Ohio College Moving Forward with Plans to Operate a Medical Cannabis Test Lab
Internal planning moving fast with Press Conference scheduled for Sept 5th.
Cleveland, OH, August 17, 2017 --(PR.com)-- CCV Research provided an update today regarding its efforts to help assist an Ohio Public Institute of Higher Education to successfully obtain a certificate of operation for the Ohio Department of Commerce to operate a medical cannabis test lab. CCV met with the college executive team last week to review the current challenges and opportunities to support this state mandated testing and the workforce development effort needed to protect public safety.
“It was important that we advise the executive team that lab licensure is not a mechanism for a private company to partner with the college to beat out other companies,” stated Dr. Jonathan Cachat, President and CEO of CCV Research. "In turn, the executive team disclosed a vision for a long-term plan to develop a robust lab technician program across multiple disciplines. They indicated that the cannabis test lab is just a part of the overall workforce development program."
Last week, CCV Research announced a completed letter of intent with the Ohio institution in part to ease concerns of Ohio patients, cannabis businesses and state regulators that no eligible colleges were willing to participate. The concern is that this critical step in the supply chain would not be met and the entire program would experience delay. State regulators have addressed this trepidation by suggesting that the law (HB 523) and/or testing lab regulations could be changed before launch to allow privately-owned companies to apply. However, CCV Research and other industry experts have been passionately advocating for institutes of higher education to participate in legal cannabis analytics & research for years.
As reported by Jimi Devine of Cannabis Now, “While a surprise inclusion for some, public universities taking part in state cannabis programs made perfect sense to long time UC Berkeley cannabis researcher Dr. Amanda Reiman, who currently serves on the board of the International Cannabis Growers Association. “I think that the involvement of universities in the testing of cannabis for state programs makes total sense,” Reiman said. “Universities and colleges are often on the forefront of research and public discourse. Federal funding used to be a huge barrier for these institutions wanting to get involved in this way. But, more and more, state medical cannabis laws are including these institutions as a vital part of their program. I think this is a move in the right direction.”
“For all the flack state regulators have been getting during the rule making process, Ohio did get this right,” Dr. Cachat explained. “By placing the analytic testing in the hands of public institutes, Ohio has opened the door for significant life-saving medical breakthroughs, deeply needed workforce development opportunities and eliminated the risks of lab-shopping.” Apparently, ‘lab shopping’ is a substantial problem in mature legal cannabis markets with privately-owned labs wherein cultivators or producers will select the lab that tests their products based on a pre-determined, desired result. Want to boost up your flowers THC levels, go to Lab X – they always over estimate; afraid that you have a minor powdery mildew problem, get tested at Lab Y who never fails anyone for fungal diseases.
“There is still concern about loss of federal funding. However, as a public Ohio college, we feel empowered to support the state and Ohio patients with quality and safety assurance, and obligated to provide education and workforce development opportunities,” stated an unnamed college representative. “We are waiting until Sept 5 to formally announce our involvement, to assure support from our community and develop an application that has a high probability of success. We are also aware of a potential capacity problems and are reviewing ways to increase testing capacity by means of satellite lab facilities located across the state in cooperation with other Ohio public institutes of higher education allowed by the law.”
Any members of the press that would like to be invited to the Sept. 5 Press Conference are to send a request to the media contact below.
About CCV Research
CCV Research is an innovative development & management group specializing in the cannabis industry with expertise in the entire cannabis supply chain, and regarding state and local regulation creation and deployment. Founded by Dr. Jonathan Cachat, recognized as one of the brightest mind in the cannabis industry, the CCV Research Team bring investment, merger / acquisition, business processes for compliance including ISO 9000 and ISO 17025, and business startup expertise.
Media Contact
John M. Cachat
440-941-2721
john@ccvresearch.com
“It was important that we advise the executive team that lab licensure is not a mechanism for a private company to partner with the college to beat out other companies,” stated Dr. Jonathan Cachat, President and CEO of CCV Research. "In turn, the executive team disclosed a vision for a long-term plan to develop a robust lab technician program across multiple disciplines. They indicated that the cannabis test lab is just a part of the overall workforce development program."
Last week, CCV Research announced a completed letter of intent with the Ohio institution in part to ease concerns of Ohio patients, cannabis businesses and state regulators that no eligible colleges were willing to participate. The concern is that this critical step in the supply chain would not be met and the entire program would experience delay. State regulators have addressed this trepidation by suggesting that the law (HB 523) and/or testing lab regulations could be changed before launch to allow privately-owned companies to apply. However, CCV Research and other industry experts have been passionately advocating for institutes of higher education to participate in legal cannabis analytics & research for years.
As reported by Jimi Devine of Cannabis Now, “While a surprise inclusion for some, public universities taking part in state cannabis programs made perfect sense to long time UC Berkeley cannabis researcher Dr. Amanda Reiman, who currently serves on the board of the International Cannabis Growers Association. “I think that the involvement of universities in the testing of cannabis for state programs makes total sense,” Reiman said. “Universities and colleges are often on the forefront of research and public discourse. Federal funding used to be a huge barrier for these institutions wanting to get involved in this way. But, more and more, state medical cannabis laws are including these institutions as a vital part of their program. I think this is a move in the right direction.”
“For all the flack state regulators have been getting during the rule making process, Ohio did get this right,” Dr. Cachat explained. “By placing the analytic testing in the hands of public institutes, Ohio has opened the door for significant life-saving medical breakthroughs, deeply needed workforce development opportunities and eliminated the risks of lab-shopping.” Apparently, ‘lab shopping’ is a substantial problem in mature legal cannabis markets with privately-owned labs wherein cultivators or producers will select the lab that tests their products based on a pre-determined, desired result. Want to boost up your flowers THC levels, go to Lab X – they always over estimate; afraid that you have a minor powdery mildew problem, get tested at Lab Y who never fails anyone for fungal diseases.
“There is still concern about loss of federal funding. However, as a public Ohio college, we feel empowered to support the state and Ohio patients with quality and safety assurance, and obligated to provide education and workforce development opportunities,” stated an unnamed college representative. “We are waiting until Sept 5 to formally announce our involvement, to assure support from our community and develop an application that has a high probability of success. We are also aware of a potential capacity problems and are reviewing ways to increase testing capacity by means of satellite lab facilities located across the state in cooperation with other Ohio public institutes of higher education allowed by the law.”
Any members of the press that would like to be invited to the Sept. 5 Press Conference are to send a request to the media contact below.
About CCV Research
CCV Research is an innovative development & management group specializing in the cannabis industry with expertise in the entire cannabis supply chain, and regarding state and local regulation creation and deployment. Founded by Dr. Jonathan Cachat, recognized as one of the brightest mind in the cannabis industry, the CCV Research Team bring investment, merger / acquisition, business processes for compliance including ISO 9000 and ISO 17025, and business startup expertise.
Media Contact
John M. Cachat
440-941-2721
john@ccvresearch.com
Contact
CCV Research
John Cachat
440-941-2721
www.ccvresearch.com
John Cachat
440-941-2721
www.ccvresearch.com
Contact
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