Testing Costs At Provisioning Centers

[Hayduke]

lest one think the Provisioning Center bill will bring down costs, think again.  As of 3/31/2015 Provisioning Centers will be required by law to test medicine.  Look to this article about Oregon to address this topic a year in advance....

 

April 22, 2014 
Lack of Testing Oversight in Oregon Raises Concerns

Tags: oregon dispensaries, oregon marijuana testing, oregon medical marijuana program, oregon testing labs, testing labs

Dispensary owners in Oregon are concerned that the state’s lack of oversight on testing labs will create an unstable business climate, boost risks for medical marijuana centers and lead to quality and safety issues.

While Oregon’s medical marijuana dispensary regulations require centers to test products for potency and contaminants, the rules do not address the laboratories conducting the tests.

As a result, the testing market has become a “free for all,” dispensary owner Bee Young told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, adding that the rules force MMJ centers to vet testing companies on their own. Dispensaries therefore shoulder all the risks and could face repercussions from the state if they accept testing results that are inaccurate.

Another result of the new testing laws: Prices have skyrocketed since Oregon distributed dispensary licenses in March. Young, who runs the dispensary Wickit Weedery, said she now pays $250 per test, up from  $75. Given the lack of regulations and oversight on labs, she’s not sure the new price point brings any additional value to the tests.

Under Oregon’s rules, dispensaries must test their products with either a third-party or in-house lab that has a “quality system” for testing that is compliant with various standards. But it is up to the dispensaries to make sure labs meet these standards, not regulators.

Amy Margolis, a Portland attorney who served on the rules advisory committee, told the Post-Intelligencer that the process creates an “unfair burden” for dispensary owners, since a lay person cannot tell if a lab is compliant with standards.

Some lab owners believe the lack of rules opens the door for shady business practices.

“There is a lot of sub-par science in this industry,” said Patrick Marshall of Sunrise Analytical.

Several other medical marijuana states have passed rules that specifically address marijuana testing facilities. Colorado, for example, requires labs to apply for a license from the state’s department of revenue.

 

 

 

[Restorium2]

Dispensaries can make their own 'in house' lab and say whatever they want to about what they are selling without any way to verify. Then they can tack on any amount they say they paid themselves to do the testing. In other words, lie to hype a product and charge crazy amounts for it. Nothing new really. Buyer beware.

[Norby]

Just paid $35 for cannabinoid only test.  As i remember it was $25 just months ago.  You know the politicians will catch on to that one.  Mo money, mo money, mo money!!

[trichcycler]

I wonder how people thousands of years ago used cannabis to heal the sick without access to a testing lab?

[Restorium2]

I wonder how people thousands of years ago used cannabis to heal the sick without access to a testing lab?

I'm sure it was by careful observation of patients, just like today. To this day, the patient is still the most reliable testing device.

[trichcycler]

agreed. I KNOW someone who owns a "testing lab". I know where one can buy cheap "cannabis testing labs". I've bought them, used them, in my pajamas. they often match a "testing lab" result slide. They'll let anyone open a "testing lab" these days. giving a "testing lab" samples for review is illegal unless the person is a register patient of the provider. we wont talk about what the mj is being used for at that point right?

avoid scams for best results. "testing labs" have no qualifications necessary to operate. every part of every plant will test with different results. competition testing involves hundreds of samples per plant to find the most favorable result.    fluff, funny math, etc.

Edited April 23, 2014 by grassmatch

[bobandtorey]

I agree grassmatch testing lab's have opened up all over the State and people have put their life savings into them so they can get a jump on things and the luckily ones won't end up in a court room

[trichcycler]

I'll test anyone's cannabis for free. My equipment requires I have one ounce of sample material for accurate results in one week. Guaranteed accurate, or your money back!

[Hayduke]

Dispensaries can make their own 'in house' lab and say whatever they want to about what they are selling without any way to verify. Then they can tack on any amount they say they paid themselves to do the testing. In other words, lie to hype a product and charge crazy amounts for it. Nothing new really. Buyer beware.

not according to the provisioning center bill.  the owners cannot be investors in a testing lab, nor can the inhouse tests they currently do to test thc and cbd levels be counted as within the bill (the law would not even care about those).  they can do the tests for thc and cbd as a vanity deal to let you know the levels... but for pesticides and molds et al, it has to be an independent lab.

[Restorium2]

not according to the provisioning center bill.  the owners cannot be investors in a testing lab, nor can the inhouse tests they currently do to test thc and cbd levels be counted as within the bill (the law would not even care about those).  they can do the tests for thc and cbd as a vanity deal to let you know the levels... but for pesticides and molds et al, it has to be an independent lab.

My comments came from the piece you posted. As for the provision bill attempting to correct this here, I think the dispensaries here would easily side step the corrections attempted with the wording of the bill. In other words, the lab would not really be independant. We already have seen this up close and personal right here on this board. It's a good idea in theory, that can't be done in reality, without the State getting too involved in the process.

[bobandtorey]

My comments came from the piece you posted. As for the provision bill attempting to correct this here, I think the dispensaries here would easily side step the corrections attempted with the wording of the bill. In other words, the lab would not really be independant. We already have seen this up close and personal right here on this board. It's a good idea in theory, that can't be done in reality, without the State getting too involved in the process.

 

 

you took the words right out of my month 

 

Just like why they are still open when everyone says they are illegal  ( can't be too illegal )

[trichcycler]

you took the words right out of my month 

 

Just like why they are still open when everyone says they are illegal  ( can't be too illegal )

and crack houses are sometimes allowed to stay and operate for months at a time, while the police drive right by ithem daily. Maybe those are not as illegal as we think...?

[Hayduke]

My comments came from the piece you posted. As for the provision bill attempting to correct this here, I think the dispensaries here would easily side step the corrections attempted with the wording of the bill. In other words, the lab would not really be independant. We already have seen this up close and personal right here on this board. It's a good idea in theory, that can't be done in reality, without the State getting too involved in the process.

I have sat in meetings with the Governor's rep and LARA's rep, and they made it clear they will not administer the testing rules, period... the bill's sponsors suggest this will fall under the "local control" domain.

 

I appreciate your comments came from the piece.  My comments are about the Michigan pending bill on Provisioning Centers.  I do not agree they will not be independent.  I don't think they can easily side step the wording post 3/31/2015.  It is in the law, Resto.  They also have specific staffing requirements regarding a real chemist being on staff.  You should read the legislation...

 

My point is that this is going to add substantially to the cost of meds at a Provisioning Center, and there is no allowing for batch testing in the bill either.  It would seem that this will need to be addressed by an additional bill at another time...

[GregS]

This will likely be reason enough for provisioning center operators to ramp up efforts to prohibit home growing.

 

Stay frosty boyzngrrlz. We will need cool heads to fend that off.