Washington State Adopts Emergency Cannabis Testing Rules
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]O[/dropcap]ne of the many perks of legalized cannabis is quality control. Consumers are no longer at the mercy of whichever black market dealer they can find. Like all products, cannabis should be held to high standards to ensure consumer safety and satisfaction. Which is why the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) has recently taken measures to make sure cannabis testing is regulated properly.
Since I-502’s inception, cannabis testing has always been a priority. All cannabis being legally sold in Washington State has been lab-tested for things like powdery mildew and pesticides. The problem isn’t a lack of testing. It’s with the proficiency of the lab-testing itself. A recent event in which a lab failed to test cannabis accurately, has brought to light some issues within the labs. The event has spurred the state of Washington to call for a new set of emergency rules aimed at regulating state cannabis testing labs.
“New rules are needed to protect consumer safety through ensuring laboratories employ appropriate testing methodologies and achieve accurate testing results for marijuana. WSLCB also needs rules to suspend or revoke the certification of a laboratory that does not follow rule requirements for testing or for those laboratories that do not consistently achieve accurate testing results,” the WSLCB writes.
“These emergency rules relating to accurate testing procedures and results and laboratory accountability are needed to ensure the public health, and safety of the citizens of Washington.”
The WSLCB isn’t going to stop at the new rules however. They’ve also created a first version of a Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) Certification Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Checklist. Cannabis testing laboratories have also jumped on board and recently announced the creation of the Washington Laboratory Association, aimed at holding labs to a higher standard, and upholding cannabis testing integrity.
It’s encouraging that the WSLCB is taking testing issues seriously. Because untrustworthy testing could be detrimental to ending the Federal prohibition on cannabis. Are these new steps enough to ensure consumer safety? It will become clear whether or not labs are indeed held to a higher standard than before, as these new testing regulations go into place.
