried flower, once you’ve lit a joint or switched on your vaporizer.
Ingestible products
In ingestible products, like edibles and capsules, and vape carts filled with distillate, however, the cannabinoids have already been activated through processing and are ready for consumption, so the numbers reflect what's in the product as purchased. (Vapes are not as straightforward: While the distillate in vapes has been fully decarboxylated, full-spectrum oil contains unactivated cannabinoids that will cause the numbers to vary.)
Cannabis oil
For extracts in packaging that dispenses a specific amount, such as an ingestible cannabis oil with a precise dropper or spray top, you’ll see “total THC per activation” and “total CBD per activation,” meaning how much is in each spray or drop.
Every format has its own unit of measure
for cannabinoid content
To ensure the cannabinoid content is listed precisely for each product, it is measured differently depending on the format. Dried flower, extracts, vape cartridges and ingestible oils list cannabinoid content in milligrams per milligram of product, while pre-roll, beverage, topical and capsule content is measured in the total cannabinoid content (in milligrams) per unit and/or per package.
You may also see a “less than” symbol (<) in front of a number — that just means the quantity of the cannabinoid detected in the product is so small it can’t be measured accurately.
Cannabinoid (THC and CBD) labelling guide
per cannabis format
To understand and compare the information on the different product formats, see the breakdown below. Knowing the difference between the numbers will help you understand and compare products, but be aware that cannabinoid content alone doesn’t equate to potential effects. The effects you may experience will vary, depending on variables such as the product category and method of consumption, as well as your genetic makeup, frequency of use, age, sex, current mood and any existing mental health conditions.
DRIED FLOWER
Cannabinoid unit of measure |
Example |
What you should know |
|---|---|---|
| mg/g (milligrams per gram of dried flower) | THC 15.40 mg/g Total THC 63.20 mg/g CBD 9.60 mg/g Total CBD 113.40 mg/g |
|
PRE-ROLLS
Cannabinoid unit of measure |
Example |
What you should know |
|---|---|---|
| mg/g (milligrams per gram) | THC 2.8 mg/g Total THC 66.7 mg/g CBD 0.9 mg/g Total CBD 102.1 mg/g |
|
CAPSULES
Cannabinoid unit of measure |
Example |
What you should know |
|---|---|---|
| mg/unit (milligrams per individual capsule) | THC 10.0 mg/unit Total THC 10.0 mg/unit CBD 7.0 mg/unit Total CBD 7.0 mg/unit |
|
INGESTIBLE OILS
Cannabinoid unit of measure |
Example |
What you should know |
|---|---|---|
| mg/g (milligrams per gram of oil) If the packaging dispenses a specific amount, it will also list “total THC per activation” and “total CBD per activation” |
THC 15.0 mg/g Total THC 15.0 mg/g CBD 15.0 mg/g Total CBD 15.0 mg/g |
|
CONCENTRATES (RESIN, ROSIN, SHATTER, WAX, HASH, KIEF & SIFT)
Cannabinoid unit of measure |
Example |
What you should know |
|---|---|---|
| mg/g (milligrams per gram) | THC 0.0 mg/g Total THC 000 mg/g CBD 0.0 mg/g Total CBD 0.0 mg/g |
|
CANNABIS TOPICALS
Cannabinoid unit of measure |
Example |
What you should know |
|---|---|---|
| mg (milligrams) or mg/g (milligrams per gram) | THC 375 mg Total THC 375 mg CBD 125 mg Total CBD 125 mg |
|
EDIBLES
Cannabinoid unit of measure |
Example |
What you should know |
|---|---|---|
| mg/unit (milligrams per individual edible) and/or mg (milligrams per entire package) | THC 1 mg/unit Total THC 1 mg/unit THC 2 mg Total THC 2 mg CBD 5 mg/unit Total CBD 5 mg/unit CBD 10 mg Total CBD 10 mg |
|
BEVERAGES
Cannabinoid unit of measure |
Example |
What you should know |
|---|---|---|
| mg (milligrams) | THC 10 mg Total THC 10 mg CBD <1 mg Total CBD <1 mg |
|
VAPE CARTRIDGES
Cannabinoid unit of measure |
Example |
What you should know |
|---|---|---|
| mg/g (milligrams per gram) | THC 742.63 mg/g Total THC 757.43 mg/g CBD <5.00 mg/g Total CBD <7.07 mg/g |
|
