This page contains research and articles pertaining to cannabis product safety and quality control. Unregulated cannabis risks contamination and high THC concentration, which can be dangerous, especially for at-risk populations. This page provides evidence on the risks of unregulated cannabis, the importance of regulations and standardization, and Government of Canada production and testing practices used for regulated Canadian cannabis products.
Original Research
A Clinical Framework for Evaluating Cannabis Product Quality and Safety
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. 2022.
MacCallum CA, Lo LA, Pistawka CA, Boivin M.
Chapter 31
Product Safety and Quality Control
Narouze SN, MacCallum CA. eds. Cannabinoids and Pain. Springer; 2021
Unregulated cannabis: Risky production practices raise concern for consumers
National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health. 2021
BC Gov News: Testing finds contaminants in illegal cannabis
BC Government: Public Safety and Solicitor General. 2021
Cannabis inflorescence for medical purposes: USP considerations for quality attributes
Journal of Natural Products. 2020; 83(4)
Good production practices guide for cannabis
Government of Canada. 2019
Mandatory cannabis testing for pesticide active ingredients
Government of Canada. 2019
Communicating THC levels and ‘dose’ to consumers: Implications for product labelling and packaging of cannabis products in regulated markets
Int. J. Drug Policy. 2019
Labeling accuracy of cannabidiol extracts sold online
JAMA. 2017; 318(17)
Changes in cannabis potency over the last 2 decades (1995-2014): Analysis of current data in the United States
Biological Psychiatry. 2016; 79(7)
Cannabis potency and contamination: A review of the literature
Addiction. 2008; 103