The cannabis industry is gaining massive attention lately, and since its legalization, there has been a large influx of products into the market.
Hence, California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) has set a testing requirement to keep a check on quality, to ensure customers and patients are provided with safe, effective, and potent cannabis and cannabis products.
What is Your responsibility as a Cannabis Business Owner?
If you’re operating a cannabis business in California, then it is imperative that all your products are passed through the compliance testing required by the BCC.
Your number one priority as a responsible cannabis operator should be seeing every one of your customers end up with safe and potent cannabis products.
Through responsible cultivation, processing, and sale of high-quality cannabis and cannabis products, we can all support the great fight to lift the stigma of cannabis.
The Truth About California Cannabis Compliance
You cannot be a legal cannabis operator without passing cannabis compliance in California, and if your product does not meet the testing requirements of the BCC, then your business operation is disallowed.
So if you’ve not gone through the cannabis compliance testing or you’re seeking the right cannabis compliance services, we’ve put together this short guide to ensure you’re on track.
Belcosta Labs is a leading compliance testing company in the State of California and Sacramento, with ISO – 17025 accreditation by the prestigious A2LA.
We provide cannabis compliance services and tests based on requirements by the BCC. Our team of certified experts combines analytical methods and customized technology to ensure high-quality products enter the marketplace. You can schedule a tour with us.
What Does the California Cannabis Compliance Test Involve?
California compliance testing is a regulated process and it involves strict guidelines to meet the state requirements.
Based on the BCC’s guidelines, cannabis and cannabis products fall under three basic categories:
· Inhalable cannabis
· Inhalable cannabis products
· Other cannabis and cannabis products
The compliance testing procedure must be done by a licensed laboratory. So make sure you check for licensing and accreditation for compliance tests when searching for cannabis compliance companies.
The laboratory staff arrives at the cannabis operator’s facility and collects samples from batches of products in question to be taken to the lab for compliance testing. Note that the product needs to be in its final form for sale.
Moreover, asides the labeling for potency, you cannot make modifications to the products once the laboratory has taken samples for compliance testing.
What does this mean? It simply means that every one of the ingredients in your cannabis product must pass compliance testing.
Several tests are performed on your provided final product, including:
· Potency
· Terpene
· Pesticides
· Residual solvents
· Microbial
· Mycotoxin
· Moisture content
· Water activity
· Heavy metal
· Foreign material
Your cannabis or cannabis product must pass all of these tests in terms of specific limits and allowances set by the BCC to be sold legally in California, and once the process is complete, you’re presented with a COA (certificate of analysis), which is also sent to the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC).
But if your sample fails the compliance testing, you must either submit a plan for remediation to the BCC to gain approval or the entire product batch must be destroyed.
However, failed batches are considered illegal and are not permitted to reach consumers.
Getting Started with California Compliance Testing in California
BelCosta Labs is the best cannabis compliance testing laboratory in California, with state-of-the-art equipment to ensure consistent, accurate, and reliable results that meet standards and requirements for lab testing.
We hold ourselves to the highest standard in the industry and we do not cut corners to pass any product. That’s why we are accredited by authorities such as A2LA.
To get started with compliance testing for your cannabis or cannabis products, you can simply click on our California Compliance testing services.
Our samplers will keep in touch with you within one hour of their arrival. However, here are some things we require:
· One employee must be present during the compliance testing
· All batches being sampled must be present in their final packaging
· A video recorder in the room
· A clean area with a table
That being said, you must also have the following information ready:
· Cultivator/Distributor information
· Total number and types of batches
· Total weight and/or number of units
· Chain of Custody
We also provide the Quality Assurance (R&D) test, which helps you as a manufacturer/cultivator to know and improve the quality of your products.
So all you need to do is let us know the test you’re interested in, whether California cannabis compliance or QA/R&D.
The interesting thing about BelCosta Labs is that we can pick up samples the following business day when you request via our Client Service Portal. We also offer same-day pick-up (some exclusions apply, anyway).
Our client Service Portal allows you to access your lab data conveniently, submit your samples, view results of compliance testing, and reach our dedicated customer service representative.
You can get detailed information on requirements and everything you need to get started on our Compliance testing page.
