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TESTING TESTING
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What do cholesterol levels, shampoo, and high school geometry have in common? If you’re a Jeopardy! fan, I’m hoping your answer is “what are things that require testing”.
Like many, I fall into the “I’m never going to use geometry in the real world” camp, but I do acknowledge the importance and efficacy of tests in and outside of the classroom. While (Covid) tests have been a topical and ever-growing part of our lexicon as of late, it’s the testing done behind the scenes that many forget play an integral role in what we use or consume in our everyday lives.
In the cannabis industry, “the state requires that all cannabis be tested for pesticides, plant growth chemicals, heavy metals, mycotoxins (from molds), and microbial contaminations,” says Evan Chakrin, Director of Cultivation at Resinate, has dispensaries in Northampton and Worcester. “Testing is after we’ve created a batch of harvest flower. We’ll send our representative sample
of the given batch for comprehensive analysis.” Once the samples have been collected, they are sent to a third party laboratory such as CDX Analytics, “Massachusetts’ leading Independent Cannabis Testing Laboratory dedicated to excellence in science and accreditation to uphold the rigorous standards set for the cannabis industry in the state,” says Dr. Brian J. Strasnick, President and CEO of CDX Analytics, LLC, who describes a representative sample as a sample that “is collected from each production batch and designated for
testing.” Additionally, these tests also “determine the levels of cannabinoids such as THC, CBD, etc. which produce the psychoactive effect felt by consumers,” says Strasnick.
To maintain the integrity of each sample, the cannabis from “raw materials” to the final product are monitored, documented, and tracked at every stage. Says Strasnick, “Every product on the shelf in a dispensary can be traced back to its original harvest.” Upon arrival, each sample is weighed at the lab to verify the sample hasn’t been disturbed, then prepped and stored for testing. Furthermore, the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) requires that the samples received by the laboratory for testing should truly be “representative” and look, as much as possible, like the product that will be on display and sold. Therefore, cultivators or processors must send the lab the cannabis in its final form whether it is the harvested plant material or the finalized extracts or edibles. Adds Chakrin, “the requirements stipulate batch sizes, and how representative material is sampled for the given batches.”
“Cannabis is tested to ensure that the product is safe for human consumption. All cannabis and cannabis products sold in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are required to be tested by an independent laboratory,” adds Strasnick, who says CDX Analytics’ motto is “Excellence in Service – Delivered with Integrity.” Since cannabis products can be inhaled or ingested, testing is split into two main categories depending on how they are processed: (1) Cannabis Flower, and (2) Concentrates; explains Strasnick, “plant material that has been harvested and cured/ dried, and concentrates which include resins, vape concentrates, and infused concentrates”, respectively.
Safety of the consumer is the number one priority for both the dispensaries and the laboratories doing the testing. “Due to its nature as a ‘bio-accumulator’, a growing cannabis plant can accumulate environmental contaminants such as pesticides and heavy metals as it matures through the growth cycle, so the cannabis is tested for any residual materials that can remain present in the final flower,” describes Strasnick. In addition to environmental contaminants, CDX Analytics also test for microbial contamination, and “Vitamin E acetate which had been used as a vape pen additive in the past. Vitamin E acetate is commonly used as a dietary supplement and ingredient in topical lotions and creams but when inhaled, it may interfere with proper lung function and is therefore banned as an additive in extracts intended for inhalation.”
Moreover, these tests focus on the safety and quality of the cannabis, as well as the potency— which inevitably allows the consumer to choose a product based on their personal use or tolerance level once the product(s) hits shelves. “By measuring these cannabinoids, the producer is then able to accurately label the product giving the user a better understanding of the potential effect the cannabis may have on their body,” explains Strasnick. Whether you choose to smoke, vape, ingest orally or topically, the tests and “turnaround” time to market remain the same. Following the precedent set by the Department of Public Health, in Massachusetts the Cannabis Control Commission “sets the allowable limits for contaminants depending on the style of ingestion,” says Strasnick. Without these tests, consumers could become sick should they inhale or ingest any of the contaminants that may be present in the cannabis. “The limits set by the CCC are some of the most aggressive standards in the country as the state leads the country in providing a safe product.” Ultimately, the samples sent in from testing “pass” when “none of the previously listed contaminants are found above acceptable levels as set by the CCC,” says Chakrin. Describes Strasnick, “Each sample needs to pass all the tests for it to be considered passed. Samples cleared through this process are issued a Certificate of Analysis (COA) which applies to the production batch that the sample was taken from.”
“Typically, third party laboratories will return testing results within 1-3 weeks’ time,” says Chakrin. Of CDX Analytics, Strasnick says, “most have results reported within 5 days to 10 days from receipt of the sample at the laboratory.” Once the production batch receives its COA, Chakrin concludes it takes “typically about a month” before the cannabis goes to market.
For more information about CDX Analytics and Resinate, visit cdxanalytics.com and www.iresinate.com, respectively.
