One of the two laboratories responsible for testing all cannabis products sold in Connecticut dispensaries has shuttered its operations, but state officials insist there has been “no impact” on the availability of both medical and recreational cannabis. AltaSci Labs, located in New Britain, closed its doors just two months after Connecticut’s recreational cannabis market opened.
Kaitlyn Krasselt, a spokesperson for the state Department of Consumer Protection, clarified, “AltaSci closed in March. Their license was changed to inactive shortly after that, and their accreditation was suspended sometime after that since they were closed and no longer in need of accreditation.” She also emphasized that the lab’s closure was not the result of any disciplinary action by the state.
This development leaves just one remaining laboratory, Northeast Laboratories based in Rocky Hill, to conduct tests on samples of every cannabis product sold in the state. However, Northeast Laboratories did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Krasselt assured that “Northeast continues to operate and test cannabis in Connecticut, and there has been no impact on the cannabis program.”
Nonetheless, advocates have expressed concerns about the capacity and quality of products as more growers and retailers enter the market. Medical cannabis patient advocate Lou Rinaldi remarked, “Our state’s entire cannabis industry now hinges upon a single testing lab.”
Ben Zachs, COO of Fine Fettle, highlighted the importance of multiple labs for confirming product consistency but noted the current reliance on one lab. Currently, Connecticut has only four cannabis producers requiring testing, but more have been licensed and will soon supply cannabis for sale in the state. This has raised concerns about potential delays in getting products to market as the number of dispensaries and sales increase.
To conduct cannabis tests in Connecticut, labs must possess International Organization for Standardization (ISO) accreditation, with several accrediting bodies available. Northeast Laboratories holds accreditation from PJLA Testing, while AltaSci’s accreditation was from the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation, though the reason for its suspension in March was not disclosed.
Cannabis samples in Connecticut undergo tests for cannabinoid levels, terpenes, heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, and various microbes, including mold, yeast, salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and aspergillus. Notably, the state had agreed to increase allowable yeast and mold levels in cannabis, which garnered criticism and calls for a statewide, uniform standard. This change contributed to a loss of trust in the medical cannabis program and continues to be a point of contention.
