Louisiana Cannabis Testing Labs
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Does Louisiana License Independent Cannabis Testing Labs?
Yes. Per Section 901 of the Louisiana Department of Health Rules, prior to testing medical marijuana in Louisiana, a laboratory must hold a valid medical marijuana laboratory license issued by the State Department of Health. Hence, the state licenses independent cannabis testing labs to test medical marijuana. However, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry also has a laboratory approved to handle, test, or analyze medical marijuana and medical marijuana products. Note that recreational marijuana is illegal in Louisiana.
Requirements for Marijuana Testing Labs in Louisiana
Under Louisiana Administrative Code Title 7, Section XLIX-2301, for a laboratory to be approved to test and analyze marijuana in the state, it must be accredited by the NELAC (National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference), the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the International Organization for Standardization, or another accrediting entity approved by the Louisiana Department of Health.
The laboratory must be independent from all other persons involved in the Louisiana medical marijuana industry. Therefore, no person with a direct or indirect interest in the laboratory can have a direct or indirect financial, management or other interest in a licensed marijuana pharmacy, licensee, production facility, certifying physician, or other entity that may benefit from the manufacture, production, dispensing, sale, purchase, or use of medical marijuana or product.
Louisiana Required Tests for Cannabis Products
Under Louisiana Administrative Code Title 7, Section XLIX-2303, medical marijuana concentrates may not be used to produce any form of final product until it has passed all analysis limits for:
- Active ingredient analysis for characterization of potency
- Pesticide active ingredients
- Residual solvents
- Heavy metals
- Mycotoxins
No product may be released for sale or consumption until it has passed all concentrate analysis limits and analysis limits for:
- Microbiological contaminants
- Active ingredient analysis for accuracy of potency
- Homogeneity
Final products not produced from concentrates may not be sold or consumed until it has been tested and have passed all analysis limits for:
- Active ingredient analysis for characterization of potency
- Pesticide active ingredients
- Heavy metals
- Mycotoxins
- Microbiological contaminants
- Homogeneity
How Do Louisiana Marijuana Testing Labs Submit and Report Test Results?
Per Louisiana Administrative Code Title 7, Section XLIX-2303, a laboratory must enter marijuana test results into the LMMTS (Louisiana Medical Marijuana Tracking System) within 24 hours of the completion of each test. The laboratory must file an electronic copy of each laboratory test result for any sample that does not pass a test with the Department of Health and the licensee who submitted the sample for testing. Furthermore, the state requires that marijuana testing laboratories maintain lab test results for a minimum of 5 years and make them available at the request of the Department of Health.
How Much Does It Cost to Test Cannabis in Louisiana?
There are no fixed prices for testing marijuana in Louisiana. You must contact the testing laboratory to obtain a quote for the tests required.
What Happens to Cannabis Products That Fail Lab Tests in Louisiana?
Per Louisiana law, if a medical marijuana concentrate sample fails testing for pesticides, heavy metals, or mycotoxin, the entire batch from which the sample was taken must be disposed of.
However, if a medical marijuana concentrate sample fails residual solvents testing, then, with prior approval of the Department of Health, the product may be subjected to an appropriate remedy, re-formulated, and tested again. The reformulation must pass all required tests for a medical marijuana concentrate in duplicate before it may be released for use in products. If either duplicate fails a test, the entire batch must be disposed of. Note that a batch of medical marijuana concentrate can only be re-formulated once and only to remedy excessive residual solvents.
If a marijuana product fails microbiological testing, the entire batch from which the sample was taken must be disposed of. If a product fails the potency or homogeneity testing, then, with prior approval of the Department of Health, the product can be re-sized and tested again. The re-formulated product may be tested again in duplicate and pass all required tests before it can be released for sale or consumption. If either duplicate fails a test, the entire batch must be disposed of.
List of Cannabis Testing Labs in Louisiana
The Louisiana Department of Health does not maintain a list of approved cannabis testing labs in the state.