Canada is working on Technical Cannabis Standards

Recommendation

6/7 June 2023

GMP for Cannabis – what you need to know - Live Online Conference
All relevant GMP/GDP/GACP aspects for Medical Cannabis

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) will lead an ISO international working group to develop guidelines for the global legal cannabis market. The technical guides will cover the safety, security and sustainability of buildings, facilities, equipment and systems utilized for the cultivation, production, processing, transportation and sale of cannabis and cannabis products.

ISO INTERNATIONAL IWG (ISO IWA 37)

The three proposed documents are:

• 1 – Technical guide for the safety of cannabis buildings, equipment and oil extraction operations
• 2 – Technical guide for the secure handling of cannabis and cannabis products
• 3 – Good production practices (GPP) guide for cannabis

According to the announcement "Canada is uniquely positioned to offer global thought leadership based on the initiatives taken to date to address the safety, security and sustainability considerations in coordination with regulators, government and industry stakeholders since its 2018 legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational use."

ASTM D37 on Cannabis

In addition, the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) is working on the elaboration of technical Cannabis standards. The ASTM Committee D37 was formed in 2017 to develop standards for cannabis, its products and processes. Subcommittees will focus on the development of test methods, practices and guides for cultivation, quality assurance, laboratory considerations, industrial hemp, devices, packaging and security.

D37 Subcommittees and Standards:

• D37.01 Indoor and Outdoor Horticulture and Agriculture
• D37.02 QMS
• D37.03 Laboratory
• D37.04 Processing & Handling
• D37.05 Security & Transportation
• D37.06 Personnel Training, Assessment, Credentialing
• D37.07 Industrial Hemp
• D37.08 Cannabis Devices & Appliances
• D37.09 Sustainability