We at KeyLeaf have been noticing increased dialogue in trade publications and online seminars about the need for standardization of the nomenclature used in the cannabis/hemp industry. With many hundreds of words and terms in use by growers, researchers, processors, marketers, and consumers, the need for industry-wide standard terminology with authoritative, agreed-upon definitions appears to be self-evident. What is meant by “full spectrum”? What is meant by “broad spectrum”? Is “CBD isolate” 95% pure or 99.7% pure? What about its color and crystalline structure?  Industry-wide agreement on the meaning of key terminology is certainly needed and would do much to facilitate commerce and enable more productive discussions about cannabis, hemp, and their many derivative products.

Also needing standardization are the analytical methods used by the industry to test and measure CBD, THC, and other cannabinoid profiles. Cannabis/hemp testing labs are limited by the lack of published and validated standard test methods which are available for virtually every other high value plant derivative in the marketplace. As a result, each lab develops and uses its own unique testing procedures - which explains why it is not uncommon to see conflicting analysis of the same cannabis/hemp extract sample when submitted to two different labs.

In a recent webinar entitled “Trends in the Regulation and Marketing of Hemp Derived Products: CBD; & Beyond,” attorney Robert Durkin spoke about the need for the cannabis/hemp industry to self-regulate and establish both its own authoritative standard lexicon and its own standardized testing protocols.

“The industry has the opportunity right now to take control of its definitions and methods before a government agency does,” he said.

We at KeyLeaf agree.  We hear Mr. Durkin’s words as a wake-up call, and we’d love to be part of the standardization process.

But where should we start?

We invite those working in all sectors of the cannabis/hemp industry to share their thoughts on how to best proceed toward a standardization of nomenclature and methods.

We look forward to your comments.

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Your friends at KeyLeaf

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