Cannabis Consumers’ Understanding of New York State’s Required Cannabis Product Labeling

The label content on consumer products is important for communicating health-related information and promoting safety, which is especially important for psychoactive products such as legal cannabis. New York State (NYS) legalized cannabis for adult use in 2021 and implemented packaging and labeling requirements, including requiring NYS symbols and a Certificate of Analysis (COA). We conducted an online survey exploring consumer recognition of the required NYS symbols and the comprehension and utilization of information provided in COAs. Participants (N = 195) had low recognition of required NYS symbols, most frequently selecting a symbol required in California as being required in NYS. Most participants did not know what proportion of the products that they used had a required NYS symbol on them. Half of the participants did not know how often they viewed COAs, and those who did viewed them less than half of the time they purchased products on average. Participants’ perceptions of the clarity of COAs and the impact of a COA on product safety were mixed. Additionally, 14.9% of respondents reported not using a product because of the information contained in the COA, and 13.8% reported not using a cannabis product because it did not have a COA. These results demonstrate the need for consumer education regarding cannabis product labeling and safety.