Regulation is becoming mandatory in states that allow medical cannabis. The producers, manufacturers, dispensaries, and laboratories involved in this industry can operate legally in their states but many have functioned without much regulation or oversight. Due to increasing concerns over the need to standardized medicinal cannabis preparations, the American Herbal Product Association (AHPA) has created industry guidelines on manufacturing, producing, dispensing, and laboratory operation standards. Additionally, the American Herbal Pharmacopeia (AHP) completed the Cannabis monograph, a guide for the standardization of cannabis. The work of AHPA and AHP laid the foundation for a n international certification body called Patient Focused Certification (PFC), a project of Americans for Safe Access. AHPA and AHP guidelines are being incorporated into state level regulations as mandatory product safety standards in new state programs. PFC launched in early 2014 with facilities in several states having successfully completed the auditing process. PFC is also training cannabis auditors for the Department of Health in Maryland and in Europe for the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute (Czech Republic). Results from over 3 years of auditing medical cannabis operations will be discussed, including the type of corrective actions that occur, and the impact of product safety regulations on patients, facilities, government, universities, and neighborhoods.<br/>

Assessing regulatory compliance at medical cannabis operations in the United States for patient focused certification

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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