California’s legal cannabis industry has long been regarded as a model for safe, regulated marijuana production. However, the state is now facing a serious challenge related to pesticides in cannabis products.
In recent months, there’s been a big push to put cannabis testing labs that fail to meet safety standards out of business – permanently. The root of the effort is a growing concern that some labs are either deliberately or incompetently allowing contaminated products into the market.
The fourth testing lab goes down
One of the most significant developments in this effort has been the revocation of several testing lab licenses, including that of Verity Analytics, a San Diego-based lab that recently lost its permit due to inflating THC potency and conducting inadequate pesticide testing. Verity is the fourth lab to lose its license since December 2023, joining others like ProForma Labs, which was found to have approved products containing chlorfenapyr, a banned pesticide, for sale.
The California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) has made it clear that these permit revocations are part of a larger strategy to protect consumer safety and maintain the integrity of the legal cannabis market.
Verity Analytics, for example, was cited for multiple violations, including inflating THC quantity in products by as much as 32% — a practice that’s been widespread in the industry due to pressure from producers eager to drive up their prices. In addition, the lab director would sometimes clear samples for pesticide contamination based on visual examination alone and employed at least one analyst who didn’t have the requisite training or degree.
Cannabis labs can generally expect the increased scrutiny to continue. For now, stricter oversight may be necessary to prevent unscrupulous practices from undermining the entire industry. However, it would be wise for even those labs that strictly adhere to the rules to seek legal guidance so that they can protect their business.