Subjecting cannabis goods to rigorous laboratory testing is not only a strategic move to outsmart the competition. It’s also a central pillar of regulatory compliance.
If you’ve been considering starting a cannabis venture to cash in on the booming industry, a significant component of the set-up process should entail partnering with a reputable testing laboratory.
Here are the top six reasons marijuana lab testing brings you closer to regulatory compliance.
1.Cannabis Lab Testing Fosters Standardization
Cannabis is a billion-dollar industry. According to recent predictions, the global weed market size may reach USD 444.34 billion by 2030.
But with cannabis stores popping up at every turn, it’s imperative to ensure all marijuana products in circulation meet the minimum thresholds for safety and efficacy. That’s where testing laboratories come in.
Collaborating with a reputable cannabis analysis laboratory grants you access to professionally standardized products. It’s the first step in conforming to the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC)’s regulations, which require all batches of marijuana goods to be subjected to rigorous screening before being available for sale.
Each testing procedure results in an analytical report that details the amounts of cannabinoids and terpenes in the screened batches. They also determine if the products are free from potentially harmful contaminants.
2.Cannabis Lab Testing Encourages Fair Pricing
Cannabinoid potency is one of the critical factors affecting cannabis pricing. For instance, a weed edible containing 500mg of cannabis per serving will fetch a higher price than one formulated with 100mg per serving, even if other ingredients remain constant.
Marijuana retailers can rely on findings from cannabis screening laboratories to price their merchandise accordingly. As hinted, the analytical reports spell out the concentration of all the cannabinoids and terpenes in the tested batch.
Even better, cannabis test results highlight the dominant cannabinoids in each batch.
Note that there are over 100 naturally occurring cannabinoids in marijuana, including cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Understanding the potency of each compound can help you fulfill another critical regulatory requirement, as discussed below.
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3.Cannabis Lab Testing Determines the Legality of Each Batch
Marijuana’s global legal landscape is a lot more nuanced than many people imagine. Certain countries have banned cannabis in its entirety. Others, such as the United States and Switzerland, allow controlled access to the medicinal herb.
In most countries where weed is regulated, authorities typically focus on the tetrahydrocannabinol concentration in marijuana products.
For instance, cannabis is federally legal in the US if it’s hemp-derived and contains a maximum THC potency of 0.3%. In Switzerland, legal marijuana supplements can have as much as 1.0% THC.
Subjecting cannabis to extensive screening is the surest way to understand its THC content. Marijuana retailers can even liaise with testing laboratories to isolate specific cannabinoids from their products, ensuring the tested batch contains legally permissible THC potency.
4.Cannabis Lab Testing Promotes Consumer Safety
Cannabis testing laboratories don’t only seek to establish the concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes in each batch. They also focus on the presence of any contaminants.
Now, all plants exhibit bioaccumulation (the accumulation of toxins in organisms caused by a higher rate of toxin absorption than excretion).
However, cannabis has often been termed a hyperaccumulator due to its tendency to absorb high volumes of potentially toxic chemicals, including heavy metals and pesticides. Long-term exposure to these toxins can cause oxidative stress, increasing disease risks.
To protect consumer safety, regulators impose stringent requirements on the levels of toxic chemicals cannabis goods can have. The analytical reports from marijuana lab tests indicate the amount of toxins in the product and, by extension, the potential risks of exposure to such chemicals.
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5.Cannabis Lab Testing Nurtures Transparency and Accountability
Modern-day consumers are highly inquisitive. Cannabis users are particularly information-driven, which is understandable considering that the plant remains largely misunderstood in many quarters.
One way to appeal to potential cannabis users is by printing precise and elaborate information on each product’s label.
By publishing details of their test results, cannabis laboratories help foster transparency between retailers and consumers. Marijuana stores can leverage this information to set competitive prices, while consumers rely on the insights to vouch for the safety of each product.
Without the analytical report from marijuana testing centers, cannabis labels would be vague. This could erode consumer confidence, triggering a ripple effect across the industry.
6.Cannabis Lab Testing Builds Industry’s Credibility
Marijuana is still treated with considerable skepticism despite its perceived therapeutic properties. Many opponents particularly take issue with weed’s psychoactive chemicals like tetrahydrocannabinol.
Adopting testing as a standard for all tradable cannabis goods can help build trust and credibility in the industry. It assures regulators that every product in circulation has been professionally certified as safe and effective for human consumption.
In the same vein, marijuana testing laboratories play a pivotal role in removing certain barriers in cannabis research. These laboratories support marijuana research through routine screening procedures, often isolating samples for further studies and experimentation.
In fact, much of what we know about multiple cannabis strains is attributed to testing facilities.
The Bottom Line
Investing in duly tested cannabis products can help your company maintain a competitive edge and inch you closer to achieving total regulatory compliance. However, remember to research the accreditation status of each testing laboratory before collaborating with them.
ISO 17025 certification is the minimum threshold for cannabis testing laboratories in many countries. Besides, establish that the facility is duly licensed and unaffiliated with specific cannabis companies.