|
|
| (45 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| The ''[[Cannabis]]'' plant, when chemically broken down, has some 750 or more constituents, with as many as 140 of them being identified as [[cannabinoid]]s.<ref name="RadwanIso15">{{cite journal |title=Isolation and pharmacological evaluation of minor cannabinoids from high-potency ''Cannabis sativa'' |journal=Journal of Natural Products |author=Radwan, M.M.; ElSohly, M.A.; El-Alfy, A.T. et al. |volume=78 |issue=6 |pages=1271-6 |year=2015 |doi=10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b00065 |pmid=26000707 |pmc=PMC4880513}}</ref><ref name="SolymosiCanna17">{{cite journal |title=''Cannabis'': A Treasure Trove or Pandora's Box? |journal=Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry |author=Solymosi, K.; Köfalvi, A. |volume=17 |pages=1123–91 |year=2017 |doi=10.2174/1389557516666161004162133}}</ref><ref name="MudgeChemo18">{{cite journal |title=Chemometric Analysis of Cannabinoids: Chemotaxonomy and Domestication Syndrome |journal=Scientific Reports |author=Mudge, E.M.; Murch, S.J.; Brown, P.N. |volume=8 |at=13090 |year=2018 |doi=10.1038/s41598-018-31120-2}}</ref> However, analyzing the chemical constituents of cannabis is a difficult task due to its [[Matrix (chemical analysis)|matrix]], and the task becomes even more difficult when it's added to food and other matrix types, requiring established and consistent [[Scientific method|methods]] for testing.<ref name="DePalmaChallenges18">{{cite web |url=https://www.labmanager.com/insights/challenges-of-cannabis-contaminant-testing-1928 |title=Challenges of Cannabis Contaminant Testing |author=DePalma, A. |work=Lab Manager |publisher=LabX Media Group |date=10 September 2018 |accessdate=07 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="CummingsGurus18">{{cite |journal |title=Gurus of Pesticide Residue Analysis [The Cannabis Scientist] |journal=The Analytical Scientist |author=Cummings, J. |publisher=Texere Logo Texere Publishing Ltd |issue=0218 |year=2018 |url=https://theanalyticalscientist.com/fileadmin/tas/pdf-versions/TCS_Issue4.pdf |format=PDF}}</ref> Regulators, users, and the testing industry have over the years made calls for standardizing both the production and testing of [[Cannabis (drug)|medical]] and recreational marijuana. Without proper standardized testing, several issues are bound to arise<ref name="HazekampCanna12">{{cite journal |title=Cannabis - from cultivar to chemovar |journal=Drug Testing and Analysis |author=Hazekamp, A.; Fischedick, J.T. |volume=4 |issue=7–8 |pages=660–7 |year=2012 |doi=10.1002/dta.407 |pmid=22362625}}</ref><ref name="BushWorlds15">{{cite web |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/worldrsquos-strongest-weed-potency-testing-challenged/ |title=World’s strongest weed? Potency testing challenged |author=Bush, E. |work=The Seattle Times |publisher=The Seattle Times Company |date=18 February 2015 |accessdate=07 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="RutschQuality15">{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/24/395065699/quality-testing-legal-marijuana-strong-but-not-always-clean |title=Quality-Testing Legal Marijuana: Strong But Not Always Clean |author=Rutsch, P. |work=Shots |publisher=National Public Radio |date=24 March 2015 |accessdate=07 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="KuzdzalACloser16">{{cite web |url=https://www.ssi.shimadzu.com/sites/ssi.shimadzu.com/files/Industry/Literature/Shimadzu_Whitepaper_Emerging_Cannabis_Industry.pdf |format=PDF |title=A Closer Look at Cannabis Testing |author=Kuzdzal, S.; Clifford, R.; Winkler, P.; Bankert, W. |publisher=Shimadzu Corporation |date=December 2017 |accessdate=07 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="CassidayTheHighs16">{{cite web |url=https://www.aocs.org/stay-informed/inform-magazine/featured-articles/the-highs-and-lows-of-cannabis-testing-october-2016 |title=The Highs and Lows of Cannabis Testing |author=Cassiday, L. |work=INFORM |publisher=American Oil Chemists' Society |date=October 2016 |accessdate=07 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="CANORMLHow11">{{cite web |url=https://www.canorml.org/business-resources-for-cannabis-brands/how-accurate-is-cannabis-potency-testing/ |title=How Accurate Is Cannabis Potency Testing? |publisher=California NORML |date=21 September 2011 |accessdate=07 July 2021}}</ref>:
| |
|
| |
|
| * label claims may not match actual contents;
| |
| * contaminants may linger, causing illness or even death;
| |
| * chemical properties and medicinal benefits of specific strains and their unique [[cannabinoid]]-[[terpene]] profiles can't be isolated; and
| |
| * research on potential therapeutic qualities can't be replicated, hindering scientific progress.
| |
|
| |
| As legalization efforts continue at the federal level in the U.S.<ref name="SBAHousePass20">{{cite web |url=https://smallbusiness.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3480 |title=House Passes Legislation to Make Small Businesses in Cannabis Industry Eligible for SBA Lending Programs |work=Committee News |publisher=Small Business Administration |date=04 December 2020 |accessdate=07 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="WalshHouse20">{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/04/942949288/house-approves-decriminalizing-marijuana-bill-to-stall-in-senate |title=House Approves Decriminalizing Marijuana; Bill To Stall In Senate |author=Welsh, D. |work=NPR |date=04 December 2020 |accessdate=07 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="KraneDemoc21">{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kriskrane/2021/01/06/democrats-win-the-senate-the-impact-on-marijuana-policy/ |title=Democrats Win The Senate: The Impact On Marijuana Policy |author=Krane, K. |work=Forbes |date=06 January 2021 |accessdate=07 July 2021}}</ref>, it's more important than ever that the standards and practices that make up laboratory testing of cannabis continue to solidify under a more consensus-based approach.
| |
|
| |
| But what do we know so far about the ''Cannabis'' plant and its constituents? What are the current standards and practices used in various U.S. states (and other parts of the world)? What does the workflow of laboratory testing of cannabis look like today? And what are the requirements for certifying and reporting results? This chapter addresses these questions.
| |
|
| |
| ==References==
| |
| {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
| |
