The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has published a lexicon to support the standardization of terminology used in the hemp industry.
As new industries develop, so does associated language and jargon. Sometimes words and terms used have different meaning when applied in other sectors, which can lead to confusion and mistakes being made.
Developed by a working group of the AHPA Cannabis Committee, the lexicon seeks to cover terms used in the cultivation, processing, manufacturing and labeling of hemp, and products derived from it.
“As the hemp industry continues to expand, all hemp stakeholders will benefit from the standard terminology established in the Lexicon,” said Committee Chair Asa Waldstein.
AHPA states the lexicon will be revised as insights are gained through its use and the Association is also welcoming suggestions for new additions to the document.
It’s important to note that the lexicon is in relation to hemp as defined by U.S. Federal law. So, in some cases the descriptions may not be accurate. For example, the description of hemp mentions a delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis. The legal THC threshold may be different in other countries.
Still, it’s a very handy and interesting document regardless of where you live or whether you work in the sector or are just interested – it can shed some light on what some of the industry technobabble means. So, if you aren’t clear on the difference between live resin and live rosin – check out the lexicon here.
Founded in 1982, the AHPA is the national trade association of the USA’s herbal products industry and is comprised of more than 450 member companies. The AHPA’s Cannabis Committee’s role is to address issues related to the safe use and responsible commerce of legally-marketed products derived from cannabis in all its forms.
On a related noted, when you mention the word “cannabinoid”, the compounds that usually spring to mind are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). But there are many more of these compounds in cannabis. Check out HG’s big list of cannabinoids.
