Have you been toying with the idea of setting up a cannabis venture? Well, we highly recommend that you take the plunge.
According to Fortune Business Insights, the global cannabis market size was valued at USD 57.2 billion in 2023. Findings from the same research body project show that the marijuana industry will exhibit a compound annual growth rate of 34% between 2023 and 2030, topping out at USD 444.3 billion at the end of the forecast period.
Therefore, now is the most opportune time to cash in on the green rush.
However, to gain a significant edge in the competitive cannabis industry, you must give your products unquestionable credibility. One way to ensure that is by getting your weed supplements tested by a certified marijuana laboratory.
Highlighted below are the top five benefits of using an accredited cannabis testing lab.
1. You’re Assured of Pinpoint Accuracy
Cannabis contains hundreds of therapeutic compounds. Most of these substances exist as cannabinoids, with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) being the most prevalent ones.
Besides cannabinoids, marijuana extracts also contain several terpenes, including myrcene, caryophyllene, pinene, limonene, and linalool.
Each cannabis compound produces its signature effects. For instance, while both tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol pack immense healing properties, THC is renowned for its psychoactive effects, whereas CBD is non-psychoactive. Terpenes are best known for their aromatic properties.
As a responsible cannabis store, it’s prudent to understand the amount of each bioactive compound in your products. The only way to ascertain this is by subjecting such supplements to professional laboratory testing.
A certified cannabis analysis laboratory utilizes advanced testing methods, such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), to produce accurate results. Not only do these laboratories reveal the therapeutic substances in a marijuana extract. They also indicate the potency of each chemical, which is critical when issuing dosage guidelines.
2. You Get To Understand Any Additives in Your Products
Raw cannabis extracts are nearly 100% risk-free. Besides probably causing psychedelic reactions (depending on their THC concentration and total amount dosed), unprocessed weed is unlikely to trigger worrying adverse events.
However, that’s not always true for refined cannabis products.
Getting your weed supplements tested by a certified laboratory lets you understand the type and quantity of any artificial ingredients in the screened products. The additives typically include flavor enhancers, preservatives, and penetration enhancers (specifically for cannabis tinctures and topicals).
Knowing the amount of additives in your weed supplements is key in determining the viability of the processing method used. It also allows you to publish relevant side effect warnings on your products, which can help endear your customers and bring them closer to your brand.
3. Certified Cannabis Laboratories Maintain Transparency
We began by hinting that the cannabis industry is highly competitive. As emerging scientific findings continually heap praises on marijuana’s remarkable healing properties, we can only expect a steady rise in the demand for weed products.
To stay ahead of the game, some cannabis traders have devised a sinister plot whereby they collaborate with unscrupulous testing laboratories to doctor test results.
Let’s assume that Laboratory X has an affiliation with Cannabis Store Y, the latter of which happens to operate within the same catchment area as your business. The implication is that Laboratory X will always falsify test results in favor of Store Y, much to the detriment of the vendor’s competitors.
Fortunately, most certified cannabis laboratories are 100% independent. These testing organizations maintain no affiliation with individual marijuana traders, eliminating any conflict of interest
4. Certified Cannabis Laboratories Insist On Proper Storage
Unless intended for research purposes, cannabis extracts are typically tested in large batches. A testing laboratory may receive orders of as much as 10 kilograms from a single cannabis company.
But after they’re tested, the samples aren’t always collected immediately. That means the testing laboratory must preserve the products under ideal conditions to prevent degradation.
Certified cannabis laboratories employ personnel who are highly skilled and knowledgeable in marijuana preservation methods. Such staffers understand how certain environmental agents can adversely impact the quality of weed extracts.
For instance, prolonged exposure to high temperatures and ultraviolet (UV) rays can accelerate the breakdown of individual cannabinoids, reducing their potency. This might invalidate the initial test results, making safe storage paramount.
5. Certified Cannabis Laboratories Help Ensure Regulatory Compliance
One of the worst experiences as a cannabis trader is having your expensive inventories recalled for non-compliance. Unfortunately, that’s a daily reality for many marijuana stores that operate in jurisdictions with stringent quality assurance policies.
When cannabis regulators visit your store, one of the first things they’ll establish is if your products bear evidence of laboratory testing. Supplements without such proof may be recalled instantly.
Collaborating with a certified cannabis testing laboratory ensures your products comply with the regulations that are laid down.
Maintaining compliance is particularly important if you deal in adult-use and medical marijuana products. After testing, the law requires each batch to be assigned a unique identifier number to facilitate the easy tracing of the tested products.
Wrap Up
Most cannabis testing laboratories you’ll come across purport to be certified. So, how do you vouch for their credibility?
Well, according to the International Accreditation Service (IAS), cannabis testing laboratories must meet ISO/IEC Standard 17025 as well as relevant state-specific requirements. ISO/IEC 17025 standards seek to ensure competence, independence, and consistency in laboratory operations.
Partnering with an ISO/IEC 17025-certified lab provides the peace of mind that your cannabis products have been subjected to professional, unbiased testing and the results are 100% accurate.
