ASTM International and Cannabis Standardization
by DAVID M. JOLLEY, J.D.
As the legal cannabis market continues to grow (both nationally and internationally) so too have its consumers demanded more safety and consistency of product. Unfortunately, since cannabis remains an illegal substance at the federal level in the U.S., no government agency (such as the FDA) has been able to enact and enforce such standards like it has for numerous other products. However, until the U.S. government legalizes cannabis and implements their own set of standards, the answer to this problem of standardization may lie with the ASTM.
What is the ASTM?
ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing Materials) is an international organization founded in 1898 that develops and publishes technical standards for a wide range of products, materials, systems, and services. It was originally formed to address the safety needs of a then-booming railroad industry, but has since grown as an organization, and now releases standards for everything from toys, paints and plastics, to jet fuel, medical services and electronics.
While the standards developed by ASTM are not required or enforced by the agency or the law, the standards may be utilized and become mandatory when referenced by an external contract, corporations, or government. In the United States, ASTM standards have been adopted either by incorporation or reference, in federal, state, and municipal government regulations. For example, in 1995, Congress passed the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act, which requires the federal government to use privately developed consensus standards whenever possible.
ASTM and Cannabis
The cannabis market (both medicinal and recreational) is one of the fastest growing industries today. It is estimated that combined U.S. medical and recreational cannabis sales could reach $33 billion nationally and $16.7 billion globally by the end of the year. This is largely in part because cannabis has become increasingly recognized as an effective medicine for the treatment for a variety of conditions by countries worldwide
In the United States, a majority of the states have legalized cannabis either medicinally or recreationally, despite its status as a Schedule I drug, which precludes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from its implementing any type of regulation or oversight, which is unfortunate for patients and users alike who have no guarantee as to the quality and safety of any particular cannabis product. This is where the ASTM could play a vital role in the industry and has recently started establishing guidelines and standards for the cannabis industry.
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In 2017, ASTM created the first committee specifically for developing cannabis standards—Committee D37. The committee is composed of over 290 members from 12 different countries. Experts from both the cannabis industry (such as cultivators and retailers) to other related industries (such as chemical engineers and biologists) come together to establish these standards.
Just this month (October 3) the D37 Committee announced four new cannabis standards to be implemented. These are:
Standard D8375 – This standard “will provide a method to establish cannabinoid content in cannabis and hemp samples.” It will be beneficial to laboratories, producers, researchers, and consumers. In addition, the standard could be used by forensic labs to support cannabinoid research and confirm the cannabinoid content of illicit samples.
Standard D8399 – This standard “will aid laboratories in analyzing cannabis and hemp samples to establish pesticide concentration levels–or lack thereof–to ensure products meet regulatory requirements within appropriate jurisdictions.” This standard will help address health and safety concerns, in addition to labeling and regulatory requirements for cannabis products.
Standard D8442 – This standard “will provide a method to test for terpenes and cannabinoids in cannabis using gas chromatography.” This would be useful to regulatory bodies to ensure the safety and consistency of cannabis and hemp products.
Standard D8469 – This standard will “aid manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and other cannabis industry stakeholders by providing a new test method for metals in cannabis.” The testing method will be used to detect dangerous metals in cannabis, such as arsenic cadmium, and lead.
The committee also just recently announced a new standard on medicinal-use cannabis inflorescence.
Conclusion
Just like with any other product or service, cannabis standards help keep the product consistently safe for both medicinal and recreational users alike, who should assume any cannabis being sold legally will be safe for human consumption. Standards also help cultivators, by encouraging them to produce a consistently safe and quality product. Unfortunately, the cannabis industry is relatively new and these standards will take some time to be implemented and put into practice. However, until cannabis is legalized federally in the U.S. and the FDA (or some other government agency) takes the lead, implementing the ASTM guidelines is the most sensible and safe thing to do.
Visit www.astcannabis.org to learn more about the ASTM’s cannabis committee, standards and publications.
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