As with any industry, the cannabis industry requires a set of standards that can form a common basis for measurement of various aspects such as dosage, composition, levels of various cannabis compounds for various uses, etc. A number of standards organizations have started putting in place the necessary standards for the cannabis industry. As the industry is in a fledgling state, the standards related to it are understandably in a state of flux as well, though it is inevitable that as the industry stabilizes, common standards that are used globally by all entities to ensure consistency, reliability and quality will fall in place. There is a specific need for common standards across testing labs for consistency and reliability of products. Also internationally standards are essential as the plant is in the controlled substances list of the UN. Some plant compounds are specifically tightly monitored such as delta-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC) and cannabidiol(CBD) levels. Standards are essential across the board of the cannabis life cycle from growing to processing to packaging to distribution and sales. It is probably necessary for the food, beverages and wellness industries. It is also probably necessary for research and sharing of scientific findings as the world tries to re-understand cannabis.
While work on establishing uniform standards to measure the various compounds in a cannabis product is essential, there is a vital need to do away with the 0.3% THC limit that decides whether a cannabis plant is a narcotic or not. This 0.3%THC limit is a completely arbitrary, unscientific limit that has been imposed on the plant. This determines whether a plant will live or die. In most places, cannabis plants with THC above the 0.3% limit are destroyed as illegal. In a lot of cases, even plants with THC less than 0.3% are destroyed because the authorities do not have the wherewithal to test a plant for its THC levels, or because the authorities are just ignorant or do not care either way. This is the root of discrimination against the plant world wide, akin to the segregation of a human because of the amount of melanin in his or her skin. Doing away with this discriminatory limit will not only ease the working of numerous standards organizations, law enforcement and cultivators, it will go a long way in saving the millions of cannabis plants that are killed each year as a result of this, besides the hundreds of thousands of humans who are imprisoned or killed because of it.
Related articles
The following set of articles related to the subject are taken from various media. Words in italics are the thoughts of yours truly at the time of reading the article.One adopted measure would establish a definition for cannabis that reads:
“Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae, of which Cannabis sativa, indica, ruderalis are species., and any hybridization thereof. This definition includes products that contain 0.3 percent or less of Total Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (also known as Hemp) and products that contain more than 0.3 percent of Total Delta-9 THC (also known as cannabis, marijuana or marihuana).”
It further proposes basic labeling requirements for cannabis products. Such items must capitalize and italicize the word “Cannabis” under the guideline, as well as denote that the product either “Contains 0.3% or less Total Delta-9 THC” or “Contains more than 0.3% Total Delta- 9 THC.”
Additionally, it says that the back or side panel on cannabis packaging must include “a declaration of the labeled cannabinoid per serving or application,” with a specification that “the cannabinoid quantity declaration shall be in milligrams.” The policy would go into effect starting January 1, 2025.
“The reason behind all of it is just to allow consumers and patients to understand what it is that they’re buying—clearly stated, what’s in it and how much,” Charlie Rutherford, co-chair of the NCWM Cannabis Task Group, told Marijuana Moment. “That’s obviously fairness.”
The other adopted change to the NIST handbook would create water activity rules for the sale of bulk cannabis.
“When unprocessed Cannabis, is kept, offered, or exposed for sale, sold, bartered, or exchanged, or ownership transfers, the water activity shall be 0.60 (± 0.05),” it says.
For bulk sales of cannabis in liquid form, “the reference temperature for measurement shall be 20 °C (68 °F).” it says. “Products shall be delivered at a temperature within ± 2 °C (5 °F). Artificially heating liquids to temperatures higher than the specified limits is prohibited.” The same 0.60 (± 0.05) water activity standard would apply for liquid cannabis, too.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/federal-standards-handbook-is-getting-new-sections-on-cannabis-packaging-labeling-and-storage/
“Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae, of which Cannabis sativa, indica, ruderalis are species., and any hybridization thereof. This definition includes products that contain 0.3 percent or less of Total Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (also known as Hemp) and products that contain more than 0.3 percent of Total Delta-9 THC (also known as cannabis, marijuana or marihuana).”
It further proposes basic labeling requirements for cannabis products. Such items must capitalize and italicize the word “Cannabis” under the guideline, as well as denote that the product either “Contains 0.3% or less Total Delta-9 THC” or “Contains more than 0.3% Total Delta- 9 THC.”
Additionally, it says that the back or side panel on cannabis packaging must include “a declaration of the labeled cannabinoid per serving or application,” with a specification that “the cannabinoid quantity declaration shall be in milligrams.” The policy would go into effect starting January 1, 2025.
“The reason behind all of it is just to allow consumers and patients to understand what it is that they’re buying—clearly stated, what’s in it and how much,” Charlie Rutherford, co-chair of the NCWM Cannabis Task Group, told Marijuana Moment. “That’s obviously fairness.”
The other adopted change to the NIST handbook would create water activity rules for the sale of bulk cannabis.
“When unprocessed Cannabis, is kept, offered, or exposed for sale, sold, bartered, or exchanged, or ownership transfers, the water activity shall be 0.60 (± 0.05),” it says.
