Who could have guessed that state governments would impose draconian restrictions on cannabis markets even after they are approved by over 60% of the state’s population? One thing I don’t understand is the disparity in lab testing rules from one state to another.
There are legitimately places in the United States where cannabis dispensaries are only required to get their products tested one way or another.
They aren’t required to use a third party lab and can instead submit their products to their own series of lab tests for purity and ingredient lists. That’s how it was at first in my state once we initially passed a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana. However, now all medical cannabis stores must submit samples of every product sold to a third-party laboratory approved by the state’s marijuana regulatory board. These are beneficial restrictions that protect patients’ health, but some of the rules drafted are the opposite. For instance, you cannot open a jar of cannabis flower products before purchasing them. This isn’t a rule adopted by the medical cannabis dispensaries, it’s a rule crafted by the state itself. When I called the state’s Department of Health and asked, they gave me some ridiculous reason like preventing patients from getting high in the stores but I don’t buy this. None of the cannabis dispensaries would risk their license to allow their patients to medicate inside their establishments. Sometimes I wonder if they randomly find new rules to impose just so they feel like they’re doing something with their regulatory authority. I don’t want to buy cannabis in a state with absolutely no regulations of any kind, but there has to be options available between both extremes.