How to Read (and Understand) a Cannabis Batch Label

What You Should Look For On a Cannabis Batch Label

Accurately reading a cannabis batch label is crucial to understand how each product will interact with your body. Pay attention to the cannabinoids, whether it has been tested, and if you have more questions, you can always contact the manufacturer to learn more. When you do reach out, the ID’s are critical to note so that you can reference it for specifics about your product. “It is important to note the total THC and total CBD within the product, to make sure they’re accurate and your dosage is correct. We want people to know that we always aim for a certain goal. It is also important to make sure you are looking at the batch label so you know exactly what you are applying to your skin or ingesting.” – Michael Heinstein, Director of Logistics, Papa & Barkley

Breaking Down a Papa & Barkley Batch Label

A Batch Label is a sticker on the side of the packaging that tells you:

• Total mg count of cannabinoids in the package
• Cannabinoid count per serving
• Serving size
• Batch #
• Best By Date
• Manufacturing Date
• Packaged Date
• Tested Date
• Manufacturing license
• Which third-party lab tested the product

Batch labels are relative to every product that is made by Papa & Barkley. The info on the Batch Label comes from that product batch’s Certificate of Analysis (COA). The cannabis testing COA is a document that outlines the testing results of a cannabis product. It details the contents of each product – from cannabinoid potency, terpenes content, residual solvents, pesticides, and heavy metals. Third-party testing helps us ensure that every product is as clean as can be and allows us to accurately create our batch labels.

WHAT OUR BATCH LABEL MEANS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

Total mg count of cannabinoids in the package is important so you know how potent your product is and if the advertised cannabinoid count matches the testing COA. In the image above this 30:1 Tincture has 407.29 mg of CBD and 13.55 mg of THC.

Cannabinoid count per serving is crucial to knowing how much total THC and total CBD is in each serving of the product, so your dosage is accurate for your needs and tolerance level. On our label you can see that each serving contains 6.78 mg CBD and 0.22 mg of THC per serving.

Serving size is knowing how much you should take for the desired amount of THC and CBD. The standard serving per container is 0.25ml and there are 60 servings in the entire bottle.

Batch #: Regulations require that all cannabis products are tested in batches. The batch ID refers to the specific product in your hand and identifies it from seed to sale. Of particular note, you’ll notice the letters ‘TN’ in the batch id: 082819TN002. This is referencing that it is a tincture.

Best By Date: This section of the batch label serves as a measure for how long the product is at full strength. Regulations state that cannabis products must show a best by date of within one year. Because Papa & Barkley utilizes a whole plant process for our products, they last significantly longer than what the regulation outlines.

Manufacturing Date: This refers to when the batch was actually manufactured, meaning when the balm, tincture, or body oil was placed into its vessel.

Packaged Date: When the product is placed in its final packaging.

Tested Date: This refers to the exact date when the batch was tested by a certified third-party cannabis testing lab, such as our partners SC Labs and CannaSafe. Third-party testing labs are crucial to ensuring clean cannabis. We go above and beyond regulations to ensure each product meets our clean standards by triple-testing each batch throughout the process.

Manufacturing/Distribution Licenses: These refer to the manufacturing and distribution licenses of the company that made the product (aka us!) The specific manufacturing license refers to the actual building where the product was made and its physical location.

Logo of which third-party lab tested the product: Identifies the certified third-party cannabis testing lab that did the testing as a quality assurance measure. California State regulation requires that the total THC and the total CBD are listed on each label. But, depending on the type of product, the levels of THC will vary. For a product such as our 30:1 CBD-Rich Tincture (pictured above).

Clean Cannabis Means Transparency

So, why are all these numbers and letters necessary to put on our packaging? Well, it starts with transparency. A batch label tells us everything we need to know about the product for complete traceability from soil to shelf. We believe it’s important that you know exactly what you’re putting in your body and that you’re getting the best product possible. Next time, pay attention to the label with the tiny numbers and letters because now you know how to read a batch label and make more informed decisions about the cannabis you consume. Avoid any products that do not have a batch label or companies that are unable or unwilling to provide a verified COA. We believe that education is vital, and Papa & Barkley is happy to be your partner in cannabis wellness. If you love to do your research and want to dive deeper, you can easily request a COA for any of our products by emailing help@papaandbarkley.com.