Consistent characterization to help ensure quality, protect patients and promote sound research

In many parts of the US, cannabis is available for medical use under state law. Prescribers, manufacturers and distributors – not to mention patients – are all concerned about the safety and quality of cannabis for medical use. States have adopted different approaches to oversight, but the lack of consistency may leave patients at risk.

As part of the safety net that protects and promotes public health in the US, USP is taking steps to prevent harm to patients resulting from exposure to substandard, super-potent, contaminated or adulterated cannabis for medical use under state law.

USP is working with researchers, manufacturers, distributors, regulators and health care practitioners to protect public health and promote sound research by establishing a framework for the consistent characterization of cannabis for medical use.

Cannabis tool kits now available for download

USP’s four-volume Cannabis Tool Kits provide resources for quality-conscious scientists, manufacturers and regulators to help protect public health by establishing a framework for the consistent characterization of cannabis for medical use.

  • Volume 1: Tools to build a cannabis quality framework
  • Volume 2: Resources for professionals (Manufacturers, Regulators, Healthcare)
  • Volume 3: The future of cannabis quality starts here
  • Volume 4: Cannabis can’t cross borders. Our science can: About USP

DOWNLOAD THEM ALL

usp reference standards

Used in analytical procedures to verify the identity and determine the constituents of product samples, the following are current USP Reference Standards related to cannabis for medical use:

What is USP’s position and plan for helping to ensure the safety and quality of cannabis for medical use? 

Find out

USP’s article in the Journal of Natural Products outlines core quality attributes and tools that may help establish testing and quality benchmarks for cannabis inflorescence.

Read the article