Why Should You Care about Cannabis Testing?

• You should care about cannabis testing because you want to know that what you’re putting in your body is safe and effective! 
• Cannabis testing is also what details all the specifics about a product’s terpene and cannabinoid profiles.  
• Sarah explains why you should always check the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) before buying cannabis products. 

9-minute read

Why you should care about cannabis testing

Why should you care about cannabis testing? Because you want to know what you’re putting in your body. You want to make sure the your cannabis meets safety standards. That’s where cannabis testing comes into play. Sarah Ahrens started True Labs, a cannabis testing lab based in New Jersey. True Labs tests cannabis products to independently verify that what you’re buying is safe. Cannabis testing also helps you understand the components of the cannabis products you’re buying. And, like everything else, not all cannabis testing labs are created equal.

What led you to create a cannabis testing lab?

There are many reasons why I chose to start True Labs. These are the 3 that stick out the most.

Passion for Transparency and Integrity

I have a personal passion for quality, transparency, and integrity. I’m health-conscious. I want to know what goes into the products I buy for myself and my family. So I read ingredient labels and buy organic as much as possible. It was easy to see how this passion could translate to the New Jersey cannabis market by starting a cannabis testing laboratory. It’s not a coincidence that the acronym for True Labs for Cannabis, TLC, also stands for “tender loving care.”

Fulfilling my dream

I’ve always wanted to be a research scientist. But with a career in business and sales, and an MBA, that wasn’t a realistic pivot. Starting an analytical cannabis testing lab gave me the ability to get closer to this dream.

NJ is Coming Online for Adult Recreational Use

It’s the right place and the right time to get involved. New Jersey is coming online and really needs a strong testing market to support the industry. I love being a part of a new market and advocating for consumer safety. I also love having a voice in enabling a best-in-class cannabis testing market.

Why should we care about cannabis testing?

#1 Safety

Cannabis testing is what ensures that products are safe. It’s the key to product transparency as well as understanding what’s in the cannabis you buy and consume. Product safety is literally the key differentiator of the legal cannabis market from the legacy market. Testing does more than ensure that cannabis products sold in dispensaries meet safety standards. 

#2 Choosing your Strains

Testing helps you know which cannabinoids and terpenes are in each product. Knowing this, and in what quantities, helps you dial in. This knowledge can also help you more accurately predict how a certain product might affect you. It helps shed light on the potential therapeutic impact that cannabis product might have for you.

What are the most important things that cannabis testing reveals?

Everything that cannabis testing reveals is important. From understanding potency to knowing that the product is free from harmful substances like pesticides, heavy metals, bacteria, or mold. We give products a pass/fail for each harmful substance. If the product fails cannabis testing for any contaminant, it can’t be sold to consumers. But people should be aware that each state sets their own acceptable levels for contaminants. So there are times when cannabis can still receive a passing grade, even with some contaminants. They just have to be in low enough levels that they meet the state requirements.

Tell us about Certificates of Analysis (CoAs)

Each state has its own regulations around cannabis testing. There are variations in the substances and contaminants they require testing for, as well as the action limits they impose. On every cannabis product label, there’s a QR code that leads to its Certificate of Analysis (CoA). That makes accessing the CoA easy. CoAs give consumers the transparency they need to understand the product’s profile and safety. CoAs can be especially important if you’re consuming cannabis to treat a medical condition. Looking at the CoA is the only way to really understand exactly what’s in it.

How did the legalization of recreational cannabis in New Jersey open new doors for your cannabis testing lab?

Cannabis labs are a critical part of the supply chain. New Jersey’s soon-to-come adult use market has brought in a ton of new business interest from all sectors. That includes cultivation, manufacturing, and wholesale. So existing medical cannabis cultivators are significantly expanding their cultivation and operations. They’re doing this to gear up for the increased demand that the adult use market will create. Of course, all this added product has to be tested by a third-party lab. So adult use is adding demand for labs to certify that cannabis products are safe. And, of course, to provide accurate information for product labeling.

How do you incorporate cannabis into your everyday life?

Cannabis has been in my life in one way or another since I was a teenager. Now, as a business owner in a “plant touching” capacity, it’s a constant. Aside from running a cannabis testing business, I’m also involved in a lot of advocacy work. That’s to guide New Jersey to a safe and operationally effective cannabis market.

