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Lab Testing & Analytics

Licensed testing laboratories and lab software. State-mandated potency and contaminant testing stands between every batch and the shelf, making lab capacity, turnaround time, and data integrity core supply-chain concerns.

23 listedOperations & Supply Chain

Every U.S. state with a licensed cannabis program requires cultivators, processors and retailers to submit product batches to an independent, state-approved laboratory before sale. Testing panels typically cover potency (THC, CBD and other cannabinoids), microbial contaminants such as mold, yeast, E. coli and Salmonella, pesticide residues, heavy metals including lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, residual solvents left over from extraction, and mycotoxins. Results are issued as a Certificate of Analysis, or COA — a batch-specific document that travels with the product through the supply chain and is often published for consumer access. Labs performing this work generally hold ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, an international standard for testing-laboratory competence, in addition to a state-issued cannabis or hemp testing license, since accreditation and licensure requirements are set independently in each market.

Choosing a lab starts with confirming current accreditation and licensure in the state where the product will be sold, since accreditation bodies and required scopes vary and can lapse or change. Turnaround time, commonly one to three days for standard compliance panels, affects production scheduling, and panel scope should match the specific rules of that jurisdiction rather than a generic package. Hemp and CBD testing follows separate federal and state thresholds from marijuana testing and can require DEA registration for labs handling samples above legal THC limits. Operators working across multiple states often use multi-state lab networks for consistent methodology and one point of contact, while others prefer a single-state specialist. Integration with a lab's LIMS or client portal for electronic COA delivery and state reporting can also simplify recordkeeping.

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Questions about lab testing & analytics

What testing is required before cannabis can be sold?
Requirements are set state by state, and by Health Canada in Canada, but most licensed markets require potency testing plus screening for microbial contaminants, pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents and mycotoxins before a batch can be released for sale. Some states also require moisture content, water activity, foreign matter or plant pathogen testing. Testing must be performed by an independent, state-licensed laboratory.
What is a COA (Certificate of Analysis)?
A Certificate of Analysis is the document a testing lab issues for a specific product batch, listing cannabinoid potency and the results of required contaminant screens. Regulators, retailers and often consumers rely on the COA to confirm a batch passed testing before it can legally be sold, and many states require it to accompany the product or be accessible via QR code at retail.
What does ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation mean for a testing lab?
ISO/IEC 17025 is an international standard for the general competence of testing and calibration laboratories, covering method validation, equipment calibration, staff competency and quality management systems. Most state cannabis programs require or strongly prefer ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, typically granted by a recognized body such as A2LA, PJLA or ANAB, in addition to the lab's state cannabis testing license.
Can one testing lab operate across multiple states?
Yes. A number of labs operate as multi-state networks, but each location generally holds its own separate accreditation and state license rather than one credential covering every market. Every site must independently meet that state's specific methods and reporting rules, so a multi-state network is effectively a set of individually licensed labs operating under a shared company.
How does hemp/CBD testing differ from state marijuana testing?
Hemp and CBD testing follows federal USDA and FDA thresholds, generally 0.3% total THC by dry weight, along with any state hemp program rules, while marijuana testing follows the specific regulations of the licensed state market where the product is sold. A lab that tests both typically needs separate DEA registration or authorization to legally handle marijuana-derived samples that exceed the hemp THC limit.

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