Creating standards for cannabis industry gets ASTM International board approval

By Alicia Wallace, The Cannabist Staff

ASTM International, a century-old standards organization, gave the official go-ahead to establish a standards-writing committee for the cannabis industry, officials announced Tuesday.

ASTM’s board of directors approved the formation of Committee D37, a group that will develop standards for cannabis, its products and processes, officials said. The committee, reported on by The Cannabist in March, is scheduled to hold its first meeting on June 11.

“This committee will help meet a need for safety and standardization in this fast-growing industry,” Dr. Ralph Paroli, D37 chairman and director of R&D in measurement science and standards at the National Research Council of Canada, said in a statement. “With decades of experience working with industries such as agriculture, packaging, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals, ASTM International and its members are uniquely qualified to develop standards for the cannabis industry.”

The new cannabis committee plans to develop standards in the following technical areas:

• Indoor and outdoor horticulture and agriculture
• Quality management systems
• Laboratory
• Processing and handling
• Security and transportation
• Personnel training, assessment and credentialing

Alicia Wallace joined The Cannabist in July 2016, covering national marijuana policy and business. She contributes to the Denver Post’s beer industry coverage. In her 13 years as a business news reporter, her coverage has spanned the economy, Sports…