What’s a secret about cannabis testing that everyone should know?

Not all cannabis testing labs are created equal. Just like in any industry, some owners are driven mainly by profit. Others, like me, are also driven by passion, altruistic motivations, and ethical integrity. All labs should fall in the latter category. Unfortunately, they don’t. Some labs have cut corners, falsified results, passed contaminated products, and risked their entire businesses. Some have even gotten sanctioned and shut down.

Why should you know who’s testing your cannabis products?

It’s worth taking the time to investigate the cannabis lab that tests the products you want or like to buy. The cannabis testing lab name and contact details are always listed on the CoA. So be your own advocate and find out whether the testing results are coming from a trusted, ethical source. I’m proud that True Labs was built on a strong foundation of integrity and transparency.

Since you started working in cannabis testing, has it changed how you personally consume the plant?

I always ask for a CoA before I buy now. I do that whether I’m buying for myself. Or for a family member, like my mom, who has tremendous back pain. That’s what I really appreciate about the legal market. It’s not like it used to be, when you just “got what you got” and that was it.

What’s the most eye-opening thing you’ve learned about cannabis testing?

Knowing how easily the cannabis plant and products can become contaminated has been eye opening. Cannabis plant is a natural bioaccumulator. That means it readily absorbs toxins from its environment. Cultivators and manufacturers have to take steps to ensure plants aren’t exposed to contaminants.

tell us more about contaminants

These contaminants can be found in water, soil, air, and containers—or on processing equipment. Cannabis can be contaminated at virtually any touchpoint. All of this makes me think twice about our entire agricultural food chain and how there should be more safety standards put in place. But when it comes to cannabis, knowing we have testing labs to verify product safety is very reassuring. I make sure to read the CoA every time. I appreciate the transparency and knowing what’s in every product.

 

What’s the most important thing we should look for on a cannabis label?

Everything on a cannabis label is important. Each state has varying requirements for labeling information. Certainly, you want to know the product’s potency. But not a lot of information can fit onto a product label. So, for me, the absolute most critical thing is to look at the COA.

What 3 cannabis products are you loving right now, and why?

Wish I could tell you (smiling)! I don’t want to promote one brand over another or add any bias. What I do know is the ethical and rigorous approach to safety and compliance testing at True Labs. So my favorites are any products tested, verified, and passed by us!

How would you like to see cannabis testing evolve to better protect consumers?

Not all testing labs are created equal, and each state has its own testing regulations. These have an impact on consumer protection. When a cannabis market has a structure that eliminates “lab shopping”, that makes a huge positive impact on ensuring product safety. Lab shopping makes it easier for labs to get away with falsifying results.

What are cannabis testing regulations like?

Different testing regulations across the country are challenging for any cannabis business. We have to start with standardized testing somewhere. But, so far, no state has set model testing regulations for other states to work toward. If New Jersey can set up a best-in-class model for other states to follow, that would be amazing progress for the nation. We could incorporate lessons from other states who came online earlier. New Jersey also has pharma-heavy DNA. So NJ is an ideal state to create cannabis safety and consumer protection standards for the entire industry.

Do you have plans to eventually expand out of New Jersey into other states?

Anything is possible. I’ve refrained from making promises to expand to other states. First, it’s critical for us to ensure that what we’ve built works here. Things are still very new in New Jersey. We’re differentiating True Labs in so many ways that are really meaningful. We’re the first certified woman-owned cannabis testing lab on the East Coast. We also have a strong foundation built on care and integrity. And we have a unique combination of business and scientific expertise. Our scientific leadership team has over 18 years of cannabis testing experience. But most importantly, we’re true partners to our customers. Our model brings something unique and fresh to the cannabis testing industry. So it would be a great model to expand.

How can people keep up with everything the True Labs is doing?

True Labs has a monthly newsletter about what’s happening in the New Jersey testing market. You can sign up for True Labs for cannabis newsletters at the bottom of our home page. We also maintain an education center on our blog. It has super informative guides and insight into cannabinoids, testing, contaminants, processes, and more. You can also find us and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.