Montana Cannabis Testing Labs
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Montana Drug Testing Laws >
Does Montana License Independent Cannabis Testing Labs?
Montana only licenses independent third-party marijuana testing laboratories that do not hold any other marijuana business license in order to prevent conflict of interest. In the state, a marijuana testing laboratory license is issued by the Department of Revenue’s Cannabis Control Division after inspection and endorsement of a testing facility. Montana allows marijuana and marijuana products intended for medical and recreational uses can be tested by the same testing laboratory.
Requirements for Marijuana Testing Labs in Montana
Marijuana testing laboratories in Montana are required to obtain ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation and adhere to the accreditation's requirements in the course of their practices. Furthermore, these laboratories must employ full-time scientific directors that can oversee the welfare of the testing labs, ensure that all standard operating procedures are in place, and testing personnel are competent. In the event of an inspection, marijuana testing facilities are required to maintain paper or electronic forms of their records and results.
Montana Required Tests for Cannabis Products
For quality assurance purposes, Montana requires marijuana testing laboratories to test cannabis in some or all of the following analyte categories depending on product type:
- Cannabinoid profile/potency
- Filth and foreign matter
- Heavy metals (tested at random)
- Microbiological screening
- Moisture analysis
- Mycotoxins
- Residual solvents
- Pesticides
How Do Montana Marijuana Testing Labs Submit and Report Test Results?
Testing laboratories in Montana are expected to report all test results on Certificates of Analysis (COAs) and enter these into the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system.
How Much Does It Cost to Test Cannabis in Montana?
In Montana, the cost of testing cannabis products depends on the type of test ordered and state mandated protocols. For example, Nordic Labs charges $250 to run a full compliance test on a single cannabis strain of cannabis flower while cannabis infused products cost $75 per production lot. To make inquiries about the price of cannabis testing, you can visit the website of any licensed testing cannabis laboratory in the state.
What Happens to Cannabis Products That Fail Lab Tests in Montana?
Montana allows the retesting and remediation of marijuana and marijuana products that failed initial testing requirements. Within 7 days of learning of a failed batch, a licensee is required to notify a testing laboratory of their plan to resample the batch and have it retested. Within 10 days of receiving the licensee's request, the testing lab is required to resample and retest the unsuccessful batch. Remediation of a failed batch is permitted only if the process will not produce toxins in the final products. Test batches or harvest lots that failed initial testing for moisture analysis or residual solvent screening are allowed to be remediated and retested no more than twice.
List of Cannabis Testing Labs in Montana
There is no official list of endorsed or licensed marijuana testing laboratories in Montana. However, the two prominent laboratories known to test both medical and recreational marijuana in the state are: