User:Shawndouglas/sandbox/sublevel10

Now that the tasks, equipment, and workflow of cannabis testing have been addressed, we can finally venture forth to discuss why and how data management software and laboratories make for a good marriage. We've discovered that not only is cannabis testing a highly regulated activity, but the regulations and standards surrounding that activity are scattered and inconsistent due in part to the dichotomy between state and federal approaches to cannabis. However, testing is valuable because it helps us learn more about the plant and its constituents, ensure the safety of products containing them, and improve a state of overall accountability of the cultivators and manufacturers. We've also looked at the analytical aspects of cannabis testing, from what gets tested to how it gets tested. The workflow of the cannabis testing lab has similarities across all lab types, though there are also many differences due to the substrate/matrix being tested, as well as the product's intended use. Those differences introduce additional testing challenges requiring unique workflows, procedures, and equipment. And how the results of all those tests get reported for both the client and the regulatory bodies introduces technical challenges. Despite all this, there are tools to help overcome all these challenges.

This chapter addresses how a well-crafted laboratory informatics solution like a laboratory information management system (LIMS)—particularly one developed with the cannabis testing laboratory in mind—can cut through the challenges of testing cannabis and securely manage all the data associated with the endeavor.