Regulations and Regulatory Issues

Regulations and compliance are sometimes deemed a necessary evil, but consumer and employee safety are at the heart of those rules. The cannabis industry faces unique challenges when it comes to compliance because each state has their own rules. Federal regulation would certainly simplify matters, but until then Kim Stuck, CEO and founder of Allay Consulting, offers some practical advice for how to stay ahead of potential issues. Here, Stuck shares her background in regulatory work, the cannabis industry, her new blog coming out in Cannabis Science and Technology next month, and more.

How does the pharmaceutical industry test better to avoid mislabeling problems?

This article explores five common cannabis tests and the benefits of incorporating filter plates.

This study offers guidance to establishing meaningful quality standards for the commercialization of cannabis and cannabis-related products.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected all types of businesses, such as those found in the cannabis industry. Though it was hit hard from the virus, the cannabis industry suffered another blow in the form of the December 2020 COVID-19 stimulus package, which included a provision classifying all vape products as cigarettes, subjecting them to the same regulations as cigarettes. Here, U.S. Navy veteran Dana E. Shoched, president and chief executive officer of O2VAPE, discusses the impacts this legislation may have on the cannabis vaping industry.

This column discusses where the USDA went wrong in their final rule regarding hemp and how the author thinks it can be fixed.

A review of the general state standard quality control checkpoints and how companies can go above and beyond by applying federal requirements to their businesses.

Gretchen Schmidt, Faculty Program Director Criminal Justice Programs & Cannabis Control at Excelsior College, discusses the graduate certificate program offered at her college.

A discussion on how extractors need to monitor the chemical processes they perform.

How will the need for increased testing impact extractors?

This article intends to clarify the main goals of GACP and GMP guidelines, identify differences between the two, and also explore why it is important, when operating within the medicinal cannabis sector, that these two guidelines are complied with and their standards achieved.

What does FDA oversight mean for cannabis businesses and the industry as a whole?

This article discusses the difficulties of reining in the intense energy use of the cannabis industry from the perspective of the most energy efficient state: Massachusetts.

Highlights of the challenges facing the cannabis extracts industry and discussion about the need for standardized methods and the role of laboratory accreditation.

An argument for moving away from traditional culture-based methods and towards employing methods with increased specificity and accuracy.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a draft guidance on developing cannabis-based drugs. These guidelines come weeks after the White House announced it had completed reviewing the draft guidance.

Here we examine the history of cannabis in the US, the role the USP played in that field, and the new role the USP is taking with cannabis for medical use.

In this article, you will learn about the GxP requirements for laboratories, production facilities, and distribution of cannabis.

The industry needs to address energy efficiency, plastic use, and wastewater to build a long-term reputation of accessibility, legitimacy, and sustainability.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently issued a temporary delay regarding enforcement on two provisions of its hemp regulations (1).

A report on the findings from the initial field evaluation of a molecular DNA-based assay to distinguish the categories of fiber hemp, resin hemp, and THC cannabis based on genetics.

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, announced the establishment of the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program on October 29, 2019.  

A number of causes of hemp testing insanity are documented such as different states using different THC measures to determine legality, lack of representative sampling, and more.

A review of the expert strategies and resources to streamline the laboratory accreditation process.

An explanation on the theory and measurement of water activity, its mode of action for microbial control, existing water activity regulations for cannabis, and more.

What changes need to be adopted in our industry to make the transition to the pharmaceutical industry testing paradigm?

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) helps provide control and visibility to critical cannabis business management issues, such as data, inventory, quality, and traceability. The author explains how it works.

Three former and current state regulators discuss their collaborative work in the cannabis industry.

Where does cannabidiol’s (CBD) legal status stand following the 2018 Farm Bill? One attorney looks at common misperceptions.

An outline of some of the current major challenges for both regulators and laboratories regarding the microbial testing of cannabis products.