A Comprehensive Guide to Consumer Safety in Cannabis and Hemp Products

Section 1.3: Identifying a Falsified or Altered CoA: Red Flags and Verification Steps

Despite the importance of CoAs, the cannabis industry, particularly in less regulated segments, faces challenges with fraudulent or altered documents. Consumers must be vigilant and equipped to identify potential red flags. Common methods of falsification include changing the client name on a legitimate CoA to misappropriate results for an untested product, or directly altering the reported numerical values for potency or contaminant levels to make a substandard product appear compliant or more desirable.

Red Flags Indicating a Potentially Falsified or Unreliable CoA:

Missing or Inconsistent Information:

• The batch or lot number on the CoA does not match the number on the product packaging.
• Missing laboratory details (name, address, contact information, accreditation number).
• An outdated report date, especially for products with a limited shelf life.
• Vague product descriptions that don't clearly match the product in hand.

Unprofessional Appearance:

• Poor quality scans, blurry text, misaligned formatting, or obvious signs of digital manipulation.
• Typos, grammatical errors, or inconsistent font usage throughout the document.

Results "Too Good to Be True":

• Zero detectable levels (ND) for all pesticides, heavy metals, and microbial contaminants, especially for products like outdoor-grown flower.
• Unusually high potency figures for minor cannabinoids that are typically present in trace amounts.

Lack of Full Panel Testing:

• The CoA only reports cannabinoid potency but lacks results for the full spectrum of safety tests.
• Missing Limits of Detection (LOD) / Limits of Quantitation (LOQ).

Verification Steps for Consumers:

1. Examine the CoA Thoroughly:
   • Check for all red flags listed above
   • Ensure all identifying information matches the product packaging
   • Verify company names and connections
2. Utilize QR Codes (with caution):
   • Scan QR codes to access original test results
   • Verify the URL belongs to the actual testing lab
   • Be aware that QR codes can be faked
3. Contact the Laboratory Directly:
   • Use the lab's contact information to verify results
   • Provide the sample ID or batch number
   • Ask for result confirmation
4. Verify Laboratory Accreditation:
   • Check for ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation
   • Look up the lab in accreditation databases
   • Confirm the lab's testing methods are validated

Remember that even a legitimate-looking CoA from a disreputable laboratory might not be trustworthy. The cost of running comprehensive tests is significant, and suspiciously low prices for testing services can be an indicator of incomplete or falsified analyses.

Table: Comprehensive CoA Checklist for Consumers