For bulk sales of cannabis in liquid form, “the reference temperature for measurement shall be 20 °C (68 °F).” it says. “Products shall be delivered at a temperature within ± 2 °C (5 °F). Artificially heating liquids to temperatures higher than the specified limits is prohibited.” The same 0.60 (± 0.05) water activity standard would apply for liquid cannabis, too.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/federal-standards-handbook-is-getting-new-sections-on-cannabis-packaging-labeling-and-storage/
'According to Grajczyk, the new standard outlines procedures for companies to:
- Prepare hempseed for visual color comparison to a color chart.
- Adapt their quality-management practices for stored hempseed.
- Determine alternative uses for hempseed if it is close to spoiling.
“The establishment of clear standards creates common terms of trade in domestic and international markets,” she said.
According to the ASTM, the effort correlates with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for responsible consumption and production, among others.
ASTM Committee D37 on Cannabis was formed in 2017 to develop standards for cannabis, its products and processes.'
https://hempindustrydaily.com/new-quality-standard-for-hempseed-set-by-astm-international/
- Prepare hempseed for visual color comparison to a color chart.
- Adapt their quality-management practices for stored hempseed.
- Determine alternative uses for hempseed if it is close to spoiling.
“The establishment of clear standards creates common terms of trade in domestic and international markets,” she said.
According to the ASTM, the effort correlates with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for responsible consumption and production, among others.
ASTM Committee D37 on Cannabis was formed in 2017 to develop standards for cannabis, its products and processes.'
https://hempindustrydaily.com/new-quality-standard-for-hempseed-set-by-astm-international/
'Our results demonstrate that the Sativa–Indica scale currently used to label Cannabis poorly captures overall genomic and metabolomic variation. Cannabis labelling is instead probably driven primarily by a small number of key terpenes whose concentrations contribute to the characteristic aromas commonly associated with Sativa and Indica and whose variation we genetically mapped to tandem arrays of terpene synthase genes on chromosomes 5 and 6. While the vernacular labels ‘Sativa’ and ‘Indica’ are derived from taxonomic names that were originally used to categorize plants according to ancestry, these terms have been co-opted by contemporary Cannabis culture and now probably reflect locus-specific genetic variation affecting terpene synthesis. Our results suggest that a practical and reliable classification system for Cannabis that is consistent with contemporary understanding of the terms ‘Sativa’ and ‘Indica’ may be achievable by quantifying a small number of terpenes and/or genotyping genetic markers associated with key Cannabis aromas.'
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-021-01003-y
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-021-01003-y
'The Policy Center for Public Health and Safety is leading the discussion with law enforcement as this historic industry certification pilot program works to address the concerns of state attorneys general by assessing marketplace issues, filling in regulatory gaps, and taking into account consumer protection in this emerging market,“ said Fred Niehaus, Chair, Policy Center for Public Health & Safety.
“ASTM international is the world leader in developing cannabis standards and we are proud to administer this pilot to fill a marketplace need,” says Kathie Morgan, ASTM International president. “This effort coincides with the work of ASTM International’s cannabis committee (D37) which includes over 900 members and governments from 28 different countries. We believe delivering the first certification program for cannabis and hemp by an accredited body is a critical step.”
“State attorneys general are interested in innovative and credible programs, such as this pilot, which provide support to law-enforcement and assist in assessing issues related to public health and safety, consumer protection and the rule of law,” said Karen White, Executive Director of The Conference of Western Attorneys General (“CWAG”) and The Attorney General Alliance (“AGA”).'
https://atach.org/phs-atach-astm-international-launch-certification-pilot-program/
“ASTM international is the world leader in developing cannabis standards and we are proud to administer this pilot to fill a marketplace need,” says Kathie Morgan, ASTM International president. “This effort coincides with the work of ASTM International’s cannabis committee (D37) which includes over 900 members and governments from 28 different countries. We believe delivering the first certification program for cannabis and hemp by an accredited body is a critical step.”
“State attorneys general are interested in innovative and credible programs, such as this pilot, which provide support to law-enforcement and assist in assessing issues related to public health and safety, consumer protection and the rule of law,” said Karen White, Executive Director of The Conference of Western Attorneys General (“CWAG”) and The Attorney General Alliance (“AGA”).'
https://atach.org/phs-atach-astm-international-launch-certification-pilot-program/
'Stakeholders involved with the two organizations say they are prioritizing a cannabis cultivation standard followed by standards related to cannabis cosmetics as well as food supplements and extracts. ICCI’s involvement will also strengthen the committee’s collaborative efforts in medicinal and laboratory-related standards too.'
https://www.astm.org/standardization-news/?q=update%2Finternational-cannabis-and-cannabinoids-institute-icci-and-astm-international-sign-mou
'To reach this determination, researchers with the agency reviewed quality-control standards in four states. They found that “[w]idely accepted quality standards for testing cannabis and cannabis products do not yet exist.”
