The story of cannabis legalization has been a sordid one on the beautiful island of Hawaii. Cannabis use was legalized in 2000 but no dispensaries were allowed until 2015. That being said, until recently, Hawaiians had to find the herb on their own. Now they can welcome their first state licensed cannabis testing lab.
As of August 1, Steep Hill Laboratories are officially been licensed on the island making them the very first licensed Hawaiian cannabis testing lab. This also means that dispensary owners and cultivators in Hawaii can turn around their samples and prepare them for sales in about a week.
Now, Hawaiians are being granted licenses to operate local dispensaries. Many of these dispensary owners have been ready to open for months, but have been waiting for the ability to test their product in compliance with the law. Steep Hill should be able to turn around with a sample for reliable, relevant test results in about 4-5 days.
“This could not have been accomplished without the hard work, professionalism, and dedication of the Steep Hill corporate and Steep Hill Hawaii team of scientists. Our group is world class. We have come a long way in the past year here in Hawaii, and we’re anticipating a great start to the medical cannabis industry in Hawaii, which begins officially today.” Co-Owner and Chief Operating Officer Michael Covington stated with excitement.
All cannabis products can be tested by Steep Hill Hawaii. The state-certified cannabis testing lab can test for 20, 43 terpenes, pesticides, heavy metals, and residual solvents. They can also do a full biological screening.
Steep Hill Hawaii CEO Dana Ciccone informed us, “We can test for both industry businesses and all in-state cardholders, and we have structured our services so they will be affordable and offer a quick turnaround for our customers. Steep Hill Hawaii is a locally owned and operated company, and we are proud to be the first lab to enable dispensaries to offer safe and legal access to tested cannabis for patients in Hawaii.”
By the end of the Summer, the Hawaii Department of Health will hopefully have issued licenses to the remaining two laboratories in the state so that every dispensary has access to a facility.
