Cannabis testing is a growing business with different policies and requirements depending on the state laws. 

A recent Stateline News article explores how the burgeoning cannabis testing industry works and how even with standards in place, the process is not without some risks. As the recreational cannabis market continues to grow in Maryland, ensuring public health and safety are at the core of growth in the cannabis laboratory testing sector. Since cannabis is illegal on the federal level it is incumbent upon states to make their own regulation and safety standards.

Some states have chosen to run their own testing labs and have a more standardized testing approach and others, including Maryland, issue licenses to laboratories to manage this process. Maryland’s list of certified testing facilities can be found on the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) website and the MCA also hosts a fact sheet on what they require these labs to be looking for in the products. The most important elements are that the potency level on the package is accurate and the product is safe from contaminants that could make users sick.

Some of these laboratories, such as Highgrade Labs located in Woodlawn, MD contract with cannabis suppliers in multiple states. This means laboratory specialists need to make sure the testing methods are consistent with the policy of that state and keep those variations clear as different batches come in from different states. Check out the article for more lessons learned as governments deal with the health and safety complications of the market.