ASTM Approves Four New Cannabis Testing Standards

The leading US testing standards organization ASTM International has approved four new testing standards for cannabis samples.

In a notice published on October 3, ASTM’s D37 committee announced that the four standards will:

1. Provide a method to establish cannabinoid content in cannabis and hemp samples.
2. Aid cannabis labs in analyzing cannabis and hemp samples to establish pesticide concentration levels – or lack thereof – to ensure products meet regulatory requirements within appropriate jurisdictions.
3. Provide a method to test for terpenes and cannabinoids in cannabis using gas chromatography.
4. Aid manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and other cannabis industry stakeholders by providing a new inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) test method for heavy metals in cannabis.

The D37 committee is planning to perform a full inter-lab study of this latter standard later this year.

According to ASTM member Randall Shearer, some of these standards will “assist in quality control for cannabis, allowing cultivators, extractors, producers, and regulatory bodies to ensure safety and consistency of cannabis and hemp products.”