In this first rendition of Cannabis Education by APRC we talk about why Cannabis testing is important.
Cannabis testing has become an important part of a new industry. This is the first pharmaceutical to be popularly voted into legality. Since we are coming from an unregulated, criminal industry into a legitimate, highly regulated industry, there is a potential for foul play and criminal practices. Before legalization, Cannabis and marijuana were sold without testing of any kind. Consumers were unaware of the potential for adulteration and contamination of the product. No one would suspect their purchase might contain microbes, solvents, pesticides, or mycotoxins, yet these are common problems with Cannabis. Since Cannabis is commonly used as an inhalant, these problems pose significant threats to health. Mycotoxins, for example, are produced by certain fungi that can grow on the plants. While the fungi, Aspergillus, can be dangerous on its own, the mycotoxins it produces are even more potent and dangerous, especially when inhaled. Testing is necessary due to the safety concerns of Cannabis, however consumer advocacy also plays a major part. Like essential oils, Cannabis products can also be adulterated with synthetics. Labeling issues also occur in Cannabis products. If a product claims THC free, consumers need testing to ensure these claims. Proper testing is essential to the Cannabis industry. Without testing, Cannabis products pose several issues that the consumer should be aware of.
