First of Its Kind Partnership in the Cannabis Industry to Bridge State Rulemaking and the Creation of Cannabis Standards
Partnership between ATACH and A2LA will Pave the Way for New Quality Standards, Increase Consistency Between Labs, Bring Uniformity in State Testing Regulations, and Ensure Safe Consumer Products
Washington, D.C. – A2LA and the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) today announced the first ever partnership agreement between a laboratory accreditation body and cannabis trade organization.
A2LA will work with ATACH to promote open-source quality management standards to regulators and state governments across the country for the cannabis and hemp industries. This relationship is aimed to help the community through the dual promotion of foundational standards for quality control testing and regulatory guidelines that promote product safety.
Together, A2LA and ATACH will promote the adoption of appropriate industry standards for use in recreational cannabis, medical cannabis, and hemp testing throughout the country.
“In an industry that lacks standard test methods and where testing is such a crucial part of the regulatory landscape, the need for open-source consensus standards is especially significant,” said ATACH Executive Director and Co-Founder Michael Bronstein. “The development and adoption of standard test methods for cannabis testing will ensure consistency between laboratories, encouraging uniformity in state testing regulation, and providing a safe and consistent product to consumers.”
The partnership is a natural one in that A2LA is already active and engaged in state legislation and rulemaking while ATACH is a conduit to the cannabis industry. The partnership will help shape sound policy related to lab testing and standards while taking in feedback from experts within the industry. This two-way feedback loop will be helpful to policymakers in states with current legalization programs in place in addition to states considering to legalize medical or recreational cannabis use.
“As the only independent, 501(c)3, non-profit, internationally-recognized accreditation body in the United States that offers a full range of comprehensive laboratory and laboratory-related accreditation services and training, we are proud to partner with ATACH in bringing quality standards to a new industry,” said Roger Brauninger, biosafety program manager for A2LA.
About A2LA
A2LA is a non-profit, non-governmental, third-party accreditation body, offering internationally-recognized accreditation services and training to testing and calibration laboratories, inspection bodies, proficiency testing providers, reference material producers and product certifiers.
About ATACH
The American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) is the leading 501(c)(6) marijuana industry trade organization promoting the expansion and protection of legal sales of marijuana for industrial, medical, and adult use. In 2017, ATACH was named “Trade Association of the Year” by Campaigns & Elections magazine. ATACH’s membership is comprised of the most influential businesses in the industry and promotes the protection and expansion of the cannabis industry.
