Hawaii Cannabis Testing Overview
COA Requirement:
Required.
Each batch of cannabis or manufactured product must be tested by a certified laboratory, which must issue a Certificate of Analysis (COA) confirming compliance with required standards before the product may be dispensed.
Cannabinoid Testing Requirements:
Required.
The COA must report the chemical profile of the batch, including:
- Δ⁹-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
- THCA
- Cannabidiol (CBD)
- CBDA
- Cannabigerol(CBG)
- Cannabinol (CBN)
Terpene Testing Requirements:
Not required.
No terpene testing is mandated or listed in the legislative standards.
Contaminants Tested For:
Required categories include:
- Heavy Metals (limits in ppm):
- Arsenic: 10 ppm
- Lead: 6 ppm
- Cadmium: 4 ppm
- Mercury: 2 ppm
- Pesticides:
Hawaii includes over 60 named EPA-regulated pesticides, each with strict 1 ppm limits (e.g., myclobutanil, paclobutrazol, mevinphos, daminozide, propoxur, etc.)
- Foreign Materials:
- Hair, insects, metal, or plastic not permitted in final product
- Microbiological Impurities (limits in CFU/g):
- Total aerobic bacteria: ≤100,000 (flower)
- Yeast and mold: ≤10,000 (flower)
- Coliforms: ≤1,000 (flower); ≤100 (extracts)
- Bile-tolerant gram-negative bacteria: ≤1,000
- E. coli and Salmonella spp.: Must be nondetectable
- Aspergillus fumigatus, flavus, niger: Must be nondetectable
- Mycotoxins: ≤20 µg/kg (2 ppm)
Contaminants Not Required (But of Concern):
Hawaii’s testing program is very robust. However, there is no explicit mandate for:
Heavy Metals:
- Chromium
- Nickel
- Selenium
- Barium
Pathogens:
- Listeria monocytogenes
- Shigella spp.
Risk Level:
Low Concern: Hawaii includes a long list of specific EPA-prohibited pesticides, a full microbiological panel, and clear action limits, putting it among the more rigorous states.
Moisture and Water Activity:
Required.
Moisture content of cannabis plant material must be less than 15% by weight.
Not Required? Aw?
State Cannabis Regulatory Agency:
Hawaii Department of Health – Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation (OMCCR)
Website: https://health.hawaii.gov/medicalcannabis
Email: medicalcannabis@doh.hawaii.gov
Address: 4348 Waialae Ave., #648, Honolulu, HI 96816
Phone: (808) 733-2164
References:
State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture. (January 23, 2018). HB 2534 Medical Cannabis Laboratory Testing.