Yo, what up? It’s your boy Dan and I’m here to talk about cannabis quality testing. Ya see, in all countries where legalization has occurred, it’s required that any cannabis product bought from a licensed facility passes a series of tests. These tests are performed by state-accredited labs and they make sure that the items are safe to consume and easy to dose.
Now, these labs are looking for THC and CBD levels, residual pesticides, pollutants that you don’t want in your weed, and mycotoxins like mold and mildew. They can even test for terpene concentration if they want to get fancy with it. But all this requires specialized equipment and methods, so you gotta be trained and licensed to do it right.
But there’s a problem, ya know? There ain’t no global standard for these tests. Each state has its own regulations and requirements. So, some labs might be testing for different things than others. This is causing some issues in the industry and making it hard for some testing organizations to function. Plus, some cannabis businesses are messing with their samples to get better results. They’re adding things like spray-on cannabis oil or THC crystals to make it look like their product has higher THC levels than it actually does.
This is shady as hell, ya feel me? Some labs are even getting shut down for not reporting accurate results. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) suspended Praxis Laboratory’s license for allegedly manipulating testing results on over 1,200 cannabis samples by reporting greater THC levels than tests revealed.
The lab is based in Centralia, Washington and has been closed down while inspectors investigate. The LCB could permanently cancel the lab’s license depending on what they find.
But not all labs are bad, ya know? There are plenty of labs out there doing good work and making sure that the products are safe and clean. They gotta test for more than just THC potency though. They gotta check for contaminants too. That means testing for pesticides, growth hormones, and other chemicals that might be harmful if consumed.
And then there’s the issue of microbial contamination. This is when mold, fungus, and other nasty stuff gets into the product. It can be deadly if consumed, especially for people with pre-existing medical conditions or a weakened immune system. So, labs gotta test for that too.
All in all, cannabis lab testing is essential to make sure that the products are safe and adhere to legal requirements. But there are some problems that need to be addressed, like the lack of standardization and the possibility of manipulation by some businesses. The industry needs to come together and develop greater standards to improve the legitimacy and dependability of cannabis testing.
So, stay safe out there and make sure you’re getting your product from a licensed facility that has passed all the necessary tests. Peace out!
