Green Wednesday 2025 THC Roundup

Celebrate Green Wednesday with a roundup of news and research related to the psychoactive cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)! The holiday and sales event, known as the “Black Friday” of the cannabis world, occurs over the long Thanksgiving weekend, showcasing various cannabis products (1).

Broaden your knowledge of THC with the roundup below, and check out more of our green-related content, including product manufacturing of edibles, topicals, and pre-rolls to other cannabis science.

THC Beverages News and Updates

Study Shows Low-THC Hemp Beverages Decrease Alcohol Consumption As Senate Hemp Legislation Looms

MoreBetter Ltd, an organization that works with real-world data and public health research, conducted a national study that discovered that low-dose hemp-derived beverages are associated with reduced alcohol use and less impairment. The publication of the results coincided with the FY 2026 Agriculture–FDA Appropriations Bill, that banned products more than 0.4 mg total THC per container.

In the study, researchers analyzed data from 2,580 adult participants over the course of 22 days, where they consumed one of 20 different hemp beverages that contained one to 10 mg tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per serving. The dosing used in this study is commonly seen in most commercial products that are currently available in the marketplace, the study explained.

THC Beverages: A Look at the Rapidly Growing Market

A recent report from Whitney Economics, a company that specializes in cannabis and hemp business economic research, consulting, and data, investigated the growing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) beverage industry involving both cannabis and hemp. The report analyzed data that explored the demand of the THC beverage industry, legal sales by state estimates, and how the market is growing.

Some key findings included: The total potential market is valued, conservatively, at between $9.9 billion and $14.9 billion, and legal sales in the U.S. were $1.0 billion and $1.3 billion.

THC Scientific Research Studies

Proof-of-Concept Study Tests Presence of Cannabinoids on Breath After Edible Ingestion

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) investigated a way to test for the presence of cannabinoids on a person’s breath after consuming edibles.

The study, which was part of a larger investigation on driving impairment, involved 29 participants who ingested a cannabis edible of their choice on site. The participants were assigned to one of two breath sampling devices to be tested before use and at three timepoints after ingestion over a total duration of three hours. Ultimately, the results showed that changes in concentrations of THC can be measured after edible ingestion, though researchers suggested further studies should focus on a longer time frame for measurements.

The proof-of-concept study, “The detection of cannabinoids in breath after ingestion of cannabis-infused edibles,” was published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology in July 2025.

According to Recent Study, Cannabis Smoking Connected to Decreased Alcohol Consumption

A recent clinical trial, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry investigated the connection between cannabis smoking and reduced intake of alcohol.

Post-consumption of low and moderate potency cannabis decreased study participants amount of alcohol they consumed. This was specific to study subjects that consumed cannabis that consisted of 3.1% THC. These participants lowered their alcohol consumption by 19% when compared to the placebo. Participants that received cannabis cigarettes that were comprised of 7.2% THC, lowered their alcohol consumption by 27% compared to the placebo.

Study Finds THC Labeling More Accurate in Concentrate Products Than Cannabis Flower

According to “Accuracy of labeled THC potency across flower and concentrate cannabis products”, research showed that out of the cannabis flower products that were tested, 56.7% of them were within 15% of their tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content listed on their product label. Regarding concentrate products, research found that 96% of these products were within 15% of the THC content on their label.

The study was orchestrated by the University of Colorado (Boulder, Colorado) and MedPharm Holdings LLC, who operates as Bud & Mary’s.

Study Highlights Role of Administration Modes in THC Exposure

The exploratory study, “Mode matters: exploring how modes of cannabis administration affect THC plasma concentrations and subjective effects,” was published in the Journal of Cannabis Research in May 2025, and examined how mode of cannabis ingestion affected plasma levels in users. Noting that current research commonly uses lower-potency research-grade cannabis in studies, researchers highlighted the importance of analyzing the effects of commonly used modes of administration – which were categorized as dabbing, vaping, bong-like, or joint-like – of products from legal markets.

One highlighted result was that dabbing was associated with a higher plasma THC concentration, which suggests greater THC exposure, the researchers explained, though greater subjective effects were not reported, suggesting possible tolerance.

Reference

1. Weedmaps Editors. How to celebrate green wednesday 2025: The cannabis industry’s Black Friday https://weedmaps.com/learn/cannabis-and-its-evolution/green-wednesday (accessed Nov 26, 2025).