An introduction to cannabis laboratory safety and compliance testing

Abstract

The legislative requirement for laboratory tested cannabis follows legalization of medical and recreational use in every US state to date. Cannabis safety testing is a new investment opportunity within the emerging cannabis market that is separate from cultivation, processing, & distribution, allowing individuals and organizations who may have been reluctant to enter previously a new entry route to the cannabis space. However, many of the costs, operational requirements, and compliance issues are not well understood by people who have not been previously exposed to regulated, analytical laboratory testing. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a brief overview of the cannabis plant and then outline a framework for following chapters to build on by introducing some of the important business and operational considerations including legal status, business planning, laboratory design, license application, obtaining ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, promoting a culture of quality, instrumentation purchases and methodology, and staffing.