LANSING – The Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency will open a new testing lab by January next year as a means to keep the state’s booming marijuana industry in check and, hopefully, push standards into a new era of safety.
The state agency announced Friday that Claire Patterson, its longtime scientific manager, will serve as director of the new lab. Patterson, who earned a master’s in plant biology from Michigan State University, is now the state’s largest asset in its safety regulations against an industry that’s moving fast and sometimes not playing by the rules.
How did you get come to work for the CRA’s scientific division?
I went to MSU for like 10 years and got my bachelor’s and master’s in plant biology and then ended up working in a cannabis testing lab before it was really sanctioned. We had a medical program then but we were not set up for major sales yet. I was managing the testing lab and was essentially in that space when the state released regulations. I knew then there had to be a bridge between the cannabis industry and these testing regulations. I came in (to the CRA) in March of 2019. When I was hired, we had to get labs up and running. We had only four licensed labs at that time, who were effectively operating before the regulations took place. My goal and marching orders at that time were to get them into compliance with the rules.
There are no long-term scientific standards set for this industry. How did you set the current standards?
We are building the plane as we are flying it, kind of. Making sure people were getting on board with their testing methods was critical. We wanted to make sure those (novel) testing methods could be referenced back to industries that had been around a long time. We looked at the food-based testing and tried to adopt that methodology, reference methods of the FDA or AOAC (Association of Official Agricultural Chemists). That was a challenge in and of itself. But it was a big thing I poured myself into, to work with these third-party bodies to make these methods fit in cannabis and not just the food industry.
What is the state of the lab market in the state? We’ve seen some labs get fined, etc.
The laboratory market, not just in Michigan, can always improve. In science, in general, there is always room for improvement. Scientists at their core should be focused on moving the ball forward. There is definitely room for improvement. That’s what we want to accomplish with this reference lab, work on improving methods and working with the licensees in our state to collectively do better.
What is the true purpose of this state-run lab?
We rely on the licensed industry for our reference testing, so really to reduce that burden and act as a real tie breaker. That’s a major consideration. But the ultimate goal … is to use this lab as an investigative assistance tool. Help out our enforcement division to do investigations without having to rely on others in the industry and to improve our audit authority. Going out to laboratories and to obtain samples and test them to make sure they are what they say they are. Consumer safety is the greatest goal. And also to move testing forward. We make to make a contribution to cannabis science as the industry continues to grow.
Lab methodologies simply aren’t standardized in the industry. Does the state plan to use this lab to create a standardized methodology all labs must use?
Some states have enacted those types of policies, but I don’t think that’s where we are right now. It’s not on the near horizon by any means. I think it’s important while we are still validating the science that people can create their own methods. It’s good for cannabis science to be able to grow with the industry. What we’ve done is make sure those methods hit certain perimeters and those methods are accurate and concise. But I won’t say never.
What are your concerns about the current cannabis industry?
Testing labs are the final stop before the consumer. They are the gatekeepers of product that is either relatively safe or relatively unsafe. There are challenges. Our biggest concern is illicit product and synthetic product because there are just so many unknowns. The science is brand new. The methods folks have been doing for a long time, but the products are new and always changing. And at the end of the day, I don’t feel comfortable with the average consumer being exposed to something we are uncertain about.
Will the state add more testing requirements to combat these new illegal products, like the synthetic THC that is not tested for currently?
We absolutely be adding more to our testing panels in the future. Those (THC) conversion products is something we’re looking at. There are also some that are adding MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) to vape cartridges. The regulatory body is always playing catchup to the latest fad. And we’ll always being playing catchup. It’s a very creative industry. But the science is developing quickly for when new things crop up.
By Dustin Walsh a senior reporter for Crain’s Detroit Business, covering health care with a focus on industry change and operations, as well as the state’s emerging cannabis industry.
LANSING – The Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency will open a new testing lab by January next year as a means to keep the state’s booming marijuana industry in check and, hopefully, push standards into a new era of safety. The state agency announced Friday that Claire Patterson, its longtime scientific manager, will serve as director of the new lab. Patterson, who Read More