{"id":991,"date":"2017-12-28T18:45:58","date_gmt":"2017-12-28T18:45:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/cbd\/why-does-cannabis-need-to-be-lab-tested"},"modified":"2026-02-22T15:16:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T15:16:22","slug":"does-cannabis-need-to-be-tested","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/the-plant\/does-cannabis-need-to-be-tested","title":{"rendered":"Why does cannabis need to be lab tested?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cannabis has many medicinal benefits, and as all medicinal products have information regarding their strength and dosage information, cannabis products are starting to be held to the same standards. Regulations and standards for acceptable limits of specific compounds are currently being developed by international organizations to ensure cannabis products do not compromise a person's immune system. The two major reasons cannabis products are tested in <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cannabis testing labs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> are: to verify the products are safe for human consumption, and to give consumers an idea of the potency of the product they are using.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CRTV-2216_News-Science-Research_144.jpg\" data-modal-open=\"lightbox_566\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CRTV-2216_News-Science-Research_144-768x432.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CRTV-2216_News-Science-Research_144.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CRTV-2216_News-Science-Research_144-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CRTV-2216_News-Science-Research_144-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CRTV-2216_News-Science-Research_144-1024x576.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 768px) 476px, (min-width: 1218px) 772px, 100vw\" alt=\"marijuana research\" title=\"Click to see a larger version of the image\">\n\t\t\t<\/a><cite>Photo by: Gina Coleman\/Weedmaps<\/cite><figcaption>The two major reasons cannabis products are tested are: to verify the products are safe for human consumption, and to give consumers an idea of the potency of the product they are using. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\t\t\t<div id=\"lightbox_566\" data-modal data-modal-hide-heading data-modal-manual-close hidden>\n\t\t\t\t<h2>Image lightbox<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CRTV-2216_News-Science-Research_144-768x432.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CRTV-2216_News-Science-Research_144.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CRTV-2216_News-Science-Research_144-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CRTV-2216_News-Science-Research_144-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CRTV-2216_News-Science-Research_144-1024x576.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"marijuana research\">\n\t\t\t\t<button role=\"button\" class=\"a11y-modal__close-btn\" data-modal-close-btn>\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M13.414 12l4.293 4.293a1 1 0 01-1.414 1.414L12 13.414l-4.293 4.293a1 1 0 11-1.414-1.414L10.586 12 6.293 7.707a1 1 0 011.414-1.414L12 10.586l4.293-4.293a1 1 0 011.414 1.414L13.414 12z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wm-article-table-of-contents-header\" id=\"what-do-cannabis-labs-test-for\">\n\tWhat do cannabis labs test for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-human-safety\"><strong>Human safety<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cannabis plants act as a sponge during cultivation and absorb everything to which they're exposed, from the nutrients and heavy metals in the soil to the pesticides that may have found their way into a greenhouse from a neighboring farm. For this reason, cannabis products are now tested for any materials that can remain present in the final flower. Regulatory agencies have started establishing maximum quantity limits for residual solvents, pesticides, heavy metals, microbes, and mycotoxins in <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cannabis test results<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The use of pesticides, fungicides, and plant growth regulators on cannabis has been documented. These residual chemicals create potentially dangerous safety issues for patients when consumed. Mold and fungal contaminants can harm anyone who consumes medical cannabis, especially patients prone to asthma, allergies, or immune-system-compromised.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/180413_MJDC_Stock-21.jpg\" data-modal-open=\"lightbox_86\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/180413_MJDC_Stock-21-768x432.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/180413_MJDC_Stock-21.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/180413_MJDC_Stock-21-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/180413_MJDC_Stock-21-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/180413_MJDC_Stock-21-1024x576.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 768px) 476px, (min-width: 1218px) 772px, 100vw\" alt=\"cannabis research\" title=\"Click to see a larger version of the image\">\n\t\t\t<\/a><cite>Photo by: Gina Coleman\/Weedmaps<\/cite><figcaption>There are acceptable limits that agencies have set for each compound and they are all listed in a cannabis product's certificate of analysis.&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\t\t\t<div id=\"lightbox_86\" data-modal data-modal-hide-heading data-modal-manual-close hidden>\n\t\t\t\t<h2>Image lightbox<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/180413_MJDC_Stock-21-768x432.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/180413_MJDC_Stock-21.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/180413_MJDC_Stock-21-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/180413_MJDC_Stock-21-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/180413_MJDC_Stock-21-1024x576.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"cannabis research\">\n\t\t\t\t<button role=\"button\" class=\"a11y-modal__close-btn\" data-modal-close-btn>\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M13.414 12l4.293 4.293a1 1 0 01-1.414 1.414L12 13.414l-4.293 4.293a1 1 0 11-1.414-1.414L10.586 12 6.293 7.707a1 1 0 011.414-1.414L12 10.586l4.293-4.293a1 1 0 011.414 1.414L13.414 12z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Similar to the tomatoes at the grocery store or a shirt you buy online, there are acceptable limits that agencies have set for each compound and they are all listed in a cannabis product's certificate of analysis, which shows the lab testing results and allows consumers to ensure the products they consume are free of unwanted residual solvents, microbiological contaminants, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and pesticides that can compromise a person's immune system.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cannabis-potency\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 24px\">Cannabis potency<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Testing marijuana<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is the only way to know the cannabinoid makeup and terpene profile of the cannabis product. These two variables are the most important to consider when selecting your cannabis for effect, as they will directly influence the experience you will have.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Because cannabis is influenced so much by the environment in which it grows, a cultivar grown in one part of the world might look the same as an identical cultivar grown elsewhere, but it could contain different amounts of cannabinoids and terpenes, which can change your experience. In simple terms, one cultivator's Blue Dream may have different potency and chemical makeup than another's. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Medical marijuana testing labs use cannabis testing equipment to determine this chemical makeup. For example, a cannabis lab technician may use a THC testing machine to measure the presence of this psychoactive compound. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is important to pay attention to the amounts of cannabinoids and terpenes present in cannabis prior to consumption to best anticipate the effects you may experience.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wm-article-table-of-contents-header\" id=\"how-to-open-a-testing-lab\">\n\tHow to open a testing lab<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To open a cannabis testing lab, you should first determine the laws in your state regarding product testing and marijuana. Formal accreditation within your state may be necessary to open a lab. Next, decide whether your lab will test recreational marijuana, medical marijuana, or both.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wm-article-table-of-contents-header\" id=\"recreational-vs-medical-marijuana-testing-labs\">\n\tRecreational vs. medical marijuana testing labs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Recreational and medical marijuana medical testing labs are not necessarily housed in separate locations. The medical marijuana that doctors prescribe and the recreational weed that you enjoy at home may be tested in the same lab. However, the procedures used to test the cannabis may be different. For example, testing of medical marijuana may place greater emphasis on the potential healing properties of <\/span><a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/dictionary\/terpenes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">terpenes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> which include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial, to name a few. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Major contributions from <a href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/subject-matter-expert\/apoe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Adie Rae<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cannabis has many medicinal benefits, and as all medicinal products have information regarding their strength and dosage information, cannabis products are starting to be held to the same standards. Regulations and standards for acceptable limits of specific compounds are currently being developed by international organizations...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":994,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[110],"tags":[1333,1441,1442,1443,1444,1445],"class_list":["post-991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-plant","tag-cannabis-quality-control","tag-cannabis-lab-testing","tag-cannabinoid-potency-testing","tag-terpene-analysis","tag-pesticide-screening-cannabis","tag-regulated-cannabis-market"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v18.9 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why Does Cannabis Need To Be Lab 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