The past decade has seen a surge in cannabis analytical testing, primarily for quality control testing. The current landscape of cannabis testing is improving, but it is fragmented and non-standardized. For example, pesticide contamination analysis lists vary from state to state and some states have no testing requirements whatsoever. Furthermore, federal laws limit the amount of research that can be performed in university labs. Cannabis standardization is slowly improving on many fronts, and this talk will highlight recent efforts as well as focus on largely unmet needs. Sample homogenization and preparation has moved from predominantly proprietary lab techniques towards shared information and improved technologies. We will also examine standardization progress beyond sample prep and analytical testing, including genomics and cultivation through extractions, formulations, all the way through to adverse events reporting. The take home message here is that we must look beyond advances in just analytical methods to improvements in Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), batch sizing for testing, defined representative sampling, certified reference standards, Quality Management Systems (QMS), proficiency testing & accreditation, acceptable levels of contaminants, definition of therapeutic levels, “strain” authentication, and much, much more. This talk will also examine recent work being conducted in cannabis clinical trials as well as the exciting, widespread growth of medical cannabis education programs in academia, concluding with a look forward to the cannabis testing future, complete with more automated/integrated analyzers, blockchain technology and personalized cannabinomic strategies.

Future standardization opportunities in cannabis QC testing & research

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.