ANAB Launches Cannabis Certificate Accreditation Program, Providing Quality Assurance to Consumers and Industry

Many states and localities have recently legalized medical marijuana and adult-use cannabis-derived products, from over-the-counter topicals to growing medical applications—driving the demand for cannabis accreditation within the industry. As part of the new program, ANAB will assess and accredit certificate programs as conforming to the requirements of ASTM D8403-21, Standard Practice for Certificate Programs within the Cannabis and Hemp Industries, developed by ASTM International’s Subcommittee D37.06 on Personnel Training, Assessment, Credentialing. ANAB staff were members of this committee and provided significant input on the design of the standard.

The standard practice provides protocols to certificate issuers for developing and administering certificate programs for stakeholders within the cannabis and hemp industries for determining best practices for administering professional certificate programs within the industries.

The application process for accreditation of a Cannabis Certificate Program tracks the time-tested process for ANAB’s Certificate Accreditation Program (CAP) against ANSI/ASTM E2659, Standard Practice for Certificate Programs.

“ANAB is thrilled to take on this vital role in supporting the health and safety of consumers. The need for competent professionals within the industry has become increasingly essential, and ANAB’s accreditation will provide a reliable mark of distinction as the certificate programs supporting the industry continue to evolve,” said Dr. Turan Ayvaz, ANAB’s Certificate Accreditation Program director. “ANAB will continue to support safety in the cannabis industry, while strictly complying with all applicable Federal and State laws.”

How ANAB Fosters Health, Safety, and Quality in the Cannabis Industry
To support the rapid growth of the cannabis market, since 2014, ANAB has offered accreditation for laboratories testing cannabis and cannabis-derived products. Building on this technical experience, ANAB’s offerings later expanded to include accreditation of qualifying certification bodies and proficiency test providers, including those who meet the rigorous requirements needed for safe cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and processing, and retail. In 2020, ANAB accredited Perry Johnson Registrars Food Safety, Inc., the first ANAB-accredited certification body to administer a cannabis certification program in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065, Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services.

In August 2021, ANAB launched a pilot accreditation program for the Purity-IQ Cannabis Authenticity and Purity – Certification Program that provides the requirements for conformity assessment to the Cannabis Authenticity and Purity Standard (CAPS).

Join the Workshop! Certificate Issuers: Understanding Requirements and Concepts of ANSI/ASTM E2659 and ASTM D8403
ANAB recommends that relevant stakeholders take the CAP/C-CAP workshop at least once throughout the accreditation process. The workshop is designed to introduce ASTM D8403-21 and ASTM E2659. It explains requirements for developing a quality education/training course and ANAB’s accreditation process.

Please direct any questions to Caitlin O’Connell, manager and ANAB’s Certificate Accreditation Program ([email protected]), or Turan Ayvaz, director of ANAB’s Certificate Accreditation Program ([email protected]).

(This information is primarily sourced from American National Standards Institute.  Highly Capitalized has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Read our Disclaimer here).