Unlicensed cannabis products in New York had significantly less essential information, fewer safety features, and more youth-appealing elements on their labels compared to licensed products.
Cannabis regulators, public health officials, consumers in legal markets, policy makers
Unlicensed products had half the essential information of licensed products
What the researchers found
Unlicensed products had significantly less essential information (2.20 vs 4.89 of 6 elements), fewer safety features (2.22 vs 4.29 of 6), and more youth-appealing elements (2.58 vs 1.60 of 7) than licensed products. Unlicensed products often featured misplaced warnings from other states and edible-specific warnings on non-edible products.
Why it matters
Product labels are consumers' primary source of information about what they are using. When unlicensed products lack potency data, safety warnings, and contain misleading information, consumers cannot make informed decisions about their use.
The numbers in context
88 products from licensed and unlicensed retailers. Essential info: 2.20 vs 4.89 of 6 (p<0.001). Safety features: 2.22 vs 4.29 of 6 (p<0.001). Youth-appealing elements: 2.58 vs 1.60 of 7 (p<0.01). Unlicensed products had misplaced warnings from other states.
How the study worked
Cross-sectional study of 88 cannabis products (58 flower, 30 vape) obtained from randomly selected licensed and unlicensed retailers in New York in October-November 2023. Labels were coded across 4 categories: essential information, safety features, youth-appealing elements, and product descriptors.
What this study cannot tell us
New York-specific findings during early legalization period. Small sample (88 products). Label content was assessed but actual product testing was not conducted. Unlicensed market may have changed since data collection.
How to read the evidence
Moderate: systematic comparison using randomly selected products with standardized coding, but small sample from one city during early legalization
When this study was published
Published in 2025 using October-November 2023 data from New York
The bigger picture
The persistence of unlicensed cannabis retailers in legal markets undermines the consumer protection goals of legalization. These findings support stronger enforcement and public education about the risks of purchasing from unlicensed sources.
Questions still open
- Do consumers notice or care about label differences? Would stronger enforcement reduce the unlicensed market? How do other states' licensed vs unlicensed product labels compare?
Common questions
What information was missing from unlicensed products?
How were unlicensed products more appealing to youth?
Read the original research
Labeling of Cannabis Products From Licensed and Unlicensed Retailers in New York.
American journal of preventive medicine, 69(5), 108000
Citation
Becker, Timothy D; Menzi, Peter J; Olfson, Mark; Mosharova, Polina; Levin, Frances R; Sultan, Ryan S. (2025). Labeling of Cannabis Products From Licensed and Unlicensed Retailers in New York.. American journal of preventive medicine, 69(5), 108000. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2025.108000