Cannabis Testing Gone Wrong? (IV) feat. Kyle Boyar
By cacpodcast.comDo we even test for the right things?
Now that medical and adult-use cannabis programs have been around for some time, and with them mandated lab testing of products – we have a lot of data that we can begin to review in order to assess how well we are managing the quality of cannabis in the market.
In this episode we are joined by microbiologist and analytical technologist Kyle Boyar to confront the idea that there may be some things that regulators require testing for that will almost never show up in a sample, while there are certain toxins that show up more often than we might expect which are NEVER required for testing in any state in the country.
What’s going on? Let’s dive in and find out!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe And Never Miss an Episode! Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS | More
Cannabis Testing Gone Wrong? (Part III) feat. Dr. Josh Swider of Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs
Continuing our series on the issues facing the Cannabis testing industry, we sit down with Josh Swider of Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs to discuss the ways that he and his lab have felt the effects of potency inflation and lab shopping over the past several years. One by one Josh has watched clients disappear after complaints that his THC potency numbers were not high enough compared to his competitors. This is a story all too familiar to most labs that have ever operated in the space. Eventually the requests to boost THC results became much more direct as clients started offering bribes including outright briefcases full of cash. When he denied these advances, he began receiving death threats.
In an effort to understand just how bad the problem was, Josh and his team began collecting products off the shelf and testing them in the lab to see how the results compared to the original test results on record for the product. The results were alarming. Not only did he find evidence of potency fraud, but he also ended up finding evidence of various contaminants in products that somehow originally tested “clean.”
In this episode Josh and I take time to discuss his journey, how the industry has gotten into the situation it is in, and some potential solutions for moving the industry in a positive direction.
Learn more about iCAL: https://infinitecal.com/
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe And Never Miss an Episode! Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS | More
Cannabis Testing Gone Wrong (II) feat. Josh Smith of Therapeutic Health Choice Labs
In this extended 2+ hour episode, Josh Smith of Therapeutic Health Choice, an analytical lab based out of Michigan, takes us on a deep dive into his experiences of Cannabis testing fraud as we explore some potential ways to fix issues like lab shopping and bring scientific integrity back to the cannabis industry.
About Josh:
Josh Smith is a seasoned biotech executive with a graduate degree in Clinical Microbiology and over 24 years of experience in biotechnology, molecular biology, and pharmaceutical R&D. He has played a key role in pioneering various projects, including founding Premium CBD Labs and later Vardera Inc., where he built a nationally recognized laboratory network from the ground up. His work has led to several molecular biology patents, and he has served as an expert witness in legal cases across Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan.
Josh is actively involved in shaping industry standards through his participation in international method committees like AOAC and ASTM. He has also lobbied in Wisconsin, advocating for improved policies in the lab testing industry. In late 2023, he was part of the team that successfully overturned the compliance testing requirement for Aspergillus spp. in the state of Oregon.
Beyond his corporate roles, Josh is passionate about advancing scientific knowledge and innovation. He serves on the Curriculum Advisory Board for the graduate-level Cannabis Applied Science Program at Fanshawe College (London, ON), is a member of the Cannabis Science and Research Organization (Oregon), and is an editor for the Cannabis and Psychedelic Science Journal.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe And Never Miss an Episode! Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS | More