Being a cannabis consumer in today’s world seems relatively straightforward at first glance.
You might be under the impression that walking into a dispensary means you are going to get served a safe, clean, and effective product that has been lab-tested and checked for pesticides, and you trust that it upholds the highest quality.
Unfortunately, that isn’t the case… for now at least.
Dispensary Cannabis Flower can still be Risky
At the end of the day, someone, somewhere, is being trusted to grow your cannabis safely. But, thanks to exposures done on Reddit and X, we know the unfortunate truth. This example is from back in 2021, but it’s not the only time it’s happened.
In the UK, just 3 Days ago (October 28th, 2024) this happened…
https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/10/41573828/mold-lead-e-coli-and-other-deadly-contaminants-found-in-90-of-illegal-cannabis-samples-in-uk
And the list goes on.
Cannabis product recalled in Arizona due to possible fungi contamination | Phoenix New Times
It’s an issue that has long since been present, and people are still coming around to learning how to stay safe.
Think About The Testing and the Standards
You probably have never walked into a grocery store and wondered if that meat on the shelf is tested.
You probably don’t think twice about the cans of soup, or the tons of boxes of frozen foods.
It’s a bit of a built-in sense of safety that came from decades of instilled standards and practices coming into place that create the expected safety in our manufacturers, plants, food markets, restaurants, and pretty much anywhere that sells anything.
Cannabis Needs to be treated like Food
In the purest and most simple terms, we consume it, we cook with it, eat it, smoke it, drink it, make it into powders, and do everything including growing it under the sun.
We put cannabis into our bodies, and we process it orally, inhale vapors/smoke, and we make so many different products from it, it’s insane how versatile it is.
It is important that we make sure everything we have is safe, and we need to make sure we adopt a template that works and is replicable across all states for perfect harmony.
It starts with lab testing, and demanding full panel testing from all dispensaries, recreational or otherwise.
The best growers full-panel test their flowers to ensure that what they are growing is safe to consume and sell on the market.
The best dispensaries are full-panel testing before they list the products for sale upon receiving the product.
However, the truth is that this level of compliance and safety standards is not widespread.
As customers, let’s change how that works, together.
Start Asking for COAs & Get a Loupe
- Ask for Full Panel Lab Tests
- Inspect your cannabis flower, personally!
If you are a cannabis consumer, and you purchase cannabis flower from a dispensary, recreational or medical, look for the certificate of analysis. Make sure it is a full-panel. We will go into depth on what full panel testing is all about below.
What is a Loupe?
A Loupe is short for Jewlers Loupe, which is essentially a magnifying glass, that will help you inspect your flower more closely. There is a very cost effective Loupe you can buy on Amazon.
Digital Microscopes to Try on your Cannabis Flower
Want more power, or an easier way to share images of your microscopic analysis?
Digital microscopes are the next way to go! Some are inexpensive, and others are quite a bit more! You will be happy and quite effective with a loupe, but if you just can’t help yourself, check these options out.
Identifying: Bud Rot
- Buds are turning brownish-orange, brown, black or grey from the inside out; not just the hairs, but the buds themselves.
- Bud rot targets buds specifically (it is not seen on leaves)
- Starts in small spots and spreads fast
- Difficult to spot in early stages; there may be a few leaf tips dying on an otherwise healthy plant near to the ‘ground zero’ point. Check insides of all buds in the vicinity – Below is an image of full Bud Rot
Powdery Mildew (PM):
- Can start anywhere, even the stems
- Spreads rapidly, killing the plant as it goes. However, this does make it easy to spot
- Looks white and powdery, as though talcum powder has fallen onto the plant
- Forms into blobs as it gets worse, which look almost like white foam
- Has the distinctive, classic mildew smell
- Doesn’t rub off (unlike dust or some kind of powder that might have fallen on it)
Mold – General/Common Mold
- Looks white and fluffy, like regular mold (on food etc)
- Appears in patches all over the plant (buds, leaves, stems) simultaneously, so can be hard to detect in the beginning stages
- Mold rarely strikes young cannabis plants (but if it does, that plant is probably done for)
What is Full Panel Lab Testing for Cannabis?
Full panel lab testing for cannabis how labs test quality, and legality of cannabis products before they reach the consumer.
That includes:
- Potency Testing:
Cannabinoids: This tells you how much THC, CBD, CBG, and other cannabinoids there are.
Terpenes: These compounds contribute to the flavor, aroma, and the overall effects due to the entourage effect with cannabinoids. (Think of cannabinoids as an engine, and terpenes as a steering wheel with a GPS built in, and when you put them in your body, they take you on a specific journey.) - Contaminant Testing:
Pesticides: Cannabis plants can be treated with pesticides and we don’t want any of that in our lungs or body. This testing ensures these chemicals are below harmful levels or non-existent.
Heavy Metals: This covers things like lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, which can come from the soil conditions.
Microbial Contaminants: This is what lets us know if there are any molds, yeasts, or bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, and Aspergillus, which are harmful if inhaled or ingested.
Mycotoxins: These are toxins produced by molds that can be particularly dangerous.
Residual Solvents: This is primarily for extracts, where testing for residuals from things like ethanol or butane is key to ensure that there is none of that left. - Safety and Quality Assurance:
Foreign Matter and Physical Contaminants: You don’t want to smoke on something unclean and dirty. This testing will let us know if there are any non-plant material or physical contaminants.
Moisture Content: Too much moisture can lead to mold growth, while too little might affect the product’s quality.
Water Activity: This measures the free water available for microbial growth, which is different from moisture content.
Why Full Panel Testing is Important:
Consumer Safety: Ensures that cannabis products are free from harmful contaminants that could lead to health issues. People need to be able to trust that the cannabis products they consume are not going to hurt them.
Product Reliability: Guarantees that the product’s potency matches what’s advertised, providing transparency and trust.
Legal Compliance: Many regions require certain tests for legal sale, ensuring products meet regulatory standards.
Market Integrity: Helps maintain healthy competition by ensuring all products meet a minimum quality standard.
Testing Methods:
Instrumental Analysis: Techniques like High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for potency, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for pesticides and solvents, and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for heavy metals.
Microbiological Tests:
Involves culturing samples to check for microbial growth or using PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) to detect specific pathogens.
Physical Tests: For moisture content, water activity might use hygrometers or water activity meters.
Industry Standards and Regulations:
Different states or countries might have varying requirements, but the goal is to establish a replicable and rigorous testing standards in the cannabis industry.
Labs are not created equal. Be sure to only accept tests that are from an accredited third-party lab.
