Standardization News

A new ASTM International standard will help bring consistent practices to laboratories working in the cannabis industry. The organization’s cannabis committee (D37) developed the new standard (soon to be published as D8282).  

The practice was developed by a task group that reviewed documents on existing lab test-method validation and test-method development requirements. This included reviewing documents from the Foundation of Cannabis Unified Standards (FOCUS), the American Public Health Association (APHA), and other organizations.

ASTM International member David Vaillencourt, principal consultant and owner of The GMP Collective, says this standard “fills the current gap in the cannabis testing industry with best practice guidance on how to establish test methods that will ensure consistency of results from lab to lab.” He adds, “To date, the lack of this foundational standard has resulted in apples-to-oranges comparison of laboratory data, leading to reduced industry and consumer confidence in test results.”

In addition, he says, this standard could be valuable for testing laboratories and regulatory bodies seeking to adopt and provide guidance to companies. “We also think that the standard will drive greater consistency of potency labeling of products that is critical to consumer health and safety.”

Watch a video on the cannabis committee.

ASTM welcomes participation in the development of its standards. Become a member of ASTM. The next meeting of the cannabis committee is Feb. 2, 2020, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Georgia, USA.

To purchase standards, contact ASTM International customer relations (tel +1.877.909.ASTM; sales@astm.org).