The purpose of this act is to create an interagency coordination team responsible for the program that establishes and maintains quality standards for laboratories conducting analysis of recreational and medicinal cannabis with THC levels greater than 0.3 percent. The interagency team includes the department of agriculture, the liquor and cannabis board, and the department of health. The standards must be adopted by rule by the department of agriculture, and changes to standards may require reference in liquor and cannabis board and department of health rules. This authority to establish these rules transfers from the liquor and cannabis board to the department of agriculture. This act implements the recommendations of the cannabis science task force established in RCW 43.21A.735.
According to the task force's recommendations: "Laboratory quality standards are the elements used in the evaluation of a product's compliance with established product standards. They consist of approved methods, method validation protocols, and performance measures and criteria applied to the testing of the product. Establishing appropriate and well-defined laboratory quality standards is essential to communicate to the testing laboratories what standardized practices and procedures are appropriate.
Laboratory quality standards help ensure the data that laboratories generate are credible and can be used to provide consumer protections. They should represent sound scientific protocols, and detail practical and specific guidance for the testing subject matter. Together, well-established product standards, laboratory quality standards, and accreditation standards should function to garner confidence for consumers and the industry they support."
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Cannabis lab" means a laboratory that tests cannabis for compliance with product standards established by rule by the state liquor and cannabis board.
"Team" means the interagency coordination team for cannabis laboratory quality standards created in this chapter.
The interagency coordination team for cannabis laboratory quality standards is created. The team consists of the department, the liquor and cannabis board, and the department of health. The department is designated lead agency for the team and must provide the team with all necessary administrative support.
The agencies that make up the team must each dedicate administrative, policy, scientific, or other staff necessary to successfully accomplish the duties assigned to the team.
The team must:
Coordinate among all participating agencies on agency policies, actions, and regulatory activities that relate to cannabis testing laboratory quality standards; and
Advise the department on implementation and maintenance of cannabis testing laboratory quality standards topics including, but not limited to, analytical methods, validation protocols, quality assurance and quality control practices, project planning and sampling guides, and other topics as necessary to fulfill the purposes of the team and this act. In making its recommendations, the team must take into account the cannabis science task force recommendations.
The department must establish and maintain cannabis testing laboratory quality standards by rule in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW.
Cannabis testing laboratory quality standards must include, but are not limited to, approved methods for testing cannabis for compliance with product standards established by rule by the state liquor and cannabis board or the department of health, method validation protocol, and performance measures and criteria applied to testing of cannabis products.
The department must take into account the recommendations of the team created in section 3 of this act.
Standards created under this chapter must be provided to the state department of ecology for use in the lab accreditation process described in RCW 69.50.348.
This section modifies existing section 69.50.348. Here is the modified chapter for context.
On a schedule determined by the state liquor and cannabis board, every licensed marijuana producer and processor must submit representative samples of marijuana, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products produced or processed by the licensee to an independent, third-party testing laboratory . The purpose of testing representative samples is to certify compliance with quality assurance and product standards adopted by the state liquor and cannabis board under RCW 69.50.342 or the department of health under RCW 69.50.375. In conducting tests of cannabis product samples, testing laboratories must adhere to laboratory quality standards adopted by the state department of agriculture under chapter 15.--- RCW (the new chapter created in section 9 of this act). Any sample remaining after testing shall be destroyed by the laboratory or returned to the licensee submitting the sample.
Independent, third-party testing laboratories performing cannabis product testing under subsection (1) of this section must obtain and maintain accreditation.
Licensees must submit the results of inspection and testing for quality assurance and product standards required under subsection (1) of this section to the state liquor and cannabis board on a form developed by the state liquor and cannabis board.
If a representative sample inspected and tested under this section does not meet the applicable quality assurance and product standards established by the state liquor and cannabis board, the entire lot from which the sample was taken must be destroyed.
The state liquor and cannabis board may adopt rules necessary to implement this section**. The state liquor and cannabis board may adopt rules necessary to implement subsection (2) of this section until a successor state agency or agencies assume responsibility for establishing and administering laboratory standards and accreditation**.
This section modifies existing section 69.50.348. Here is the modified chapter for context.
On a schedule determined by the state liquor and cannabis board, every licensed marijuana producer and processor must submit representative samples of marijuana, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products produced or processed by the licensee to an independent, third-party testing laboratory meeting the accreditation requirements established by the state department of ecology**. The purpose of testing representative samples is** to certify compliance with quality assurance and product standards adopted by the state liquor and cannabis board under RCW 69.50.342 or the department of health under RCW 69.50.375. In conducting tests of cannabis product samples, testing laboratories must adhere to laboratory quality standards adopted by the state department of agriculture under chapter 15.--- RCW (the new chapter created in section 9 of this act). Any sample remaining after testing shall be destroyed by the laboratory or returned to the licensee submitting the sample.
Independent, third-party testing laboratories performing cannabis product testing under subsection (1) of this section must obtain and maintain accreditation.
Licensees must submit the results of inspection and testing for quality assurance and product standards required under RCW 69.50.342 to the state liquor and cannabis board on a form developed by the state liquor and cannabis board.
If a representative sample inspected and tested under this section does not meet the applicable quality assurance and product standards established by the state liquor and cannabis board, the entire lot from which the sample was taken must be destroyed.
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The department of ecology may determine, assess, and collect annual fees sufficient to cover the direct and indirect costs of implementing a state marijuana product testing laboratory accreditation program, except for the initial program development costs. The department of ecology must develop a fee schedule allocating the costs of the accreditation program among its accredited marijuana product testing laboratories. The department of ecology may establish a payment schedule requiring periodic installments of the annual fee. The fee schedule must be established in amounts to fully cover, but not exceed, the administrative and oversight costs. The department of ecology must review and update its fee schedule biennially. The costs of marijuana product testing laboratory accreditation are those incurred by the department of ecology in administering and enforcing the accreditation program. The costs may include, but are not limited to, the costs incurred in undertaking the following accreditation functions:
Evaluating the protocols and procedures used by a laboratory;
Performing on-site audits;
Evaluating participation and successful completion of proficiency testing;
Determining the capability of a laboratory to produce accurate and reliable test results; and
Such other accreditation activities as the department of ecology deems appropriate.
The state marijuana product testing laboratory accreditation program initial development costs must be fully paid from the dedicated marijuana account created in RCW 69.50.530.
The department of ecology and the interagency coordination team created in section 3 of this act must act cooperatively to ensure effective implementation and administration of this section.
All fees collected under this section must be deposited in the dedicated marijuana account created in RCW 69.50.530.