Testing

A recent study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research found that the majority of hemp-derived THC products carry mislabeled dosages on their packaging and that most companies do not actually check their products for impurities.

Following a lawsuit filed by multiple cannabis industry trade groups, the Oregon Court of Appeals has — for now — suspended the state’s cannabis testing requirements for the fungus Aspergillus.

New rules in Missouri require cannabis testing labs to double-check the work of other labs in an effort to cut down on so-called “lab shopping,” which involves bringing (or shopping) a cannabis product to multiple testing labs before partnering with whichever lab offers the most favorable test results.

The Cannabis Industry Association of Oregon and several of the state’s organic cannabis cultivators are suing to undo the Oregon Health Authority’s new Aspergillus mold testing requirements for cannabis products.

A Massachusetts cannabis testing lab is accusing regulators of opening a retaliatory investigation into the company after their CEO suggested that “enforcement staff may be misusing investigations as a pretext to silence and harass licensees.”

The Michigan Civil Service Commission voted unanimously this week to allow hiring individuals for most state employee positions even if they fail pre-employment drug tests for cannabis.

About 90% of cannabis plants in the California industry are reportedly infected with hop-latent viroid (HLVd), a pathogen that cripples growth and can reduce THC levels in a plant by as much as half.

The Michigan Civil Service Commission recently proposed a rule change that would drop pre-employment cannabis drug testing for most state government positions.

A recent study by Quest Diagnostics found that post-accident workforce drug tests returned more positive tests for cannabis in 2022 than at any point in the previous 25 years.

The Tennessee Legislature approved a bill to regulate hemp-derived cannabinoids including delta-8 and delta-9 THC, sending the proposal to Gov. Bill Lee’s (R) desk for his signature.

The U.S. military and many federal agencies have started to deprioritize prior cannabis use when considering new hires.

A lawsuit filed in federal court by an Arkansas medical cannabis patient alleges that the state’s cannabis testing labs are inflating THC levels in cannabis products in order to inflate prices.

The NBA has permanently ended the practice of drug testing players for cannabis use, per a tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement with league players.

Milan Patel is the founder and CEO of PathogenDx, the biotechnology innovator behind the leading microbial testing kits available to cannabis testing labs.

Cannabis regulators in Michigan have suspended the medical and adult-use cannabis business licenses of TAS Asset Holdings after discovering the company was adding unregulated cannabis to its products.

Washington lawmakers are considering bills to allow cannabis home grows and end the practice of drug testing for cannabis as a condition for getting hired.

Nevada regulators have warned that cannabis harvested by Clark Natural Medicinal Solutions from July 2021 through January 2023 used an unapproved pesticide. The regulators recommend that consumers avoid any affected products.

The New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association said about 40% of products bought from unlicensed New York City cannabis shops tested positive for contaminants such as E. coli, lead, and salmonella.

A new study found the majority of hemp flower purchased online surpasses the legal THC limit of 0.3%, technically fitting the federal classification for cannabis. 

New York has eliminated its adult-use cannabis testing limits for yeast, bacteria, and mold but will continue to monitor lab test results and licensees.

A class action lawsuit filed in California seeks unspecified damages from a cannabis brand that is alleged to have inflated THC labels on some of its products.

Matt Noestheden is Market Development Manager for SCIEX, a leader in mass spectrometry for 50+ years.