Vape maker PAX launches PodID to explain what's in your cannabis oil

Consumers want to know what's in the stuff they buy and where it comes from, whether that's food, electricals or clothing -- so why should cannabis be any different? Vape company PAX Labs is rolling out a new feature for its mobile app which gives users detailed information about what makes up their oil concentrate.

All regulated cannabis, including PAX pods, is required to pass testing by a licensed and accredited lab. The tests vary by state, but typically screen for heavy metals, pesticides, residual solvents and other other microbial contaminants. With PodID, you'll have access to the results of these tests, right down to the specific batch that each pod comes from. The feature launches in California today with select pod partners, but will expand with a wider catalog to other states soon.

The launch comes not long after an outbreak of lung disease in the US, with the CDC specifically calling out the use of THC-based vaping products as problematic. PodID is not a direct response to this, though, as vape companies have been moving toward greater product transparency in recent times anyway -- Orchid Essentials has already published comprehensive data sheets on its products, for example. Of course, it's no bad thing for PAX to distinguish its brand from illicit cannabis vapes.

Beyond the health side of things, PodID is likely to hold a lot of appeal to weed nerds that like to geek out over stats and strain profiles. The feature reveals potency data beyond THC and CBD, covering details on a strain's THCV, CBC and CBG, as well as providing insights into terpenes, helping users understand how these plant molecules affect aromas and flavors. As PAX says, "It's high time to take your cannabis experience to the next level."