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/washington-still-doesnt-know-what-good-marijuana-is-or-how-to-test-for-it/
'Boulder-based RE Botanicals®, the pure organic apothecary brand, proudly announces they have received their organic certification by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) National Organic Program for US grown hemp. The USDA protects consumer options by allowing brands to obtain the USDA organic logo which ensures their products are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides which contaminate our waterways and accelerate climate change.'
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/re-botanicals-achieves-usda-organic-hemp-cbd-milestone-300778671.html
'“This standard creates clear distinctions between those parts of the cannabis plant that are controlled and those that are not and provides guidelines on how to dispose of the controlled parts of the plant in compliance with international law,” said Darwin Millard, a member of ASTM and a partner and co-founder at Oregon-based marijuana firm PhytoLogix.
Millard noted that the rules could support global standardization of guidelines in this area as well as harmonization with the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/global-standards-group-adds-two-new-categories-for-cannabis/
'“Consumers need to be able to tell who the good guys are — who’s doing their best to make sure the product is safe,” Marielle Weintraub, PhD, president of the U.S. Hemp Authority, said.
The U.S. Hemp Authority awarded 13 companies with a high-quality seal and will advise them on how to use it.
The U.S. Hemp Authority will further advise brands on using the seal on product packaging and marketing materials.'
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bethkaiserman/2019/03/24/hemp-authority-seal-cbd-products/
'Members of the ASTM International cannabis committee (D37) are proposing a standard for managing and implementing what are called “hazard analysis critical control points”(HACCP) systems for cannabis processing.
HACCP systems are already used in the food industry to prevent, control, or reduce to an acceptable level potential hazards to consumers.'
https://www.astm.org/standardization-news/?q=update/astm-international-standard-underway-help-reduce-hazards-cannabis-processing
'Validated sensory lexicons are available in product categories such as wine, coffee, and beer. These lexicons, often presented visually in the form of “flavor wheels,” provide standardized sets of terms that enable concise, reliable and easily understood descriptions of a product’s chief sensory attributes.'
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0192247
'“If this bill moves forward, I hope NIDA, DEA and FDA will seek significant input from experienced cannabis growers as they develop standards for good manufacturing practices,” Natalie Lyla Ginsberg, policy and advocacy director for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, told Marijuana Moment.'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/feds-would-compile-tips-for-growing-marijuana-under-proposal-advancing-in-congress/
https://www.astm.org/standardization-news/?q=update%2Finternational-cannabis-and-cannabinoids-institute-icci-and-astm-international-sign-mou
'To reach this determination, researchers with the agency reviewed quality-control standards in four states. They found that “[w]idely accepted quality standards for testing cannabis and cannabis products do not yet exist.”
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/washington-still-doesnt-know-what-good-marijuana-is-or-how-to-test-for-it/
'Boulder-based RE Botanicals®, the pure organic apothecary brand, proudly announces they have received their organic certification by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) National Organic Program for US grown hemp. The USDA protects consumer options by allowing brands to obtain the USDA organic logo which ensures their products are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides which contaminate our waterways and accelerate climate change.'
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/re-botanicals-achieves-usda-organic-hemp-cbd-milestone-300778671.html
'“This standard creates clear distinctions between those parts of the cannabis plant that are controlled and those that are not and provides guidelines on how to dispose of the controlled parts of the plant in compliance with international law,” said Darwin Millard, a member of ASTM and a partner and co-founder at Oregon-based marijuana firm PhytoLogix.
Millard noted that the rules could support global standardization of guidelines in this area as well as harmonization with the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/global-standards-group-adds-two-new-categories-for-cannabis/
'“Consumers need to be able to tell who the good guys are — who’s doing their best to make sure the product is safe,” Marielle Weintraub, PhD, president of the U.S. Hemp Authority, said.
The U.S. Hemp Authority awarded 13 companies with a high-quality seal and will advise them on how to use it.
The U.S. Hemp Authority will further advise brands on using the seal on product packaging and marketing materials.'
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bethkaiserman/2019/03/24/hemp-authority-seal-cbd-products/
'Members of the ASTM International cannabis committee (D37) are proposing a standard for managing and implementing what are called “hazard analysis critical control points”(HACCP) systems for cannabis processing.
HACCP systems are already used in the food industry to prevent, control, or reduce to an acceptable level potential hazards to consumers.'
https://www.astm.org/standardization-news/?q=update/astm-international-standard-underway-help-reduce-hazards-cannabis-processing
'Validated sensory lexicons are available in product categories such as wine, coffee, and beer. These lexicons, often presented visually in the form of “flavor wheels,” provide standardized sets of terms that enable concise, reliable and easily understood descriptions of a product’s chief sensory attributes.'
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0192247
'“If this bill moves forward, I hope NIDA, DEA and FDA will seek significant input from experienced cannabis growers as they develop standards for good manufacturing practices,” Natalie Lyla Ginsberg, policy and advocacy director for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, told Marijuana Moment.'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/feds-would-compile-tips-for-growing-marijuana-under-proposal-advancing-in-congress/
No comments:
Post a Comment