Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Testing Guidance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission approves testing guidance, reduces lab batch size
Summary
The Cannabis Regulatory Commission approved new laboratory testing guidance and a rule waiver that reduces New Jersey's testing batch size from 100 pounds to 33.07 pounds, establishes incremental sampling and retention weight rules, sets a 30-day grace period for sampling changes and an effective date of May 23 for stability-testing changes.
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission on Feb. 18 approved comprehensive testing guidance for laboratories and a regulatory waiver that reduces the state's maximum batch size for testing from 100 pounds to a 33.07-pound maximum.
Commissioner Nash, who presented the guidance, said New Jersey's prior batch size "is currently 100 pounds. It is the highest in the nation," and called the new guidance a technical update to improve sampling precision and product safety. The proposal also requires more specific incremental sampling for product types and outlines minimum sample weights and retention-sample requirements.
The committee set a 30-day grace period for sampling changes and said initial stability-testing changes will take effect at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 23. Regulatory officer Noah Mamber and chief counsel Dave Tweison helped draft the technical guidance, the committee said.
The motion to recommend the testing guidance and associated waivers was moved and then approved by roll-call vote. Mister Sayid recorded that Commissioner Barker was absent; Commissioners Delcid Coso, Nash and Vice Chair Delgado and Chairwoman Weyenu voted yes and the motion passed.
Supporters described the changes as aimed at increasing laboratory accuracy and consumer safety. The commission emphasized the guidance includes a written restatement of applicable rules, identifies where waivers apply, and provides more specific test protocols for inhalable, ingestible and other product categories.
The commission said the guidance and waiver package was developed with stakeholders and agency legal and regulatory staff; the commission invited laboratories and manufacturers to use the grace period to update procedures and prepare for the stability-testing effective date.
Next steps: staff will publish the guidance and waiver documents and update the agency's materials to reflect the new sampling and retention requirements. The commission noted it will monitor implementation and compliance during the transition period.
