The Benefits of Buying Lab-Tested Cannabis From a Licensed Dispensary

Medical cannabis is more than just another consumer product. It’s medicine that patients rely on to manage serious health conditions. That’s why knowing exactly what’s in your cannabis matters. Lab testing verifies a product’s potency, screens for contaminants, and gives patients confidence that they’re purchasing products that meet Mississippi’s safety standards. 

In this guide, we’ll explain what cannabis lab testing includes, why it’s important to shop at licensed dispensaries, and highlight a few lab-tested products available at Southern Sky Wellness.

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What Is Covered Under Lab Testing?

Licensed medical cannabis dispensaries are required to carry only products that are lab-tested by a qualified third party. Once the product is tested and passes all required inspections, it is given a Certificate of Analysis or COA. 

A copy of the COA must be available to the consumer as part of the product packaging, a QR code, or through the dispensary. In addition to cannabis potency testing for THC and other cannabinoids, there are several other tests that the COA covers:

• Terpene potency
• Pesticides
• Heavy metals
• Contaminant levels
• Pathogens
• Mycotoxins
• Moisture

Why Licensed Dispensaries Are Important

Quality, lab-tested products are the number one reason to shop at a licensed dispensary, but there are many other reasons it makes sense to always purchase cannabis products at a licensed dispensary:

1. Those applying for an operating license for a medical dispensary must adhere to strict state and local laws.

Some of the regulations include maintaining up-to-date documentation, adhering to zoning restrictions, vetting employees for age and other requirements, keeping the facility safe for all employees and customers, and following proper protocol when conducting and recording sales.

2. Those employed in licensed medical dispensaries must have a work permit.

If you want to work in Mississippi’s cannabis industry, you’ll need to get a Work Permit through the Mississippi Department of Health, which includes passing a background check.

3. In Mississippi, medical cannabis dispensaries fall under the oversight of the Department of Revenue.

This department handles licensing and regulation. Specifically, it’s the Alcoholic Beverage Control Enforcement Division within that department that manages dispensary licensing and keeps things in check day-to-day. That division is also the one making sure cannabis is being properly purchased, sold, and distributed at the dispensary level.

The Risks of Buying From Unregulated Sources

If you purchase cannabis in any form from an unregulated dispensary or any other source, you run the risk of getting a product that is tainted due to a lack of testing and regulations. These risks include:

• A product with contaminants such as pesticides and fungicides, mold, mildew, solvent residue, synthetic cannabinoids, and heavy metals.
• Poor labeling about potency or dosage can mean insufficient results or lead to overdose.
• Purchasing cannabis from an unlicensed dispensary means you have no recourse if you become ill.
• Recreational marijuana is illegal in Mississippi. You could be subjected to fines and jail time.

How to Check a Product’s Test Results and Review the COA

Though preparing a COA requires technical and scientific expertise, the document itself is relatively straightforward. At the top of the COA, you should look for the following:

1. The report date
2. Name and credentials of the laboratory
3. Name brand of the company
4. Batch number
5. Product description
6. QR code

The report should verify that the potency of cannabinoids and terpenes was verified and that all contaminants were ruled out.

Shop Lab-Tested Cannabis in Pearl

As a licensed medical dispensary in Pearl, Mississippi, we invite you to visit us at 422 Riverwind Drive, Suite C. Our passionate and qualified staff is ready to guide you and answer your questions. You can also contact us online anytime!

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