Cannabis Pesticide Testing: Analytical Challenges, Regulatory Gaps, and Opportunities for Improving Consumer Safety

Since the establishment of state-specific medical and recreational cannabis programs, contaminant testing of cannabis and its derivatives has become a critical regulatory requirement intended to protect patients and consumers. Among these regulated contaminants, pesticide residues may pose significant and often under-researched risks to cannabis users who regularly ingest or inhale a wide variety of products available on the market. Currently, pesticide testing regulations vary widely from state to state, with discrepancies in the unique lists of pesticides tested, total number of targets analyzed, and their respective regulatory action limits. This inconsistency has raised concerns among industry experts about the adequacy of pesticide residue testing scopes. In addition to state to state variation, there is also growing concern that some states’ pesticide regulations may fail to address the full range of risks associated with cannabis products on the market. Without a harmonized, evolving, and comprehensive testing framework, many consumers may unknowingly be exposed to harmful pesticide residues. This session will explore these challenges within the current testing and regulatory landscape by presenting real-world pesticide data that characterizes ongoing risks to public health. Attendees will gain insight into emerging analytical challenges related to expanding pesticide testing in complex cannabis matrices, as well as methods and techniques to overcome these laboratory hurdles. This session calls on laboratories, regulators, and key industry stakeholders to collaborate in advancing pesticide testing to ensure safer, more consistent, higher-quality products for consumers.