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Hawaii Cannabis Testing Labs

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Does Hawaii License Independent Cannabis Testing Labs?

Yes. Through its Department of Health, Hawaii licenses independent laboratories to test medical marijuana products intended for sale in the state. Per Section 11-850-82 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules, no laboratory may handle, test, or analyze marijuana or manufactured marijuana products in Hawaii unless it is certified by the State Department of Health and is independent of all medical marijuana dispensary licensees and employees. Marijuana testing laboratories in the state must also be independent of all other persons and entities with a financial interest in a dispensary licensee.

Requirements for Marijuana Testing Labs in Hawaii

For a marijuana testing laboratory to be approved by the Hawaii Department of Health, it must be accredited by a standards body offering International Standards for Organization (ISO) 17025 accreditation or its equivalent. The laboratory must also demonstrate capacity and proficiency to test marijuana and manufactured marijuana products and fulfill other requirements under Chapter 11-850 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules.

Hawaii Required Tests for Cannabis Products

Per Section 11-850-81 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules, a dispensary may not dispense marijuana or manufactured marijuana products unless a laboratory certified by the Hawaii Department of Health has tested the marijuana or manufactured marijuana products and certified that they meet the requirements of Chapter 11-850 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules. A marijuana testing laboratory in Hawaii must test marijuana for:

  • Cannabinoid profile for Delta-9 THC, THCA, CBD, CBDA, CBG, CBN
  • Contaminants, such as:
  • Heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury)
  • Pesticides
  • Solvents (butane, heptane, benzene, toluene, hexane, and total xylenes)
  • Any visible foreign or extraneous materials not intended to be part of the product (mold, hair, insects, metal, or plastic)
  • Moisture content of plant material
  • microbiological impurities (total yeast and mold, total viable aerobic bacteria, total coliforms, bile-tolerant gram-negative bacteria, E.coli and Salmonella spp., Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus niger, and mycotoxins

Note that additional testing requirements may be conducted at the discretion of the Hawaii Department of Health.

How Do Hawaii Marijuana Testing Labs Submit and Report Test Results?

A cannabis testing lab in Hawaii must issue to the dispensary licensee, and the Department of Health, a certificate of analysis for each batch of marijuana and manufactured marijuana product tested. Specific information about how the COA will be submitted to the DOH is not included in the Hawaii Administrative Rules.

Also, per the state’s Administrative Rules, a marijuana testing lab must maintain, for a period of at least 5 years, the records of the tests it conducted on marijuana and manufactured marijuana products, including their results and COAs. Lab testing reports must be made available to the DOH upon request.

How Much Does It Cost to Test Cannabis in Hawaii?

Cannabis testing prices vary in Hawaii, depending on the type of test. For example, cannabinoid profiling costs about $80, pesticide tests costs up to $200, heavy metal tests cost about $150, moisture content tests cost about $50, while a test for molds and microbes may cost as much as $150.

What Happens to Cannabis Products That Fail Lab Tests in Hawaii?

If a sample does not meet the standards stipulated for testing by the Hawaii Department of Health, the dispensary must quarantine the entire batch from which the sample was taken as a non-conforming batch. The non-conforming batch may be retested in accordance with the Hawaii DOH rules. If the sample fails the retest, the dispensary must dispose of or destroy the sample and the entire batch from which the sample was taken.

List of Cannabis Testing Labs in Hawaii

According to the Hawaii Department of Health, only one cannabis testing facility (Spectra Analytical Lab) is currently licensed to test marijuana in the state.