People use cannabis for many reasons, often because it is a natural solution. Some people might appreciate the sweetness of the bud, how smooth it smokes, or its delightful smell. Regardless of your reason for enjoying smoking cannabis, you likely expect a consistently high level of quality product. Though one would hope that recreational or medicinal drugs are safe to consume, this isn’t always reality. The average dispensary sells products with alarmingly high THC levels, inaccurate measurements of minor cannabinoids, and dangerous pesticides that the users are unaware of. Pesticides, molds, chemicals–ingesting cannabis contaminated with any of this is incredibly harmful , and yet most people don’t even know it’s a problem. The biggest challenge for the industry now is spreading awareness about this among its consumers.
Cannabis users are calling for change in an industry rife with fraud. This could be one of the most significant changes in the cannabis world since recreational legalization.
Potency Inflation is Controlling a Multi-Billion Dollar Market
In the early days of marijuana business, small businesses thrived. But as soon as it turned into a corporate industry, big companies ruined everything with their bad quality control. The solution these huge corporations came up with was to adjust THC numbers and bribe testing labs while convincing everyone that high THC levels were better.
In the past, growers were more concerned with THC levels in their strains. However, now that high-THC strains are more commonplace, they have shifted their focus to qualities like aroma and taste. The increase of false THC results and high test scores has driven many honest growers, labs, and cannabis companies out of business. They can’t compete against dishonest competitors who post inflated test scores. With so much deception in the market, it’s hard to stay afloat. It seems like this problem will only get worse over time.
A History of Losing Regulatory Control
After marijuana became legal for recreational use, those in favor of cannabis lobbied that every batch needed to be tested before being sold for taxation purposes. However, what they received instead was less transparency from companies selling cannabis and high-volume testing from labs who were only interested in making a profit.
It’s not surprising that a system created to be regulatory deteriorated into a moneymaking scheme when private labs were given control. When crops fail tests, it’s straightforward to go to a less severe testing lab. Nevertheless, this builds an unfair system where hardworking laboratories have to choose between going under or competing unfairly.
Many labs in the United States have been found to give biased information to growers in order to maintain a competitive edge, which creates an ongoing cycle of dishonesty. Furthermore, those who operate these labs didn’t choose this profession expecting to be berated by people driven purely by profit margins. Some have devoted their entire lives to this field only government charges under RICO are forcing them break the law.
Fraud isn’t uncommon in the cannabis industry, and most of the pesticides used haven’t been proven safe to inhale. For example, Scientists don’t know what causes Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), but it might be related to using concentrated THC. Also, flower generally contains 10 times more pesticides than other products would contain. We need more research to prevent oil extraction companies from passing off low-quality batches of oil to dispensaries by simply changing the source batch stickers. This fraudulent behaviour is dangerous for customers because there is now an unreliable wholesale cannabis market which needs more reliable data.
Unregulated testing labs may give inaccurate results, and these businesses may be tempted to change their findings to improve their image and increase the chance of staying in business.
What Needs to Change?
People are fighting for more transparent cannabis testing to ensure that the industry runs smoothly and correctly. This would mean that labs and cannabis companies have no business relationship with one another. In order to make this happen, changes need to be made to legal language so that better enforcement of testing regulations and compliance can take place. With this in mind, labs should act as regulators, test results should be released publicly, and consumers must be protected throughout the process.
High-volume testing is only possible when state agencies contract private labs and farms pay for the tests. If farms pressured private labs for results, it could lead to inaccurate data.
Our software solution is designed to track licensed labs and growers, select product batches for dispensaries, calculate dispensary visits, and test different batches.
If you break the law in any other industry, severe penalties such as losing your license to operate are standard. However, people who have committed crimes within the cannabis industry have only received small fines. For example, two labs in Florida had to pay fines between $2,000 and $6,000 for intentionally providing wrong THC levels.
The Cannabis Community Needs to Take a Stand
Large businesses will eventually be impacted by the successful cannabis industry, which has been supported by the counterculture movement. With this story continuing to develop and receive more attention, activism will become more frequent in states where it has been legalized.
The only way to ensure that we get quality cannabis is by giving feedback – especially when it’s negative. If you ever have an unpleasant reaction after smoking, be sure to leave a review for the dispensary and other customers. Feeling sick could mean that there are pesticides in the product (like if you experience a sore throat, headache or nausea). Also, if growers give us good stuff – support them too by leaving positive reviews! By doing this they can find out what people who use cannabis want and make necessary adjustments. Users key in on a clean taste and smooth smoking experience. If we as consumers require these things from the companies, they will have to step up their grow game and better control the environment. The result is a higher quality product for us!
Any dispensaries selling products with THC levels above 30% are guilty of participating in hiking up these numbers. If cannabis businesses continue to lie about their product, it could cause forever damage the industry. Those who have been lied to should take immediate action.
Cannabis Potency Testing
At our cannabis testing laboratory, we give business owners reliable and accurate results for THC and CBD levels in marijuana and CBD products. This way, they can be sure that their products are of the best quality and safe for their customers.
Strength and quality are important to know when consuming any cannabis product. Potency testing assures the consumer of these qualities before use. People have been self-treating with medical cannabis for many years now to relieve things such as pain or stress legally in certain places.
Why is Cannabis Potency Testing Required?
Most states have laws that require cannabis products to be tested for potency. These regulations are in place to limit the amount of THC or CBD present in a product, especially extractions, and ensure consumer safety. If tests administered by an independent laboratory reveal that a product does not align with these guidelines, it is considered illegal and cannot be distributed.
Not only does potency testing tell us if a product is safe for human consumption, but it also allows customers to know how strong the effects will be. Many people don’t want psychoactive consequences when taking CBD or hemp extract products.
Anything a cannabis plant comes into contact with, it will absorb. For this reason, potency tests need to be conducted often to make sure that the products people are using are safe. These tests also scan for any harmful fungus or mold growth which, if present, could cause some serious health issues down the line – something we obviously want to steer clear of.It’s always the consumer’s best interest at heart; their safety is and will always be our number one priority.
Testing Considerations for Cannabis Products
The first step in testing the potency of cannabis is to determine if it will have recreational or medicinal purposes. The process differs based on the item’s planned usage.
We put all medical marijuana products through rigorous testing to make sure they are safe for human consumption. We check the levels of cannabidiol (CBD), terpenes, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) present in each product. If it does not meet our safety standards, we will not distribute it to consumers.
The Benefits of Cannabis Potency Testing
Before any cannabis product is sold, it first needs to be tested for both potency and purity. The laws related to the creation and sale of marijuana-based products vary from state to state, so if you’re thinking about selling in a new area, make sure you know the local regulations.
If you don’t follow the local regulations while selling products, it could lead to legal problems. To illustrate, a few states allow only certain levels of pesticides in customer-sold items while others outlaw more than 50 types. Once again, testing is done so that potential buyers know they’re getting reliable and safe items.
Aside from a few exceptions, most states demand a Certificate of Analysis (COA) to be received before any product is sold. The COA exists to confirm that the product being bought is high quality and safe for consumption. It also protects manufacturers against possible legal issues if they were to sell products without first confirming their safety.