A study showed that many cannabis testing labs nationwide may misrepresent the strength and growth of mold on products.
The year-long study, conducted by MCR Labs in Massachusetts, requested data from all 39 states where cannabis use is legalized, but only received data from 17 states. Connecticut and New York were amongst those who did not respond.
Yasha Kahn, co-founder of MCR Labs, told Hearst Connecticut Media: “There is consumer fraud across the industry, and it's not unknown.”
His study revealed that much of the cannabis tested does not meet state-regulated levels for mold, yeast and water.
Cannabis products must pass a series of tests that adhere to state guidelines before they can be sold on shelves. If a sample fails, the product is returned to the original grower. The study found that instead of sending cannabis back, labs were falsifying results to meet guidelines.
According to the study, some labs were mislabeling potency levels. Khan said he believed labs overstating potency would have a financial benefit.
He also noted that states with more than one lab were more likely to falsify results. Connecticut has only one cannabis testing lab. MCR Labs is among the facilities contracted for cannabis testing in New York.
