Nationwide Inconsistencies in Cannabis Testing Raise Concerns over Consumer Safety

NEW YORK — With increasing numbers of states legalizing cannabis, state marijuana regulators, producers, and other invested parties are wrestling with how to protect consumers, especially in a landscape where lab-testing requisites, enforcement, and broad-scale product recalls diverge dramatically across states.

Presently, each state independently determines its lab testing standards for cannabis potency, contaminants, production, and inspections. This decentralized approach has culminated in varying testing regulations, inciting debates over whether consumer safety truly tops the priority list for companies and regulators.

Steph Sherer, founder of the Washington DC-based advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA), highlighted that these disparities are repercussions of federal prohibition. Speaking to MJBizDaily, Sherer remarked, “Standard testing would be a given if this were a legal commodity nationwide.”

Several states have found their cannabis testing and safety regulations in hot water. In Oregon, the Liquor and Cannabis Commission faced backlash after altering its stance on products testing positive for aspergillus, a mold strain. This reversal was a response to cultivators’ lawsuits asserting potential business collapse if a stringent no-tolerance mold policy persisted.

Maine’s medical cannabis producers are under scrutiny, as a significant percentage of their products showed contaminants and pesticides during analyses. While adult-use cannabis undergoes mandatory testing, the medical variant remains untested.

Meanwhile, Arizona witnessed a series of recalls owing to potential contaminations, although subsequent tests deemed some products safe.

Some experts advocate for improved lab standards, emphasizing Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) or a comprehensive track-and-trace system. A shift in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s scheduling of marijuana could pave the way for federal oversight on cannabis testing and other standards. ASA envisions rescheduling as a gateway to establishing an Office of Medical Cannabis, which would collaborate with state governments to standardize marijuana testing requisites.

Yet, even if rescheduling occurs, the path forward remains nebulous, considering the intricate dynamics of lab standards.

The presence of contaminants like aspergillus is particularly alarming. Although typically harmless to the healthy populace, individuals with weakened immune systems or lung conditions could develop infections. The broader consensus among stakeholders, such as Marianne Cursetjee, co-founder and CEO of Alibi Cannabis, is that consumer safety is paramount. However, striking the right balance between stringent regulations and practical industry functioning is challenging.

Conclusively, the evolving cannabis landscape underscores an urgent need for a harmonized, science-backed approach to testing, ensuring both consumer safety and industry growth.