Enhancing Your Medical Marijuana Brand’s Reputation Begins with Accurate Labels
Medical marijuana labels have a greater and stricter purpose than simply displaying product information. Cannabis approval for medical uses is catching on across different states.
A study reveals that the medical marijuana market is expected to reach $15.29 billion by 2027. The Green Rush is increasing sales of marijuana oils, gummies, drinks, personal care products, and syrups. Along with this budding demand comes an increased need for medical marijuana labels.
However, medical marijuana labels are liable to an array of legal requirements that the manufacturer or distributor needs to comply with, failing which, they may land themselves legal risks like exorbitant penalties, product recalls, business closures, and even the revocation of licenses. The U.S. has not legalized marijuana at the federal level, so there isn’t one set standard for medical marijuana labels. Keeping the state-specific list of state regulatory requirements under check will give you the green light and command customers’ trust.
Therefore, by enhancing your brand’s reputation, accurate labeling will give you a good headstart to take your brand to heights.
Vital Elements of Medical Marijuana Labels
The complex aspect of medical marijuana labeling is the lack of federal guidelines surrounding it. Currently, the regulatory requirements vary from state to state, and all product labels need to follow the product-specific FDA guidelines (i.e., food, cosmetic or dietary supplement) and include the state-specific CBD packaging requirements. Despite such conditions, most products are generally required to incorporate a few key elements:
- Product name and identity
- Net weight or volume
- Marijuana strain name
- Date tested
- Lab name and test number confirmation
- CBD percentage
- THC percentage
- FDA disclaimer (for CBD)
- Patient and physician information
- Active ingredients
- Manufacturer information
- Testing information (i.e., if the product came into contact with any kind of pesticide, insecticide, or other cannabinoids, terpenes, or flavonoids)
- License/registration number
This is by no means an exhaustive list of everything your label needs to include. Check your state’s individual regulations or talk with one of the labeling experts at DRG Technologies to check if your labels meet the correct requirements.
Most Common Regulations for Medical Marijuana Labels
Since most labeling requirements come from individual state legislations, the product labels should adhere to the guidelines mandated by the state where the products are sold. Below are some of the most prevalent regulations for medical marijuana labels:
Warnings
Most states require labels to have specific warnings, including:
- This product is a Schedule I Controlled Substance
- For medical use only
- This product may impair a person’s ability to drive, operate machinery or impair coordination, concentration, and judgment
- Marijuana has intoxicating effects that may be habit-forming and addictive
- Cannabis use while pregnant or breastfeeding may be harmful
- For use by adults 21 and older (unless the person is a qualified patient)
- Allergen warnings
- Prop 65 warning (in California only)
Fonts
Some states require specific fonts and font sizes for medical marijuana labels. There may also be rules on using italics on certain warnings. Some states may relegate you to using only Times New Roman, Helvetica, or Arial fonts.
Child-Resistant Labels
You might want to differentiate your medical marijuana product with a unique label design, but you’ll have to ensure it doesn’t appeal to children. This means you should not use any cartoon characters or other vibrant designs that may attract children.
Ingredients
An ingredient list is crucial to any product, let alone a cannabis product. Ingredients should be listed in order of weight, from heaviest to lightest. It is also advised to always list ingredients by their common name so that customers know what they are consuming.
Supplement and Nutrition Facts
Include a facts panel, as it is a must-have for internal consumption products. Also, don’t forget to include serving size, daily value percentage, and other applicable information. Keep this information listed in a way that is easy to read.
Work with DRG Technologies for Your Medical Marijuana Labels
Remember that the above guidelines are not state-specific, so you should always check with your local legislation on what needs to be included on your medical marijuana labels. You may also reach out to the team at DRG Technologies, who can help you navigate this confusing process.
For over 30 years, DRG Technologies has been a leading custom-label products and solutions manufacturer delivering world-class supply chain solutions. With extensive equipment, product solutions, and a relentless commitment to solving our customers’ greatest supply chain challenges, we’ve become the label manufacturing partner of choice for organizations across the U.S. and Mexico.
DRG Technologies proudly manufactures a complete portfolio of label products that meet today’s most stringent quality, safety, performance, and security standards. Our products span a variety of needs, ranging from durable label solutions to high-performance labels, specialty labels, and packaging labels.