W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. – In yet another sign of growing mainstream acceptance of the cannabis industry, globally recognized voluntary standards body ASTM International’s cannabis committee released a new slate of standards to support quality control, safety, and compliance.
The standards aim to improve the cannabis and hemp industries by establishing broadly accepted certification requirements for professionals and entities. Twenty-five guides currently exist in areas including indoor and outdoor cultivation, laboratories, processing and handling, devices, and quality control. Seventy additional standards are under development. All are available on the organization’s website, ASTMcannabis.org.
“The cannabis industry is expanding rapidly and would greatly benefit from widespread standardization,” said Cary Black, chief executive officer at CK Black Group and chairman of the cannabis subcommittee on personnel training, assessment, and credentialing. “These guides will help articulate general expectations, expected body of knowledge, and requirements for individuals seeking certification for various cannabis-related vocations.”
The guides, soon to be published as D8346, D8348, and D8147, define content of training modules for personnel certification. According to Black, the materials provide the industry with stronger resources to help improve the quality of personnel and operations.
ASTMcannabis.org also hosts all ASTM International cannabis and hemp activities in one central location, including published standards, training and webinars, certification and proficiency testing programs, and upcoming events. The microsite is accessible to ASTM members, industry stakeholders, and the public.
ASTM International is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization that develops voluntary consensus standards.
