Detection of Tetrahydrocannabinol in Commercial Consumables: A Survey-Based Study with Real Time Samples

Abstract

The study aimed to detect the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in commercial consumables, specifically focusing on real-time samples. The study highlights the widespread use and cultivation of cannabis, with various compounds such as THC and Cannabidiol (CBD) present in the plant. THC is responsible for the psychoactive effects, while CBD is non-intoxicating and may have therapeutic benefits. The study also discusses the legal and social acceptance of cannabis across countries and regions. The study emphasizes the need for analysing street samples of pan-masala and other tobacco-containing orally consumable products for the presence of cannabis alkaloids, as they are often used as a concealment step for selling and purchasing cannabis. The experimental details include using chemicals and solvents from commercial sources, thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates and an Ultraviolet-Visible spectrophotometer for detecting THC. The study used Dragendroff (DD) and Fast Blue B (FBB) reagents to identify THC. The THC quantities detected were 15.32 µM, 29.2 µM, 7.15 µM, and 5.3 µM respectively in the collected sample.