Cannabis products at unlicensed shops lack safety labels, use kid-friendly packaging

NEW YORK, NY--A new study led by researchers at Columbia University reveals that cannabis products sold in unlicensed retail shops in New York state often lack required health and safety labels and many feature colorful, cartoon-like packaging attractive to youth.  

New York state prohibits sale of cannabis products in unlicensed shops and to people under age 21. 

“This study reveals a serious gap in regulation that puts consumers at risk,” says Ryan Sultán, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. “We need coordinated action at both the state and federal levels to ensure cannabis product safety and to rein in misleading packaging.” 

In New York state, licensed cannabis retailers are required to disclose the potency and quality of each product, ‘use-by’ dates, number of servings in the package, and health warnings. 

Retailers are also prohibited from promoting cannabis products for medical purposes and marketing cannabis products to minors. 

Widespread legalization of cannabis has led to an increase in unlicensed retailers, which are less likely to follow state regulations and sell more unregulated products. 

“Cannabis labels contain information and imagery that shape the appeal of these products and perceptions of risk,” Sultán says. “This is especially important given the high levels of THC contained in many products, which if not labeled clearly, could lead to unsafe use or sudden and long-term health effects.” 

The Columbia study compared 88 cannabis products from licensed and unlicensed New York City retailers and uncovered striking differences.  

About 1 in 30 of unlicensed cannabis products carried all six of New York State’s required health warnings and safety features, compared to roughly half of licensed products. Most unlicensed products did not list their THC potency, and very few provided dosage guidance. By contrast, all licensed products in the sample disclosed THC content and about half included a standard dose indication.  

Many unlicensed products were mislabeled, displaying official-looking symbols from other states—for example, California’s universal cannabis symbol—or including warnings about edibles’ delayed effects on non-edible products.  

“Misleading or incomplete labels can lead to real harm, because consumers may not know what they’re actually getting,” says Timothy Becker, lead author of the study who was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia and is now an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine.  

The researchers also found that the packaging of nearly all examined products, from licensed and unlicensed shops, displayed elements likely to appeal to minors, including bright, multicolored designs, playful fonts, or cartoon imagery. About one in four unlicensed product packages featured cartoon characters or graphics, whereas none of the licensed products contained this imagery.  

“It’s especially troubling to see how many products were clearly designed to catch the eye of kids and teens—that’s a public health concern we can’t ignore,” Sultan says. 

Additional information 

The study, "Labeling of cannabis products from licensed and unlicensed retailers in New York,” was published online in published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 

Authors (all from Columbia): Timothy D. Becker, Peter J. Menzi, Mark Olfson, Polina Mosharova, Frances R. Levin, and Ryan S. Sultán.