Cannabis Testing · COA Standards
How licensed cannabis is tested in New York.
Every product on a licensed New York dispensary shelf passes a mandatory third-party laboratory testing protocol covering potency, terpenes, pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, and microbial contaminants.
Questions, answered
The standards, in plain English.
What testing does New York require for cannabis?
OCM-mandated testing includes cannabinoid potency, terpene profile, pesticide screen, heavy metal screen (lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury), residual solvent analysis for extracts, microbial contamination (E. coli, salmonella, aspergillus), mycotoxin screen, and moisture/water-activity testing.
Where do the labs come from?
Independent third-party laboratories accredited by OCM. The producer cannot self-test. Every batch must pass every screen before it can legally ship to a licensed retailer.
Can I see the test results?
Yes. Every product on The Alchemy's shelf has a Certificate of Analysis (COA) on file. Ask any budtender or request a copy at the counter.
What's in a Certificate of Analysis?
The COA documents the lab, the batch number, every screened compound, the result, and the pass/fail threshold. It also includes the lab's signature, the date of analysis, and the chain-of-custody record.
How does this differ from unlicensed shops?
Unlicensed shops face no testing requirement. Their product can come from any source, contain any cutting agent, fail any safety test, and no one would know. The COA chain is the whole point of the regulated market.