Cannabis Moisture Standards Analyzed in New Report

A study examined how inconsistent state drying practices impact product quality, safety, and industry revenue.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Organic Food

Cannabis Moisture Standards Analyzed in New Report

Live Poll

Should states mandate standardized moisture levels for cannabis products to ensure safety and quality?

ATACH and FTI Consulting released an analysis of 145,000 cannabis samples across 10 states, revealing that most products fall below recognized moisture standards. The report links current drying practices to both financial losses for producers and increased safety risks related to mold and yeast.

Why it matters

Standardizing moisture levels could mitigate significant health hazards and recover millions in lost revenue caused by excessive product weight loss. The findings aim to encourage states to adopt ASTM International D8197 as a uniform benchmark.

A pound of cannabis loses 18 grams of weight when over-dried from 0.65 to 0.45 water activity. Standardizing moisture levels is projected to generate $34.1 million in Massachusetts producer revenue and $24.4 million in Arizona producer revenue.

The players

ATACH

The American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp represents stakeholders working to advocate for industry-wide standardization.

FTI Consulting

This global business advisory firm provides data analysis and strategic research for complex market sectors.

ASTM International

This organization develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials and products.

The details

The study found that 9 of the 10 states analyzed had at least three out of four samples at or below 0.55 water activity, far below the ASTM D8197 range. These inconsistencies in drying contribute to high recall rates, including 67% of California recalls between 2024 and 2025 citing Aspergillus.

Colorado health and safety advisories were tracked from 2019 to 2025.
California cannabis recall data covers the period from September 2024 to December 2025.
A public webinar presenting the findings occurred on September 30, 2026.
The official report was published on October 1, 2026.

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Culture Shift

The cannabis industry is currently moving away from fragmented, state-specific requirements toward a unified national quality standard. This transition mirrors the evolution of other agricultural sectors that rely on NIST Handbook 130 to ensure consistent product safety and labeling.

Consumers may experience safer product quality as states adopt standardized moisture controls, reducing the prevalence of mold-related recalls. Additionally, producers stand to gain revenue, which could stabilize pricing and availability for the end user.

The takeaway

Standardized moisture levels are critical to curbing health risks like Aspergillus contamination in the cannabis supply chain. Adopting uniform protocols ensures that both producers and patients benefit from a more predictable, safe, and efficient market.