Researchers Offer to Test Home-Growers’ Cannabis in Australia’s Capital Territory

As long as it’s for personal use, cannabis has been legal to grow in Australia’s Capital Territory (ACT) since January 2020.

Now, researchers from the University of Sydney are offering any home-grower in the region the chance to have their cannabis tested for potency and possible contaminants, such as heavy metals.

Any adult living in ACT who has used and cultivated cannabis from January 2020 is invited to take part in the study, which also requires participants to fill out a short online survey.

Participants will be asked about their experiences growing cannabis, why they use it/what medical conditions they use it for, any adverse effects they've incurred, and their preferences for legal access.

If any participant opts in to have their cannabis tested, their flower will be collected from their homes by a courier and taken to the university’s Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics for analysis. The samples will be analysed for cannabis content, including THC and CBD, as well as a range of possible contaminants, including pesticides and heavy metals, free of charge. Participants will be able to anonymously view their results online.

“Growers who are achieving profound therapeutic effects with cannabis are naturally curious about what their cannabis contains,” lead researcher Professor Iain McGregor, director of the Lambert Initiative, said in a statement.

More information about the CAN-ACT study can be found here. Its findings are expected to be published sometime next year.