OTBA IQOT cheat sheet

Federal status in the U.S.: cannabis remains Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. §812); state legalization does not alter federal scheduling or create interstate commerce protection.

State programs typically split authority: a licensing/regulatory agency (e.g., a cannabis control board) issues licenses, while a separate department of agriculture regulates cultivation and a health department regulates testing.

Seed-to-sale tracking is generally mandatory: every plant, harvest lot, and product batch carries a unique identifier, and transfers between licensees are recorded in the state system before physical movement.

Vertical integration rules vary by state; some states require or cap the number of license tiers a single entity may hold, and many impose residency or ownership-disclosure requirements.

Advertising restrictions commonly prohibit marketing appealing to minors, cartoon imagery, mass-media broadcast ads, and unverified health claims; packaging must be child-resistant, tamper-evident, and labeled with potency and warnings.

Possession limits are usually expressed per person per transaction (e.g., a set flower weight plus a concentrate equivalent), and purchase limits are enforced at point of sale against the state tracking system.

Medical versus adult-use frameworks differ in patient registration, caregiver allowances, tax treatment, and purchase limits; a product legal for one channel is not automatically legal for the other.

Recordkeeping retention periods (often 2-5 years) apply to sales, inventory, manifests, and training records; auditors request these on inspection, so gaps are treated as violations.

Local ordinances can be stricter than state law: zoning buffers from schools, parks, and residences, plus municipal opt-outs, frequently determine whether a state license can actually operate at a site.

Cannabis is dioecious: female plants produce the resin-rich inflorescences of commercial value; males produce pollen, and a single male can fertilize females and trigger seed set that reduces flower quality.

Photoperiod governs flowering: short-day varieties initiate flowering when dark periods exceed a threshold (commonly about 10-12 hours of uninterrupted darkness); autoflowering genetics flower by age rather than photoperiod.

Sexual propagation (seed) preserves genetic diversity and is used for breeding; clonal propagation (cuttings) preserves a genotype exactly but accumulates pathogen load over generations if not indexed.

Environment targets for flowering: canopy temperature near 20-26 °C, relative humidity around 40-50% to limit bud rot, and VPD (vapor pressure deficit) managed to balance transpiration and mold risk.

Macronutrients: nitrogen drives vegetative growth, phosphorus supports flowering and root development, potassium regulates water and enzyme function; micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo) are needed in trace amounts.

Integrated pest management hierarchy: prevention (sanitation, quarantine, screening), scouting and thresholds, biological control, then targeted least-toxic chemistry, rotating modes of action to slow resistance.

Common pathogens and pests: powdery mildew, Botrytis (bud rot), root rot from overwatering, spider mites, thrips, aphids, and fungus gnats; each has distinct scouting signs and treatment windows.

Genetics vocabulary: phenotype is the observed trait, genotype the inherited code; chemotype describes cannabinoid profile (e.g., THC-dominant vs CBD-dominant), and terpene profile is a separate selection axis.

Harvest timing is judged by trichome maturity (clear to cloudy to amber) and by target chemotype; drying and curing (slow, ~60 °F/60% RH conditions) materially affect final terpene retention.

Extraction methods: hydrocarbon (butane/propane) yields high-potency resin but requires explosion-proof facilities and solvent-purge validation; ethanol is scalable and food-safe but co-extracts chlorophyll and waxes; CO2 is tunable by pressure/temperature; solventless (rosin, ice water hash) uses heat/pressure or water agitation.

Post-extraction steps: winterization (ethanol chill and filtration to remove fats/waxes), decarboxylation (heat converts THCA to THC; typically ~105-120 °C for 30-60 minutes, verified by COA rather than assumed), distillation, and formulation.

Decarboxylation is required for edible and tincture potency accuracy; incomplete conversion leaves THCA that will not produce the labeled effect, and over-heating degrades THC toward CBN.

Concentrate nomenclature: live resin (fresh-frozen plant), cured resin, distillate (refined, high-potency, terpene-stripped), rosin (solventless heat/pressure), and hash (mechanically separated trichomes).

Edible manufacturing controls: homogeneous infusion verified by batch sampling, accurate dose-per-serving calculation, and stability testing because cannabinoids can migrate or degrade in the matrix over shelf life.

GMP-style controls: written SOPs, batch records, equipment cleaning logs, allergen and cross-contact controls, calibration of scales and thermometers, and deviation/CAPA documentation.

Solvent residue and purity limits are set by state rule; residual ethanol, butane, or CO2 carryover must be below the action limit before packaging, and purge conditions must be documented per batch.

Yield and potency accounting: mass balance (input biomass vs. extract vs. waste) must reconcile within a defined tolerance; unexplained loss is an inventory and diversion red flag.

Packaging and labeling: child-resistant packaging, batch/lot number, cannabinoid potency per serving, production and expiration dates, and required warnings; label claims must match the tested batch.

Required test panel typically includes cannabinoid potency, terpenes, residual solvents, pesticides, heavy metals, microbial contaminants (total yeast and mold, pathogenic Aspergillus), mycotoxins, and water activity/moisture.

Sampling must be representative: random sampling from a homogenized lot, documented chain of custody, and a defined sample increment count; a non-representative sample invalidates the batch result.

Potency math: total THC = THC + (THCA × 0.877), where 0.877 is the molar mass ratio accounting for decarboxylation loss of CO2.

