We Tested Vapes in Colorado for Signs of Hemp. This Is What We Found.

ProPublicaCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Christopher OsherJanuary 29, 2026 at 11:25 AM

AI Summary

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Leaders in Colorado's marijuana industry have raised concerns about hemp-derived THC products being sold as recreational marijuana. To investigate, The Denver Gazette and ProPublica purchased 14 vapes at dispensaries across Denver and tested them for signs of hemp. Three samples showed levels of delta-8 or delta-10 THC between 1.1% and 3.3%, which experts considered suspicious due to their rarity in natural hemp products. However, not all experts agreed that the results were conclusive evidence of hemp-derived THC. The investigation found that some manufacturers may be using solvents to convert CBD from hemp into THC, a process banned in Colorado. This has raised concerns about product quality and safety.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Aurora 40% Rockin Extracts 50% United States 50% Monica Pittiglio 60% The Denver Gazette 60% ProPublica 60% Colorado Chromatography Labs 60% Jenny Tran 60% Dutch Botanicals 70% Marijuana Enforcement Division 70% Denver 70% Colorado ×490%

Keywords

hemp-derived thc 100% vape testing 80% marijuana industry 70% delta-8 thc 70% cbd conversion 60% dispensary 60% colorado 50% solvent residues 50% product quality 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

ProPublica

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Colorado

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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hemp-derived thc vape testing marijuana industry delta-8 thc cbd conversion dispensary colorado solvent residues product quality

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