THCbiz

Standards and Proper Labeling Are Vital to the Cannabis Industry

"Is Your Marijuana a Tequila Shot or a Merlot?" asks Robert Frichtel.

Since voters in Colorado and Washington have legalized recreational marijuana in their states, the burgeoning cannabis industry is making headlines across major business and news outlets.

Earlier this week an op-ed on Bloomberg.com titled "Is Your Marijuana a Tequila Shot or a Merlot?" was written by Robert Frichtel.

Frichtel who is the managing partner of the Medical Marijuana Business Exchange, expresses that testing and standards are vital to the cannabis industry (both medical and recreational) and urges that the industry should develop production standards concerning pesticides and chemicals and appropriate disclosure on all marijuana product labels.

In bold captions 'Better Warnings' he states:

It isn’t yet clear what information labels should show. Focus groups, involving industry participants, government officials and the public, are still working on promulgating rules.

The marijuana industry (both medical and recreational) needs to develop production standards concerning pesticides and chemicals and appropriate disclosure on the labels. Warnings should be included about driving or operating machinery and that use by those younger than 21 is illegal. The industry should also create a simple grading system that shows THC potency. It probably wouldn’t need to be as specific as the alcohol-content labels on most beverages, but perhaps based on a scale of “light,” “medium,” “heavy” and “extra heavy.” That way a consumer will be less likely to exceed his or her limit.

In a recent interview on Testcountry.com, Dr. Robert Martin co-founder of CW Analytical Laboratories was asked what steps should be taken to protect consumers from the mass production of marijuana, for both recreational and medical use. He answered: 

Mass production of cannabis would require the same type of Quality Assurance (QA) as small production scenarios. It is my opinion that specifications and industry requirements must be set to establish standards and practices that all producers follow. It has been shown in the food industry that 80% of contaminations are handling related, and it is the same for the cannabis industry. Handling, storage, and shelf life requirements must be coordinated with microbiological and pesticide screenings to ensure safety and quality. Further, proper labeling for safety and accurate dosage, and tamper evidency of all packaging of cannabis products is recommended.

In a meeting earlier this week related to recommending Amendment 64 rules and regulations, the Colorado Marijuana Task Force agreed marijuana potency won't be limited -- but consumers should know how strong marijuana is before they buy it. The task force recommended potency labels that include the relative amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

Later on Thursday, Task force members recommended a first-of-its-kind regulation on a "serving size" for edible marijuana. The task force agreed that a "serving" of edible cannabis should be 10 nanograms of THC. Marijuana infused products will have to be sold in childproof packages with a label clearly stating there may be health risks from consuming it. To see the massive list of the task force recommendations, Michael Roberts of Denver Westword posted a 102 page document featuring the A64 task force working group's draft recommendations. Which majority of them were approved Thursday. Retail marijuana stores will not open until 2014.

Here at THCbiz.com we believe without competent, credible, scientific analysis of botanical and edible cannabis products, patients and recreational users have no way of gaining accurate knowledge regarding the potency and safety of their marijuana. The trend of dispensary storefronts utilizing cannabis analysis lab services has been growing in the last couple of years, but the forthcoming marijuana standards and proper labeling rules will help bring more credibility and transparency to the industry.