Action limits versus pass/fail: results at or above a state action limit require batch remediation, re-test, or destruction; results below the limit but above a reporting threshold may still be flagged.

Microbial testing distinguishes total yeast and mold counts from specific pathogens; Aspergillus species (A. flavus, fumigatus, niger, terreus) are commonly prohibited outright regardless of count.

Water activity above roughly 0.65 supports microbial growth; moisture content also affects combustion quality, so both are measured and both have specification ranges.

Laboratory quality system: ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, method validation, calibration traceability, proficiency testing, and control samples run alongside each batch.

Retest and remediation rules: some states allow a failed batch to be re-sampled after remediation, others require destruction; the lab must report the original failing result and the retest result.

Stability and shelf-life: accelerated stability studies support expiration dating; potency loss and microbial growth over time determine the labeled best-by date.

Delta-9-THC is a partial agonist at CB1 (central nervous system) and CB2 (immune tissue) receptors; CB1 activation mediates the psychoactive effects, while CBD has low CB1 affinity and acts as a negative allosteric modulator and reuptake inhibitor.

THCA is non-psychoactive in raw form and converts to THC with heat; CBDA and CBGA are likewise acidic precursors, and CBGA is the upstream precursor for THCA, CBDA, and CBCA.

Other cannabinoids: CBN is a THC oxidation product associated with sedation claims; CBG is studied for appetite and inflammation; CBC is being studied for pain and inflammation; evidence for most minor cannabinoid claims remains preliminary.

The entourage effect hypothesis proposes that cannabinoids and terpenes modulate each other's effects; it is plausible and widely marketed but not established by controlled clinical trials, so claims must be framed cautiously.

Common terpenes and aromas: myrcene (earthy, musky), limonene (citrus), pinene (pine), linalool (floral), beta-caryophyllene (peppery spice; also a CB2 ligand), terpinolene (herbal, tea-like).

Pharmacokinetics: inhaled THC reaches peak plasma concentration within minutes and effects last roughly 2-3 hours; oral THC peaks later (about 1-3 hours), has lower bioavailability due to first-pass metabolism, and lasts longer.

Drug interactions: CBD is a potent inhibitor of CYP3A4 and CYP2C19 and can raise levels of drugs metabolized by those enzymes (e.g., clobazam, warfarin); THC can potentiate sedatives and alcohol.

Risk considerations: cannabis use disorder, impaired driving, psychiatric risk in predisposed individuals, and pregnancy/breastfeeding cautions; high-THC products and concentrates carry greater dose-related risk.

Dosing guidance: start low and go slow, especially with edibles where delayed onset invites re-dosing; label dose per serving and counsel on onset time differences between routes.

Point-of-sale workflow: verify identity and age (or medical card and allotment), confirm purchase limits against the state tracking system, record the sale, and provide required receipt and packaging.

Medical patient counseling: elicit condition and experience level, ask about prior cannabis use, current medications, and route preference, then recommend a low starting dose with a clear onset timeline.

Route selection: inhalation provides rapid onset and easier titration; oral edibles provide longer duration but delayed onset; topicals are non-intoxicating locally; tinctures allow sublingual titration.

Product knowledge for recommendations: flower potency and freshness, concentrate potency (much higher per dose), edible dose per serving, and ratio products (THC:CBD) for patients seeking reduced psychoactivity.

Customer service standards: private consultation space for medical patients, no unverified medical claims, clear explanation of packaging and storage, and documented refusal procedures for intoxicated or over-limit customers.

Inventory-facing sales discipline: check live menu accuracy, flag low-stock or expiring items to management, and rotate stock so older batches sell first (FIFO) to limit expiration loss.

Sales metrics: average basket size, units per transaction, conversion rate, repeat customer rate, and category mix; these drive buying decisions and staff scheduling.

Compliance at the counter: no sales to persons without valid ID, no sales outside operating hours, no consumption on premises where prohibited, and no unapproved discounts or free product.

Accessibility and equity: language access, clear signage, and staff training on de-escalation and on interacting with patients who disclose disability or veteran status.

Seed-to-sale inventory reconciliation: physical counts must match the state tracking system within a defined variance threshold; any discrepancy triggers investigation and documentation before adjustment.

Physical security: access control with badge logs, video surveillance covering entrances, sales floor, storage, and vault with a retention period (often 30-90 days), alarm systems, and limited key control.

Cash-intensive operations require dual-control procedures: two-person counts, safe drops, armored carrier schedules, and documented bank deposits to reduce internal theft and robbery risk.

Metrc-style tags and manifests: each plant and package has a unique tag; transfers require a manifest generated in the system before transport, and transport vehicles must carry required documentation.

Financial management: gross margin by category, cost of goods including cultivation and processing loss, cash flow forecasting, and separate accounting for medical versus adult-use tax obligations.

Tax treatment in the U.S.: IRC §280E historically disallows ordinary business deductions for traffickers; many operators use cost-of-goods-accounting strategies, and state excise and sales taxes vary widely.

Human resources: role-based training records (compliance, security, product knowledge), background checks where required, and written policies on diversion, sampling, and employee purchase discounts.

Loss prevention analytics: track shrinkage by category, monitor void/refund patterns, and audit high-discount transactions and employee purchases for anomalies.

Business continuity: documented recall procedures, product withdrawal plans, and insurance coverage for inventory, crop loss, and liability, since standard commercial policies often exclude cannabis.