People choose 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 why you enjoy smoking cannabis, many people expect a high level of quality.
Though many people trust that the recreational or medicinal drugs they’re using are safe, this isn’t always the case. A majority of dispensaries sell products with extremely high THC levels, inaccurate measurements of minor cannabinoids, and dangerous pesticides without the users’ knowledge. Pesticides, molds, chemicals– it’s all harmful stuff that ingesting cannabis might cause without a user even knowing. The biggest challenge for the industry now is raising awareness about this problem amongst its consumers.
The cannabis industry is rife with fraud, and users are beginning to call for change. This will be one of the most momentous changes in the cannabis world since recreational legalization.
Potency Inflation is Controlling a Multi-Billion Dollar Market
A long time ago, small businesses used to prosper in the marijuana market. But once it became a business, large companies took over and they started having issues with quality control. To fix this problem, these big corporations came up with a solution: They would adjust THC numbers and bribe their testing lab partners while convincing everyone that high THC levels were what people wanted.
In the past, growers were more concerned with the THC levels in their strains, but now that high-THC strains are more commonplace, they are focusing on qualities like aroma and taste.
With the increase of fake THC results and high levels, many honest growers, labs, and cannabis companies have gone bankrupt. They can’t compete against their dishonest competitors who post false test scores. With so much deception in the market, it’s hard to stay afloat. It seems like this problem will only keep getting worse.
A History of Losing Regulatory Control
After recreational marijuana became legal, both cannabis lobbyists and professional testing labs fought for the chance to make money off of state-controlled taxation. They lobbied that every batch needed to be tested before being sold; however, what they got in return was less transparency from cannabis entities and high-volume testing from labs who were only interested in making a profit.
It’s no wonder that a system designed to be regulatory devolved into a for-profit scheme when private labs were put in charge. When crops fail tests, it’s easy to go to a less stringent testing lab. However, this creates an unjust system where honest laboratoriers have to choose between competing or going bankrupt.
Some labs in the US have stated that growers believe they will get different results from other labs, so dishonest lab operators give them false information to remain competitive. This creates a circle of dishonesty, where the “best” labs are those who provide the most lenient results. It’s clear that these labs didn’t enter this line of work to be bullied by profit-driven growers and businesspeople. Some people have dedicated their lives to this field, yet they’re being forced to break the law due to RICO charges.
Not only is fraud prevalent in the cannabis industry, but most of the pesticides used have not been examined for safety when inhaled! For example, Scientists have not been able to ascertain a cause of Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), but CHS has been related to the use of concentrated THC. Similarly, it has 10 times more pesticides than flower alone would generally contain. Further research is necessary. It’s worrying that oil extraction companies can sell poor-quality batches of oil to dispensaries merely by changing the stickers that identify the source batch. This fraudulent practice is dangerous for customers because there is now a monopolistic wholesale cannabis market which lacks reliable research.
If testing labs are not closely regulated, the results of their tests could be inaccurate. Also, these businesses may feel inclined to change their findings to make themselves look better and increase the chance of staying in business.
What Needs to Change?
Many people are fighting for more transparent testing in the cannabis industry to ensure that it 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 need to 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.
A software solution could easily track licensed labs and growers, select product batches to be sent to certain dispensaries, calculate which dispensaries each lab visits, and test different batches.
If you break the law in other industries, you face severe penalties, such as losing your license to operate. But people who commit crimes in 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 misrepresenting THC levels.
The Cannabis Community Needs to Take a Stand
Mainstream corporations will soon be disrupted by the flourishing cannabis industry, which has been bolstered by the counterculture movement. With this story continuing to evolve and garner more attention, activism will become more commonplace in states where it has been legalized.
Quality cannabis comes from quality feedback. If you had a negative reaction to something you smoked, be sure to leave a review for the dispensary and other customers. Feeling sick after smoking (Like sore throat, headaches or nausea) could mean that there are pesticides in the product. Also, if you want growers to keep giving us good stuff – support them by leaving reviews when they do well! By doing this, they can find out what people who use cannabis want and make the adjustments that are needed. Some key things that users value are a clean taste and smooth smoking experience. By insisting that these be met by companies, it will require them to improve their grow systems and have better control of the environment – which gives us a product of greater quality as a result.
Any dispensaries selling products with THC levels above 30% are aware that they are participating in the inflation of these numbers. If cannabis businesses continue to lie to consumers, it could cause permanent damage. Individuals who have been lied to should take immediate action.
Cannabis Potency Testing
At our cannabis testing laboratory, we provide business owners with reliable and accurate results for THC and CBD levels in marijuana and CBD products. This way, they can be confident that their products are of the highest quality and safe for their customers.
Cannabis products have seen a surge in usage over the years. With medical cannabis now legal in many places, people are turning to it as a way to self-treat various conditions like pain or stress.
Only using cannabis products that have been potency tested is important for consumers. The testing lets them know the quality and strength of what they’re getting.
Why is Cannabis Potency Testing Required?
Although laws vary from state to state, most require that cannabis products be tested for potency before being made available to the public. In order to ensure consumer safety, there are regulations in place that limit the amount of THC or CBD present in a product – especially extractions. If tests administered by an independent laboratory reveal that a product does not align with these guidelines, it is considered illegal and therefore cannot be distributed.
The primary goal of potency testing is to ascertain that the product is safe for human consumption. Additionally, it allows customers insight into the strength of the item so they are aware of what results to anticipate. For many individuals, psychoactive consequences are undesirable when taking CBD or hemp extract products.
Cannabis plants absorb anything they come into contact with, which is why it’s important that potency tests are conducted to ensure products are safe for human use. The testing will also determine the presence of any harmful fungus or mold growth. If present, this could potentially cause serious health complications – something we obviously want to avoid.It’s the consumer’s interest that is most important; their safety is our number one priority.
Testing Considerations for Cannabis Products
Before a cannabis product can be properly vetted for potency, it first has to be determined if the item will have recreational or medicinal usages. The testing process is different depending on the intended final purpose of the product.
Extensive testing is done on medical marijuana products to determine the levels of cannabidiol (CBD), terpenes, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) present. If the product does not meet specific legal standards for human consumption in terms of these elements, it cannot be distributed to consumers.
The Benefits of Cannabis Potency Testing
Before cannabis can be sold, it must first be tested for potency and purity. The policies surrounding the creation and sale of marijuana-based products differ from state to state, so it’s important to research the regulations in any areas you’re considering selling.
Selling products that don’t adhere to local regulations can result in severe legal consequences. For instance, a few states only permit specific levels of pesticides in customer-sold items while other states forbid more than 50 different types. And testing is done once again to ensure buyers that they’re purchasing reliable, safe items.
Most states require a Certificate of Analysis from certified labs because it protects consumers by ensuring that only high-quality products are being sold. The certificate also shields manufacturers from legal issues that could arise if they distributed poor quality products without verifying their safety first.