Testing labs are one of the most critical componen

Testing labs are one of the most critical components in the seed-to-sale cycle of the cannabis plant. They offer the producer (or processor or edibles maker and so on) valuable information about their products, help states regulate contaminants, and allow consumers to feel both safe and informed about what they purchase.

As with most sectors of the cannabis industry, testing labs have gone through a great deal of change in a very short time. And, as more states come online with legalization, the demand for expansion of the testing sector increases.

EXPANSION OF THE TESTING LAB SECTOR
According to a recent report from Research and Markets, the global cannabis testing market is expected to reach $1.4 billion by 2021, up from $822 million in 2016. However, with each state mandating different regulations, a lot of variability remains in both requirements and methods. Until there is federal legalization, and thus standardization in the sector, state-to-state variability between labs likely will continue, as will a great deal of variability between how testing labs in cannabis and testing labs in other industries operate.

Normally, for food commodities such as apples, strawberries, grapes, and other types of produce, the Environmental Protection Agency sets tolerance levels and the Food and Drug Administration, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, enforce those levels. However, since cannabis is a Schedule I drug, testing labs are deprived of federal standardization and regulatory support.

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