Laboratories & Analytics
Cannabis Has a Water Activity Standard. Why Aren’t States Using It?
Cannabis flower sold in regulated markets across the country is routinely being dried below an existing national standard, according to a new analysis of nearly 145,000 laboratory samples. The report, produced by the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) with FTI Consulting, analyzed samples from 10 states. Average water activity fell below the […]
Cannabis Has a Water Activity Standard. Why Aren’t States Using It?
Cannabis flower sold in regulated markets across the country is routinely being dried below an existing national standard, according to a new analysis of nearly 145,000 laboratory samples. The report, produced by the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) with FTI Consulting, analyzed samples from 10 states. Average water activity fell below the […]
Cannabis Testing Is Broken Across State Lines. State-Run Testing Is the Real Fix
State regulators are spending unnecessary time and money trying to police a private testing model that fails to protect consumers. From Maryland’s newly launched CSQ CLEAR audit pilot to New York’s shutdown of Lexachrom Analytical Laboratory, Michigan’s historic license revocations of Viridis Laboratories, and New Jersey putting out RFPs to audit its testing ecosystem, regulators […]
Maryland Targets Cannabis Lab Shopping with Multi-Lab Audit Program
Maryland regulators are taking direct aim at potency manipulation with a new state audit program designed to identify inflated THC numbers and enforce label accuracy. Starting this October, the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) is launching a cross-testing pilot alongside Cannabis Safety & Quality (CSQ), an accredited third-party standards and certification body for the cannabis and […]
Here Is What to Expect at the Upcoming Cannabis Quality Conference
This year’s Cannabis Quality Conference is being held alongside the long-running Food Safety Consortium, bringing cannabis quality professionals into the same room as food safety experts and creating an overlap between the two industries as they work through many of the same quality, testing, traceability, and safety challenges. That overlap is particularly relevant as cannabis […]
The Overlooked Risks of Hardware in Pipes, Vapes and Dab Rigs
For years, much of the conversation around cannabis quality has focused on what goes into the product: potency, pesticides, solvents, microbial contamination, terpene profiles, and certificates of analysis. That scrutiny is necessary, but it stops one step too soon. Cannabis is burned in a pipe, heated inside a vaporizer cartridge, exposed to a high-temperature surface […]
NIH Releases Scientific Paper on the Therapeutic Value of Acidic Cannabinoids
A new scientific review published in the National Library of Medicine (NIH) shines a spotlight on one of the most overlooked areas of cannabis science: the untapped benefits of acidic cannabinoids naturally produced by Cannabis sativa — THCA, CBDA, CBGA, and CBCA. These compounds are the biosynthetic precursors to THC, CBD, CBG, and CBC. But […]
The Latest CBD Scientific Research From Western Washington University
Josh Kaplan, PhD, is a neuroscientist and associate professor in the Behavioral Neuroscience program at Western Washington University, where his lab focuses on optimizing cannabidiol (CBD) based medicines for pediatric conditions. His work examines not only CBD’s therapeutic potential, but also its long-term developmental effects on the brain, an area of growing importance as cannabinoid […]
Preservation is the Buzzword for 2026
As the cannabis industry readies for the growth surge rescheduling could trigger, it’s getting dangerously close to losing its grip on the craft sector. We are entering the era of the connoisseur, where consumer palates are becoming increasingly sophisticated and demand products that provide a full-spectrum craft experience. They understand the nuances of cannabis and […]