All Oregon Cannabis Now Required to be Tested

Over the past year or so, Oregon has had issues with pesticides on its cannabis products. Now, a resolution has arrived that will hopefully limit the amount of tainted cannabis, and prevent unsafe cannabis from being sold to consumers. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced that all cannabis must be tested for pesticides.

In an announcement from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) announcement, it stated that this new testing requirement will begin immediately and will replace the currently existing rules managed by the OHA. “Starting August 30, 2017, every batch of usable marijuana must be tested directly for pesticides according to the Oregon Health Authority’s testing rules in order to be compliant. This includes product that was sampled prior to August 30,” reads the OLCC document, which was originally published on August 11.

In late 2016, the OLCC previously agreed to lower the testing requirements in response to the lack of space in approved testing facilities. Previous requirements allowed a minimum of one-third of batches of useable cannabis for every harvest group. According to the Oregon Cannabis Connection, the public was invited to speak on the topic in May. Residents strongly recommended that the current rules be kept in place, and over 98 percent of those who responded asked for the current rules to be kept in place, rather than rolling back to less strict rules. Only 0.6 percent were in favor of adopting new rules.

Now, the OLCC has decided to implement newly finalized rules. In referring to the organization’s earlier attempt to lower testing requirements, it also mentions that “ . . . significant changes have occurred that have increased the lab testing capacity to ensure a steady flow of product through the supply chain,” the OLCC document reads. “Last October, fewer than five labs were accredited to test for pesticides; today there are nearly 10 such labs. Additionally, the Oregon Health Authority’s most recent testing rules increased by 50 percent the amount of usable marijuana that can be tested together in a batch.”

These new requirements may be strict, and will ensure that consumers won’t ever have to worry about the contamination of their cannabis products.