While the food safety testing industry has evolved over several decades, the testing of regulated hemp and Cannabis products has existed for only a handful of years. Despite being legal in 36 states and four U.S. territories, marijuana is not legal at the federal level, which creates dramatic differences in regulatory requirements.
“Marijuana” is defined as any Cannabis plant with a concentration of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) of greater than 0.3 percent. Delta-9 THC is one of the psychoactive cannabinoids predominantly found in Cannabis and is primarily associated with the euphoric effects of the plant. Marijuana is highly regulated by states, with much more defined testing standards around specific analytes and action limits. On the other hand, the requirements for testing hemp flower, oils, and edibles are limited, and in some states, the only required testing is to confirm that the flower in the fields contains less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC.