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cannabissciencetech.com june 2022 | Psychedelics: New Frontiers in Alternative Medicine 25 The Legal Cannabis Coalition: A Closer Look at How Dutch Horticultural Companies and Scientific Partners Joined Forces M E G A N L' H E U R E U X Dr. Arno Hazekamp, cofounder and board member of Legal Cannabis Coalition as well as the director and founder of Hazekamp Herbal Consulting, discusses the formation, goals, research, and education initiatives going on in the newly formed group. T HE SUPPLY CHAIN of a cannabinoid product resembles that of a pharmaceuti- cal product. Quality must be maintained throughout source of ingredients, testing in laboratories, production processing, and carefully packaged and transported products. If quality is compromised at any step, the result will be an inferior product that jeopardizes your business, consumer trust, and, most importantly, the health of the patient. One of the most critical risk points is for laboratories storing reagents and samples in refrigerators. Like any machine, perfor- mance of a refrigerator can vary and expire. Thus resulting in a temperature deviation that could influence the results of the analytical testing. regulations: us As of March 2020, 33 US states have laws allowing medical use of cannabis, plus another 14 allow the use of low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) limited pro- grams. In addition, 11 states also allow recreational use or "adult use" (see Figure 1). For a comprehen- sive state by state overview on legalized medical and "adult use" cannabis use, visit the National Confer- ence of State Legislatures web page on marijuana laws (1). One key good practice (GxP) standard guidance in the US is from the United States Pharmacopeia Gen- eral Chapter <1029> "Good Documentation Practices" (2), that states: • Records should be clear, concise, accurate, and legible • Data entries should be recorded promptly when actions are performed • No backdating or postdating • Documentation system is needed to ensure data integrity and availability of current and archived records regulations: canada Documentation is key. As per section 231 of the Can- nabis Regulations (3–5), license holders (other than cannabis drug license holders) must maintain records demonstrating their adherence to the good produc- tion practices (GPP). License holders must be able to demonstrate, using records available at the licensed site, that the activities conducted are compliant. Have you faced a regulatory audit yet? In Canada, they started in 2017 following three recalls of canna- bis for medical use related to the unauthorized use of pest control products (PCPs). Health Canada began a series of unannounced inspections and targeted testing of cannabis products from licensed producers under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations to ensure that only authorized PCPs were used during the production of cannabis. Later that year, Health Canada announced it would require mandatory testing for the presence of pesticide active ingredients in all cannabis products, before the prod- ucts could be sold or provided to individuals. feature Image credit: Microgen/ adobe.stock.com