Under Oregon’s recreational marijuana operation, starting Oct. 1, all marijuana sold to the public must be tested by an accredited lab for potency and purity. These testing compounds must be certified by the Oregon Environmental Lab Accreditation Program and licensed by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Currently, there are only two labs that exist that are accredited to test a lot of marijuana and harvest season is right around the corner.
Gary Ward, who is the ORELAP administrator, stated in a memo documented by OregonLive that the Oregon Health Authority has not produced the necessary resources to undertake the job of accrediting marijuana testing labs and that the agency is “On the precipice of collapse.” The testing program, designed to address pesticide contamination, is a part of Oregon’s health authority, which also accredits labs that test drinking water, air, and industrial waste.
The Health Authority published a statement saying it is “Committed to taking steps to ensure environmental laboratory accreditation even with growing demand.” Meanwhile, Oregon Liquor and Control Commission inspectors are hard at work to get hundreds of indoor grow compounds licensed before the end of 2016, noting that licensing outdoor grow compounds took longer than anticipated, KOIN6 reports.
The slow pace of accreditation means consumers may see fewer products than expected on the shelves when the state rolls out its recreational program on October 1st. Amy Margolis, an attorney who represents marijuana businesses, said without additional accredited labs, the industry’s viability is threatened.
“If they don’t get funding and resources, the entire industry will come to a full stop,” Margolis warns.
Not if Green Leaf Lab, one of only two licensed labs in Oregon, can help it.
“When we started, nobody in Oregon really knew what cannabis testing was,” lab owner Rowshan Reordan told KATU 2.
Green Leaf chemist Emily Weatherford stated she feels like she is keeping cannabis users safe: “I’m thinking about the cancer patient who can’t risk smoking weed that has mold on it because they have a compromised immune system.” Currently, Oregon health authorities need to approve the nearly two-dozen other labs that have applied for testing licenses so everyone is safe and to ensure marijuana store shelves will be fully stocked on October 1st.
MAPH Enterprises, LLC | (305) 414-0128 | 1501 Venera Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33146 | new@marijuanastocks.com
