New Hampshire Cannabis Testing Labs
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New Hampshire Drug Testing Laws >
Does New Hampshire License Independent Cannabis Testing Labs?
New Hampshire allows independent cannabis testing laboratories located in the state and licensed under RSA 151 and He-P 808 to test marijuana products produced for consumption in the state. To be approved as an independent cannabis testing laboratory, a testing facility must submit an application to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. Because only medical marijuana is currently legal in the state, approved New Hampshire independent testing laboratories cannot legally test recreational cannabis and recreational cannabis products.
Requirements for Marijuana Testing Labs in New Hampshire
New Hampshire independent testing labs are required to obtain their licenses pursuant to RSA 151 and He-P 808. Although nothing in these statutes specifically mentions requirements for labs testing cannabis, cannabis testing labs are generally required to be accredited by an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 17025 by a third-party accrediting body such as the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ACLASS) or the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA).
ISO 17025 is an international standard specifying the general requirements for the competence and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories. Laboratories accredited to this standard demonstrate a commitment to quality and competence, making their results more widely accepted.
New Hampshire Required Tests for Cannabis Products
Each batch of harvested cannabis and cannabis concentrate produced in New Hampshire must be tested for safety before being sold to users. Per N.H. Code Admin. R. He-C 402.15, cannabis must be tested for:
- The cannabinoid profile (THC, THCA, THCV, CBC, CBD, CBDA, CBDV, CBG, CBN)
- Contaminants, such as viable aerobic bacteria, yeast, mold, viable coliforms, bile-tolerant gram-negative bacteria, E. coli and Salmonella Spp., mycotoxins (aflatoxin and ochratoxin), heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury), pesticides and other prohibited chemicals listed in Table 402.3 in He-C 402.34, and residual solvents (ethanol)
How Do New Hampshire Marijuana Testing Labs Submit and Report Test Results?
New Hampshire cannabis testing regulations do not specify precisely how marijuana testing labs should submit marijuana test results. However, in accordance with N.H. Code Admin. R. He-C 402.15, cannabis testing results must be sent by the independent testing labs to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. Also, an Alternate Treatment Center must receive written notice of passing results from the cannabis testing lab, or in some cases, the Alternate Treatment Center receives written notice from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services that a cannabis batch has passed testing.
How Much Does It Cost to Test Cannabis in New Hampshire?
Prices for cannabis testing in New Hampshire vary from laboratory to laboratory. For example, it costs about $40 for a cannabinoid profile test and about $400 for a pesticide panel test.
What Happens to Cannabis Products That Fail Lab Tests in New Hampshire?
When a cannabis sample tests over the threshold set for a contaminant, the testing laboratory is allowed to re-test to confirm the initial results. If the second test confirms the initial result, the Alternate Treatment Center must quarantine an entire batch and may either destroy the batch or engage the New Hampshire Therapeutic Cannabis Program (NHTCP) in a strict remediation process. The NHTCP typically approves an ethanol-based remediation process, with each step keenly supervised by the Program. Under N.H. Code Admin. R. He-C 402.15 (j), any cannabis batch whose test sample fails to pass the specified standards must be destroyed and discarded as waste.
If testing indicates that the cannabinoid profile on the label of a product does not accurately reflect its contents, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services will order the destruction of such product if it has not been dispensed. If it has been dispensed, the product must be recalled and destroyed, while patients must be offered replacements or refunds.
List of Cannabis Testing Labs in New Hampshire
New Hampshire does not provide an official list of approved cannabis testing labs. However, Nelson Analytical Lab is a top-rated cannabis testing lab in the state and has been working with the New Hampshire Therapeutic Cannabis Program since its inception in 2016.
