Cannabis Science Task Force Recommendations: Laboratory Quality Standards for Pesticides in Cannabis Plants and Products

Cannabis Science Task Force Recommendations: Laboratory Quality Standards for Pesticides in Cannabis Plants and Products

Cannabis Science Task Force Recommendations: Laboratory Quality Standards for Pesticides in Cannabis Plants and Products June 2020 Publication 20-03-005 Publication and Contact Information This document is available on the Department of Ecology’s website at: https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/summarypages/2003005.html. For more information contact: Environmental Assessment Program Washington State Department of Ecology P.O. Box 47600 Olympia, WA 98504-7600 Phone: 360-407-6764 Washington State Department of Ecology — www.ecology.wa.gov • Headquarters, Olympia 360-407-6000 • Northwest Regional Office, Bellevue 425-649-7000 • Southwest Regional Office, Olympia 360-407-6300 • Central Regional Office, Union Gap 509-575-2490 • Eastern Regional Office, Spokane 509-329-3400 Any use of product or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the author or the Department of Ecology. To request ADA accommodation, including materials in a format for the visually impaired, call Ecology at 360-407-6764 or visit https://ecology.wa.gov/accessibility. People with impaired hearing may call Washington Relay Service at 711. People with speech disability may call 877-833- 6341. Cannabis Science Task Force Recommendations: Laboratory Quality Standards for Pesticides in Cannabis Plants and Products by Sara Sekerak Environmental Assessment Program Washington State Department of Ecology Olympia, Washington Publication 20-03-005 Page 1 Acknowledgements Members of the Cannabis Science Task Force steering committee and working groups have contributed countless hours of expertise to develop science-based laboratory quality standards. The collective efforts and recommendations of the Cannabis Science Task Force are detailed in this report. Contributing members from the cannabis science community include: • Amber Wise, Medicine Creek Analytics • Nick Mosely, Confidence Analytics • Jeff Doughty, Capitol Analysis Group • Ben Hart, Testing Technologies • Julie Kowalski, Trace Analytics • Kyle Shelton, Medicine Creek Analytics • Matthew Hall, Praxis • Tania Sasaki, Confidence Analytics • Jay Burns, Treeline Analytics • Steve Loague, Integrity Labs • Taber Salewsky, Praxis Laboratory Contributing members from Washington State agencies include: • Shelly Rowden, DOH • Caroline West, DOH • Steve Officer, DOH • Steve LaCroix, DOH • Kendra Hodgson, WSLCB • Nicholas Poolman, WSLCB • Brad White, WSDA • Mike Firman, WSDA • Qingfen Gu, WSDA • Annette Hoffmann Ph.D., Ecology • Jessica Archer, Ecology • John Weakland, Ecology • Ryan Zboralski, Ecology • Sara Sekerak, Ecology The following Department of Ecology staff provided report reviews, report editing, publications, and communications. • Alyssa Peter • Tara-Lyn Poole • Jennifer Carlson • Rebecca Wood • Joan LeTourneau • Diana Ruth Olegre • Jimmy Norris Publication 20-03-005 Page 2 Table of Contents Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................... 4 Recommendations ......................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Background ................................................................................................................................... 7 The Need for Appropriate Laboratory Quality Standards ............................................................. 8 Standards and the Current Authority ........................................................................................... 10 Formation of the Cannabis Science Task Force ............................................................................. 11 Steering Committee ..................................................................................................................... 11 Workgroups ................................................................................................................................. 12 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................... 14 Discussion of Recommendations .................................................................................................... 16 Recommended Laboratory Quality Standards ............................................................................ 16 Defining the Client ...................................................................................................................... 18 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Definitions....................................................................................................................................... 20 References ....................................................................................................................................... 23 Appendices ...................................................................................................................................... 24 List of Figures Figure 1. Comparison of current regulating authority design and future design under RCW 69.50.348. .......................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 2. Timeline for Task Force deliverables, policy and rule updates, and transfer of cannabis laboratory accreditation to Ecology. .................................................................................. 8 Figure 3. Product standards, laboratory quality standards, and accreditation standards.. .................. 9 Publication 20-03-005 Page 3 Executive Summary Although it is required that cannabis products sold in Washington State be tested for harmful substances and potency, the science needed to develop adequate testing protocols has not caught up to the industry. To protect consumers and to deliver more accurate laboratory results, the Legislature created the Cannabis Science Task Force (Task Force) to develop acceptable laboratory quality standards under the provisions of House Bill 2052 (2019). The Task Force members are professionals with The Washington State Department of expertise in chemistry, laboratory quality assurance Ecology (Ecology) prepared this report and quality control, and state government policy. They to the Legislature on behalf on the represent the Washington State departments of Cannabis Science Task Force (Task Agriculture (WSDA), Health (DOH), and Ecology Force) as required by RCW (Ecology), as well as the Liquor and Cannabis Board 43.21A.735(6), which states: (WSLCB) and cannabis testing laboratories. “The cannabis science task force must submit a report to To strengthen testing protocols for pesticides in the relevant committees of the cannabis plants and products, the Task Force legislature by July 1, 2020, recommends: that includes the findings and • Using existing agricultural method validation recommendations for protocols and method performance measures laboratory quality standards developed by the United States Department of for pesticides in plants for Agriculture (USDA), adapted to cannabis plants and marijuana product testing products. laboratories. The report must • include, but is not limited to, Establishing an interagency cooperative team recommendations relating to staffed by WSLCB, WSDA, and DOH to maintain the the following: adopted protocols and provide technical assistance to cannabis laboratories. (a) Appropriate approved • testing methods. Performing regulatory updates to facilitate these recommendations. (b) Method validation protocols. Consumer protections rely on assurances that (c) Method performance laboratories can accurately test cannabis products to criteria. meet Washington state standards. Typically, the (d) Sampling and development of testing protocols relies on a depth of homogenization protocols. federal expertise and resources available to conduct (e) Proficiency testing. research, coordinate standardization, and apply risk- management strategies. In this case, states have (f) Regulatory updates related legalized cannabis without federal support, so this to (a) through (e) of this subsection, by which traditional framework does not exist. agencies, and the timing of Adequate and up-to-date testing protocols are needed these updates.” to provide critical guidance to cannabis testing laboratories and to leverage Ecology’s laboratory accreditation model. Ecology currently administers its established accreditation program for more than 400 drinking water and environmental laboratories in Washington and across the country. Accreditation is an essential piece of a robust quality assurance program. Accreditation uses Publication 20-03-005 Page 4 established testing protocols to verify that a laboratory meets the criteria necessary to conduct specific testing practices. For cannabis, it is key that Washington’s regulatory agencies establish and maintain up-to-date testing protocols to fill the gap left by the lack of a federal cannabis testing framework. For Ecology to take over lab accreditation, regulatory changes must occur to allow its cannabis laboratory accreditation to function as it does for other state and federal regulatory programs (Figure 1). These regulatory changes are critical to ensure that laboratory quality standards

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