Missouri establishing cannabis reference testing lab
Missouri regulators are launching a reference testing lab in an attempt to improve industry standards and better analyze the contents of cannabis products.
The move comes at a time consumer safety concerns are rippling across the U.S. marijuana industry.
Missouri’s Division of Cannabis Regulation will oversee the operation at the State Public Health Laboratory in Jefferson City, where newly hired scientists are training on equipment, testing protocols and procedures, according to Kansas City TV station KCTV.
According to a recently published annual report on Missouri’s medical and adult-use program from the Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS), testing will include:
- Identifying and quantifying the levels of cannabinoids in cannabis products.
- Moisture content.
- Screening for contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, mold and other pathogens.
State officials earmarked $3.8 million in fiscal year 2024 and $2.4 million in fiscal year 2025 to establish the lab, which is expected to be fully operational by fall 2025, according to The Beacon, based in Kansas City.
Missouri regulators have recalled thousands of cannabis products the past few months, including a series of recalls of more than 132,000 marijuana products in a move that is believed to be the largest in any regulated cannabis market.
The Missouri recalls, prompted by noncompliant lab testing and improper tracking in the state-mandated Metrc track-and-trace system, have been much more timely than in other markets.
A recent MJBizDaily analysis found that most marijuana recalls are issued too late to recover products potentially containing unhealthy levels of mold or pesticides before they’re sold to customers.
The monthslong delays in recalling products has been particularly challenging in California, where an ongoing pesticide scandal has eroded confidence in the world’s largest regulated market.
