The Oregon Liquor Control Commission licensed two Portland laboratories to test cannabis before it hits dispensary shelves, The Oregonian reports. Pixis Labs and Green Leaf Lab are the first labs licensed by officials, who expect to approve four more by Oct. 1, the first official day for recreational cannabis sales in the state.
Currently, cannabis must be tested before being sold to consumers but the labs are not subject to state oversight. The new regime requires labs to be certified by the liquor commission and the State of Oregon’s Laboratory Accreditation Program. So far, 17 labs have submitted applications to the commission to test cannabis. The marijuana accreditation is separate from other accreditations, such as water and food.
“Now businesses are licensed to start testing product which will allow its movement through our regulatory system and the industry supply chain,” Steve Marks, OLCC executive director said in a Patch report. “We expect additional lab capacity to come online to meet the needs of the fall marijuana harvest.”
The commission estimates that labs will test about 2,500 samples each month to meet demand, based on figures from Colorado and Washington. The state has already issued nearly 200 producer licenses; most of them for large-scale grows.