Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Determining the THC content in weed
• Method 2 of 2: Determining THC levels in the body
• Tips
• Warnings

By measuring THC levels in weed or in your body, you can see how much tetrahydrocannabinol is present in what you are testing. This can be useful if you want to determine a dose or if you are going to take a drug test. To determine a THC level, you need a sample, such as weed, saliva or blood. You will also have to buy a test kit. You can buy test kits online. After collecting your sample, all you have to do is add a few drops of the liquid from the test kit and wait for it to react with the sample. You can then determine the THC content with the supplied color scheme.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Determining the THC content in weed

1. Buy a test kit. Test kits are available to determine the type and content of the two main constituents (or cannabinoids) in weed, THC and CBD. In this case, you must specifically purchase a kit that measures THC levels. A kit that measures THC and CBD will also give you the information you need, although the results will be a bit more difficult to interpret.
   • You can purchase a cannabinoid testing kit at a drug store or coffee shop near you. If these are not near you, you should search online.
   • Teskits usually cost between 18 and 90 euros, depending on how accurate you want the measurement.
2. Choose a cannabis strain to test. A quick measurement ensures that you get an estimate of how much THC is in your weed. This can be useful if, for example, no information was given when purchasing the product, or if you want to confirm the THC level yourself in order to determine a correct dose.
   • Measure the THC content of each cannabis strain separately. Make sure the cannabis strain you are going to test has not been in contact with another strain. This can disrupt your measurement.
   • When purchasing cannabis you often receive information about how much THC there is in your cannabis strain. It is useful to test your cannabis strain at home to get certainty about this.
3. Read the instructions carefully. Test kits are generally quite easy to use, but they all work slightly differently. Read the enclosed instruction booklet or read the directions on the back of the package to learn how to use the test kit. Failure to do so may result in incorrect use of your test kit.
   • Most test kits contain multiple tests. So you can often try it a second time if you get it wrong the first time.
4. Put a little bit of your weed in the test bottle. Place about 0.2 grams of weed on the bottom of the test bottle. Very little weed needs to be in the bottle for an accurate result. The test kit you use must indicate exactly how much weed you should put in the bottle.
   • Crush up large chunks of weed to make sure they fit in the bottle and mix well with the liquid.
   • Tweezers can be useful for small samples.
5. Add the liquid to the bottle. Add a few drops of the clear liquid from the test kit to the bottle. Do not use more than indicated in the user manual. The liquid from the test kit acts as a solvent and ensures that THC or CBD is extracted from the weed. This makes them easier to detect.
   • Simple test kits often only use 1 ml of liquid. In the somewhat advanced systems, this can be as much as 15 ml.
   • If there are multiple liquids in your test kit, make sure to use the correct amounts.
6. Close the bottle and shake. Put the cap on the bottle and see if the bottle is really closed. Shake the bottle vigorously up and down for 5-10 seconds, or long enough for the weed to partially dissolve. Place the bottle upright against the box or other surface. This ensures that the liquid remains at the bottom of the bottle.
   • Keep your thumb on the bottle cap while shaking to prevent it from accidentally opening.
7. If used in your test kit, put the solution on a glass plate. Some test kits use glass plates instead of bottles. Dissolve the sample in the liquid. Then use a pipette to put a drop of it on a glass plate. Fill a shallow plate with the other liquid from the test kit. Then place one side of the glass plate in the liquid in the plate.
   • After a few minutes, the solution will slowly creep up onto the glass plate. This separates the different fabrics and makes them clearly recognizable.
   • Glass plate test kits are a bit more nuanced and are designed to make the color scheme easier to read. They are often used with combination kits.
8. Wait 10 minutes for the sample to react with the liquid. Set a timer to the exact time indicated in the manual. The solution will change color while waiting. A darker color means a higher content of a particular cannabinoid.
   • Leave the sample alone for the entire 10 minutes. If you look before the solution has had enough time to completely change color, your result will not be accurate.
9. Compare the color of the liquid with the color scheme included with the test kit. The color scheme is often on the packaging or in the instructions for use. Place the bottle next to the color scheme and see which color most closely resembles it. A quick comparison will give you an indication of the approximate THC content of your cannabis strain.
   • Color schemes are often labeled to give an indication of approximately how strong weed is. They do not give exact percentages. For example, a light blue sample may contain 5% THC, and a dark blue sample 20%.
   • If you are using a test kit with glass plates, make sure to read THC values. Avoid using the values ​​of another substance.

Method 2 of 2: Determining THC levels in the body

1. Consider your options. Blood and saliva tests are most commonly used to determine THC levels. Other types of measurement methods such as urine and hair tests are considered unreliable, they only indicate whether THC is present. They do not indicate how many.
   • Look for labs in your area that do drug testing to see if you can get blood or saliva from anywhere.
   • You can buy a test kit online to determine your THC content yourself.
2. Take the measurement as soon as possible. There are many factors that determine how long THC remains detectable in a standard liquid test. Examples are: the composition of your body, the composition of your blood, the type of weed and how much weed you have used. To make the results as accurate as possible, it is important that you have the measurement taken as soon as possible. Depending on how often you use weed, it can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days for all traces of weed to be out of your system.
   • In places where cannabis is illegal, the permissible level of THC in your blood is 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood.
   • Due to the rapid breakdown of THC in the body, the quality of many samples will deteriorate before they can be processed.
3. Accept the limitations of THC determinations in your body. At this point, there is no way to measure THC while it is active in your body. It is important to realize that measurements you take do not have to be completely accurate, especially if you perform the measurement yourself without laboratory equipment. A rough estimate may be all you get out.
   • In fact, it is difficult for most researchers to estimate the lifespan and the effects of THC in the body.
4. Make sure you know the Dutch legislation on weed. Be aware that weed can only be obtained legally at a coffee shop or on a doctor's prescription. Being aware of the legislation ensures that you stay safe and do not suffer unpleasant consequences.
   • If you have more than 5 grams of weed with you, you could be fined. If you have more than 30 grams of weed with you, you could face a prison sentence.

Tips

• Be aware that the results of a test kit will not be 100% accurate. These are more intended to give you an indication of approximately how much cannabinoid there is in your cannabis strain.
• Make sure that the sample you use meets the criteria in the instructions for use.
• Test kits can also be used to determine levels of lesser known cannabinoids such as THV, CBC, CBG, CBD and CBN.

Warnings

• If you don't know where the type of weed you are testing comes from, it could be contaminated with bacteria, fungi, pesticides or other harmful substances. In that case it is better to have it tested by a professional laboratory to avoid health risks.