July 26, 2026

Should THC Be a Range Instead of One Number? with guest Ben Cleary

Show Notes

In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk sits down with cannabis research scientist Ben Cleary to unpack groundbreaking research published in Scientific Reports examining THC variability in cannabis flower and what it means for consumers, cultivators, laboratories, and regulators.

If you've ever wondered why the same strain can feel different from batch to batch—or why chasing the highest THC percentage often leads to disappointment—this conversation explains the science behind it.

Ben shares how his team's research demonstrates the natural variability of THC within a single cannabis plant and why reporting one THC percentage may not accurately represent what consumers actually purchase. Together, Riley and Ben discuss the future of cannabis labeling, range-based THC reporting, lab testing variability, terpene science, chemical diversity, and how better education can improve purchasing decisions and consumer trust.

They also explore why aroma may be a better guide than THC percentage alone, how Canada's cannabis industry is beginning to implement THC ranges, the role of laboratory variation in cannabis testing, and what future cannabis packaging could look like as science continues to evolve.

Whether you're a cannabis consumer, cultivator, scientist, budtender, regulator, or simply curious about how cannabis testing really works, this episode offers an evidence-based look at one of the industry's biggest conversations.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Meet Ben Cleary 01:02 Inside Village Farms 02:55 Why Study THC Variability 04:37 Single Number Problem 07:25 Sampling The Whole Plant 10:26 Ranges At The Dispensary 12:11 How To Set THC Ranges 14:07 Low Dose Product Access 16:29 Health Canada And Pilot Launch 17:36 Let Consumers Smell Flower 19:00 Beyond THC CBD Terpenes 22:53 Lighting Scale And Microclimates 25:15 Talking Science With Consumers 29:01 Genetics And Morphology Effects 30:34 Building Ranges From COAs 33:26 Lab Testing Trust Issues 34:41 Lab Variability Triad 36:58 Beyond THC Quality Metrics 38:57 Industry Adoption Call 40:49 Why Village Farms Leads 43:04 Next Research Frontiers 45:04 Real World Data And ML 46:31 Community And Conferences 48:48 Clinicians Knowledge Gap 52:34 Chemical Diversity Score 55:53 Simplifying Consumer Labels 57:12 Where To Follow Research 59:14 Closing Thanks And BC Invite

Read the Scientific Reports paper discussed in this episode:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-06962-2

Connect with Ben Cleary
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-cleary-746b00172/

Village Farms International: https://villagefarms.com/

Want Exclusive Content and ad-free episodes?

Join the Bioactive Patreon community for as little as $1/month to ask guests your burning

questions, access exclusive content, and connect with Dr. Kirk one-on-one.

www.Patreon.com/Cannabichem

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more expert insights into

cannabis science, plant biology, and more!

www.AppliedPharmacognosy.org

Keep up with Dr. Riley Kirk:

https://www.bioactivepodcast.com/