Cannabis – Culture For Good

A cannabis lab test is required when it comes to legal THC and CBD. Any legitimate company on the market must run their products through a state-accredited lab. This facility will then test the cannabis on a variety of things, including¹:

CBD and THC potency levels
Presence of mycotoxins (i.e. mold)
Residual pesticides
Terpene content (not required)
Undesired contaminants

Throughout this article, we’re going to take a deeper look at cannabis testing and its importance to the hemp/CBD industry.

1The Testing Protocols

The main responsibility of cannabis testing is something known as compliance data. For cannabis to be distributed and sold, it must be approved through a series of testing protocols². These protocols are similar to those found in the food and medicine industry.

However, differently from the food and medicine industry, is there’s no federal standard when it comes to testing cannabis products. Instead, each test is responsible for meeting the state’s standards. The laboratories tend to be third-party and, in effect, have their own testing protocols to reach the state’s standards.

2What’s Being Tested

There are a number of different aspects of cannabis tested. Since there’s no federal standard, some states require more testing than others. But there are some tests that are commonplace no matter where you go, including:

CBD and THC Potency Levels: the purpose of this test is to inform the consumer how much of a cannabinoid they’re getting. When you purchase CBD, there should be a measurement of how much cannabidiol is in there. Furthermore, under federal law, no cannabidiol product is allowed to have more than 0.3% THC.
Presence of Mycotoxins: these tiny contaminants include fungi, mold, and mildew and can be dangerous to the consumer if they’re in the cannabis. The risk stems from poor hygienic cultivation or through packaging and handling.
Residual Pesticides: each state has its own list of pesticides (various chemicals such as artificial growth hormones) that aren’t allowed to be used on cannabis products as they can be dangerous for the consumer. However, it’s important to note, for cannabinoids that are extracted and/or concentrated, certain residual solvents are used, such as butane or ethanol. Each state has limits on how much of this can be used.
Terpene Content (Not Required): laboratories will undergo a terpene profiling on the cannabis when they’d like to get more insight on the strains they’re harvesting. This is not required.
Undesired Contaminants: besides the minuscule contaminants mentioned above, there are a number of larger ones that can be seen with the eye, such as dirt or hair. Sometimes, heavy metals will also be found in cannabis if planted on polluted soil. In fact, hemp is proven to be a powerful tool in removing metals from the earth³.

3The Importance of Testing to the CBD Industry

Since the cannabis industry is still in its early stages, there are many out there trying to illegitimately get into this market. Companies that don’t follow protocol or legal standards and are trying to make a quick buck on a population that remains misinformed.

Due to this, it’s important you find a CBD company you can trust. One that not only follows the standards and protocols but whose number one goal is to help others learn and appreciate this alternative medicine.

Culture For Good strives to be this company. If you’ve been interested in CBD products, feel free to check out our products page.

Reference Sources

¹ Bureau of Cannabis Control California: Testing Laboratories

² APHL: Into the Weeds: Cannabis Testing and Public Health Labs

³ Springer: Comparative assessment for hyperaccumulatory and phytoremediation capability of three wild weeds

August 23, 2021September 2, 2022

In Cannabisby Callie Gilman

3 Medications Cannabis Might Replace

Big pharma has a big problem on their hand. With CBD undergoing nationwide legalization and marijuana legalization growing in more and more states, more people are turning to cannabis products to medicate. With that, many are also putting down their prescription medication.

In fact, 4 out of 5 cannabis users (whether CBD or THC) have stopped using prescription drugs, according to Pain Treatment Solution.

Throughout this blog, we’re going to take a deeper look into this new phenomenon. From there, we’re going to express why we think this could be beneficial – not just for people seeking out medication, but society as a whole.

1Help Against Addictions

A study reveals that more people and more people are choosing to substitute their struggle with addiction with a substance that comes with a plentiful of medical benefits. And this decision is, in many ways, vital to substance abuse disorder as a whole.

It’s important to understand that addiction IS NOT as simple as a choice. It’s a disease that takes over the body and is extremely difficult to overcome. Though addiction may begin with a choice – the choice to take or not take a substance – nobody makes the choice to become addicted.¹

If addiction were as simple as a choice, America wouldn’t currently be facing an opioid crisis. To take things a step further, one of the biggest catalysts of this epidemic is prescription drugs. More often than not, people take prescription drugs for the sake of relieving various diseases and illnesses.²

With enough of this medication, an addiction naturally develops in the brain and body. In turn, people turn to the streets or other doctors to obtain their “fix”.

2Many Adults Give Up Things In Exchange For Cannabis

A survey was taken amongst 473 adults who used cannabis for therapeutic reasons. Of that 473, 87% admitted to giving up the following in exchange for cannabis:

Alcohol
Other illicit substances
Prescription medications

The same study also found:

32% preferred cannabis products over illicit drugs.
52% preferred cannabis products over alcohol.

In fact, most adults participating in the study that were under the age of 40 were more likely to do away with all three substances in favor of medical cannabis.

3Cannabinoids Cover A Variety Of Things

Since people are choosing cannabis over other drugs, we have a reason to hope. However, when we begin to look at all the things cannabinoids (such as CBD or THC) can do, that hope becomes something more.

Research has shown cannabis as the ability to alleviate the following:³

Arthritis
Cancer growth
Chronic pain
Gastrointestinal disorders
Mental disorders
Movement disorders
Multiple Sclerosis

And that’s just naming a few. With more research and the right regulations, who knows how cannabis may be able to do more than help people medicate. It may be able to take society out of a drug epidemic.

A New Medical Era

Cannabis may have the ability to end this epidemic. Not only has the above study revealed that more people are choosing cannabis over addictive substance, but cannabis also has medical properties that might be able to replace prescription medication.