ASTM International to Form Committee for Cannabis Production

Pending approval from its board of directors, ASTM International plans to launch a new committee focused on creating technical standards and guidance materials for cannabis production and its related products.

On Feb. 28, about 60 industry representatives, associations, and others convened at ASTM International’s global headquarters near Philadelphia and decided to create a volunteer committee on cannabis (to be designated D37). The meeting was a result of broad interest and inquiries to ASTM International since 2015 to develop high-quality standards for this industry.

Initially, the new committee plans to focus on standards development in six technical areas:

• Indoor and outdoor horticulture and agriculture,
• Quality management systems,
• Laboratory,
• Processing and handling,
• Security and transportation, and
• Personnel training, assessment, and credentialing.

Dr. Ralph Paroli, immediate past chairman of the board and director of R&D in measurement science and standards at the National Research Council of Canada, said, “With its decades of experience in industries such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, packaging, agriculture, pesticides, and more, ASTM International is the perfect place for standards development for the cannabis industry.”  Paroli was voted to serve as the committee’s first chairman.

The board of directors will receive a recommendation to approve this committee and, if approved, the committee plans to host its first official meeting in the coming months.

To learn more about the ASTM International process, visit www.astm.org/ABOUT/full_overview.