The Association Of California Cannabis Laboratories Seeks To Further Quality Standards For Medical Marijuana
Testing medical marijuana for potency and undesirable things such as mold and mildew is a relatively new industry. I say ‘relatively’ because testing for medical marijuana has been around for a handful of years, but it’s so new that there are little standards. On one of the e-mail groups I’m a member of, there have been many critics of the testing processes available in the medical marijuana industry. ‘Most medical marijuana testing laboratories are just bong hitters with outdated scientific equipment’ is a direct quote that I took from one of the e-mails.
Critics say that since there is an absence of standard, uniform testing rules, things can vary greatly, and therefore are not that reliable. At last year’s Cannabis Cup, I talked to a guy that had the same strain from the same harvest tested by three different laboratories, and all three tests came back with different results. All three of the laboratories that he went to were like the ‘who’s who’ of medical marijuana testing laboratories in California, so it’s not like he went to some junk laboratories.
I received a press release in my inbox that will hopefully lead to more solid testing, see below:
Oakland California: The Association of California Cannabis Laboratories (ACCL) announced today that it has formalized its efforts as a not-for-profit organization in the State of California dedicated to the furtherance of quality standards and approved testing methods for medical cannabis. “The ACCL will provide a forum for dialogue between the existing labs, begin programs to establish best practices and certifications, and offer suggestions as to how to communicate more broadly as a contributing member of the medical marijuana community” offers Dr. Robert Martin, ACCL CEO (co-founder CW Analytical).
Proposed member laboratories will be required to limit business to within the State of California and demonstrate satisfactory scientific acumen and expertise as part of the mutually agreed upon membership requirements. “Patients, growers and dispensaries should look for the ACCL logo when determining which lab to use in the future, as ACCL labs will be the ones that are most accurate and dependable,” adds David Lampach, ACCL President (co-founder Steep Hill).
“The participation of the California laboratories has been outstanding and all the major players have come to the table. The ACCL hopes it can provide an example to the rest of the industry on how to work together,” says Samantha Miller, ACCL Secretary President and Chief Scientist Pure Analytics).
“The ACCL seeks to establish an open forum within which scientists can discuss technical aspects pertaining to quality control of various products being provided within the medical cannabis community. With broad based participation by many laboratories, including a strong foundation comprised of industry leaders, the ACCL is poised to positively impact the quality and cleanliness of medical cannabis for all patients within California,” says Dr. Jeffrey C. Raber, ACCL CFO (co-founder The Werc Shop).
