New Jersey Department of Public Health Services set the cannabis laboratory rules for the state’s medical marijuana program.
The following regulations were set and agreed upon in a hearing December 19, 2011. These cannabis laboratory regulations are up for review December 19, 2018. That means that the state could require testing for cannabinoid analysis and/or terpene profile analysis coming soon. For now New Jersey dispensaries are only required to test for dangerous contaminants when prompted by inspection from the Department. In their legislation, dispensaries are referred to as Alternative Treatment Centers (ATC). The first law is that the Department can carry out announced and unannounced inspections. These will ensure product quality control which ensures safety for qualifying patients.
In the case of these inspections the Department has specific requirements to test. They must collect soil samples, plant samples, and samples of product containing cannabis cultivated and/or dispensed by the ATC. The permit number of the ATC will be labelled clearly on each sample container. The sample container should also be labelled with a description and quantity of its content. The staff member who took the sample will initial each container. After being properly labelled the sample container is sealed for transit to the cannabis laboratory.
Throughout the entire process of the samples being taken to the acnnabis laboratory tests the Department must keep documentation. The Department will provide a receipt to the ATC once the samples are taken. All containers will be accounted for while the samples are being tested. At the cannabis laboratory the samples will be tested for pests, pesticides, mold, heavy metals, and mildew. The ATC that is being tested is required to pay for the cost of all lab analyses. The results of the testing will be issued to the ATC via reports from the Department. For more information refer to the original document Medicinal Marijuana Program Rules (Adopted New Rules: N.J.A.C. 8:64)
