Kentucky Cannabis Testing Overview
COA Requirement:
Required.
All harvest and production batches of medicinal cannabis must pass required laboratory testing and receive a Certificate of Analysis (COA) issued by a licensed safety compliance facility before they may be transferred or sold.
Cannabinoid Testing Requirements:
Required. Testing for the following cannabinoids is mandatory for all finished products:
- Δ⁹-THC
- THCA
- Δ⁸-THC
- CBD
- CBDA
- CBN
- CBG
- CBGA
- THCV
- CBC
- Total THC
- Total CBD
- Total Cannabinoids
Terpene Testing Requirements:
Required.
- Labs must report the total terpene percentage and identify the most prevalent terpenes.
- Licensees must be able to provide the terpene profile of 12 major terpenoids per strain if requested.
Contaminants Tested For:
Comprehensive panel required.
- Pesticides: Testing required for both harvest and production batches. Must not exceed limits specified in Appendix B.
- Heavy Metals: Inhalable products:
- Arsenic ≤ 0.2 ppm
- Cadmium ≤ 0.2 ppm
- Lead ≤ 0.5 ppm
- Mercury ≤ 0.1 ppm
- Microbial Impurities:
- E. coli: ≤ 100 CFU/g
- Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli: ND in 1g
- Salmonella spp.: ND in 1g
- Aspergillus flavus, fumigatus, niger, terreus: ND in 1g
- Mycotoxins:
- Aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2): ≤ 20 µg/kg total
- Ochratoxin A: ≤ 20 µg/kg
- Yeast and Mold: Total count must be ≤ 10,000 CFU/g
Contaminants Not Required (But of Concern):
Although Kentucky’s testing program is comprehensive, it does not explicitly require testing for:
- Listeria monocytogenes
- Shigella spp.
- Foreign matter (e.g., hair, insects, plastic) is not a distinct test category
Risk Level:
Low Concern: Kentucky’s panel includes cannabinoid and terpene profiling, microbial, pesticide, solvent, mycotoxin, and heavy metal testing, with strict action limits.
Moisture and Water Activity:
Required.
- Water activity: Must be ≤ 0.65 aw
- Moisture content: Must be recorded and reported
State Cannabis Regulatory Agency:
Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Website: https://kymedcan.ky.gov
Email: CHFSregs@ky.gov
Phone: (502) 564-7476
Address: 275 East Main Street, Frankfort, KY 40621
References:
Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. (2024). 915 KAR 1:110 – Cannabis Testing Standards