The cannabis industry is at a critical moment. Recreational legalization is more widespread, but our industry now faces the challenge of operating with the high degree of integrity and trust that consumers expect.
For too long, we have read news report after news report of industry bad actors misrepresenting products and defrauding customers who rightfully expect their cannabis labels to be accurate. We’ve seen allegations of THC inflation against testing labs across the country and watched endless health advisories publish about contaminated product recalls.
This fraud not only puts consumers at risk, it also erodes trust in the cannabis industry that our community has cultivated over years.
Something has to change.
As the largest labs in the country, ACT Labs and SC Labs have a responsibility to lead and show consumers through transparency and accountability that the cannabis they’re buying is from a brand they can trust. That’s why we are banding together to raise the bar and, today, we are proud to introduce the Trust In Testing Certification.
The Trust in Testing Certification is a set of national standards for cannabis testing laboratories constructed by veterans of the cannabis industry with the shared goal of seeing the industry continue to thrive. To achieve this, we established compliance requirements that are higher than what most states that have regulated legal cannabis require. Here are a few of the criteria:
- Rigorous testing guidelines to have uniform methods of analysis
- More frequent and regular proficiency testing to ensure accurate results
- Use of state-of-the-art quality management systems to maintain efficiency
- Internal employee ethics and training programs to promote best practices and emphasize regulatory compliance
We believe the Trust In Testing Initiative will bring benefits to the entire cannabis community, from manufacturers to consumers. Cannabis brands that use Trust in Testing Certified Labs will be able to lower their risk of recalls, fines, or lawsuits for using a low-quality testing partner that inaccurately tests their cannabis. Testing labs that receive certification will be able to prove to their brand partners and investors that they provide accurate and reliable testing data. But most importantly, the consumer can trust that they are purchasing and consuming safe cannabis.
This is an important step forward for the cannabis industry, as testing fraud allegations continue popping up across the country. If we want to build back the trust we’ve lost and continue growing this market, we all must hold ourselves to a higher standard. We hope that by leading this initiative, other cannabis labs around the country will join us in the mission to create a safer and more reliable cannabis industry. Through this Certification, ACT Laboratories and SC Labs are maintaining our commitment to integrity and hope you’ll join us.