The cannabis standards landscape is distributed across multiple standards-setting organizations, each advancing work on testing methods, performance criteria, product safety, research, and quality systems. While this activity is necessary, it is often difficult for stakeholders to track what work is underway, where efforts overlap, and where important technical gaps remain.
The Scientific and Technical Liaisons Group (STLG) operates within the S3 Collective’s Standards Action Committee (SAC) providing visibility into this landscape. Its role is to document and share ongoing and recent research and standards activities across the different standard-setting and research institutions, enabling coordination, reducing duplicative effort, and highlighting areas where additional technical work is needed.
The sections below summarize notable relevant activity over the past quarter for each organization, providing a common reference for laboratories, regulators, researchers, and standards bodies.
If your organization would like to participate in this knowledge-sharing activity, please reach out to [email protected], and a member of our Committee will get in touch with you!
CANN ACS
CANN (Cannabis Chemistry Subdivision) operates within the American Chemical Society (ACS), a scientific society dedicated to advancing chemistry and supporting the broader scientific community. CANN focuses on fostering collaboration among cannabis scientists and professionals, advancing cannabis chemistry research, and promoting scientific integrity and innovation in the field.
Major initiatives and updates:
- Preparing publication on cannabis testing, semi-synthetics, etc.
- Hosting monthly journal clubs that are open to the public
- Partnered with CannMed (June) and National Cannabis Research Conference (October)
Current seeking: Authors to publish a chapter on Chemistry and Law
ACIL Cannabis Working Group
The ACIL Cannabis and Hemp Working Group operates within the American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL), an 87-year-old trade association representing independent scientific and testing laboratories across the U.S. The group focuses on improving cannabis and hemp testing through standards development, technical research, and regulator education.
Major initiatives and updates:
- Submitted for peer review: Analysis of variance in cannabinoid certified reference materials (CRMs).
- In manuscript preparation: Multi-state, multi-lab round-robin study evaluating potency results and inter-laboratory variance.
- Accreditation body working group: Developing guidance to clarify accreditation body roles, limitations, and best practices for regulator engagement.
- Planned: Development of Version 2 of ACIL’s Best Practices for Cannabis Laboratories guidance, including new or updated appendices addressing additional pesticides, sampling practices, and synthetic cannabinoids.
ASTM D37
ASTM Committee D37 on Cannabis operates within ASTM International, a global standards development organization that brings together industry, regulators, and technical experts to develop voluntary consensus standards. Committee D37 focuses on developing standards for cannabis and hemp, including laboratory testing, cultivation, processing, quality, and regulatory support, with the goal of promoting consistency, safety, and technical rigor across the industry.
Major initiatives and updates:
- Standard Technical Paper (publication) to be released on challenges related to elemental impurities of aerosols produced by cannabinoid vape products in collaboration with CDC - late 25/early 26 release
- Latest published standard - Specification for LPGs/LMGs and gas mixtures intended for use in herbal extraction and refinement activities.
- New leadership! 2026-2027 term
- Chair: David V.
- Vice Chair: Darwin M.
- Recording Sec.: Cassin C.
- Membership Sec.: Terry G.
Current Work on Nomenclature:
- Semi-synthetic and synthetic cannabinoids - defines the word cannabinoids, CBG, CBD-like etc, lots of important terms
- The terminology ballot is continuously being revised
- e.g. sum of vs total cannabinoids - has implications for when these terms are used in documents and COAs
Active Standards Development Initiatives:
- Cannabinoid Beverage Safety & Quality: create standards related to safety, quality, and performance of cannabinoid beverages and cannabinoid ingredients used in ready-to-drink beverage products
- Vape Devices Safety & Testing: establish safety, quality, and performance standards for electronic cannabinoid delivery systems (ECDS) and device components
- Terpene Safety & Quality: normalize terminology related to terpenes and terpene blends and establish standards for safety and quality of terpenes used as ingredients in cannabinoid and non-cannabinoid products (any route of administration)
- Cannabinoid and Cannabinoid Product Characterization: create standards related to the analysis, characterization, and classification of cannabinoids, cannabinoid substances, and cannabinoid products (natural or otherwise)
Current seeking: Subject matter experts for active standard development initiatives.
CSQ
Cannabis Safety & Quality (CSQ) is a global cannabis/hemp safety and quality certification program launched in 2019 to promote industry best practices and improve the overall safety, quality, and risk management of cannabis/hemp and cannabinoid products from seed to sale. CSQ develops and maintains accredited, internationally-aligned safety and quality management standards and certification schemes based on ASTM, ISO, cGMP/cGACP, and other recognized frameworks, helping operators minimize risk, protect their brands, and meet regulatory and market requirements across cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, retail, and distribution.
Major initiatives and updates:
- CSQ 2.0 update released to the public, including 5 new standards and an updated dietary supplement addendum:
- CSQ Cultivation
- CSQ Extraction
- CSQ Manufacturing
- CSQ Warehousing & Distribution
- CSQ Retail & Deli-Style Retail
- CSQ Dietary Supplement Addendum
- CSQ Certified Solventless, to be released in 2026
- CSQ EU-GMP Addendum, to be released in 2026
Current seeking: CSQ is currently seeking to partner with a regulatory body to pilot the CSQ Laboratory Assessment Program, designed to “weed out” lab shopping.
S3 Collective
S3 Collective is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on advancing the cannabis, hemp, and botanical products industries by converging scientific research, standards development, and public safety. The Collective brings together experts from science, industry, and policy to promote collaboration, education, and the creation of objective, globally relevant frameworks that improve quality, consistency, and safety in cannabinoid-containing products.
Major initiatives and updates:
- Educational webinar series: Hosts a monthly free webinar focusing on the latest on medical cannabis harmonization work to advance patient safety in partnership with Leaf 411.
- Developing a toxicological risk-based ASTM standard for impurity limits in inhalable cannabis products thanks to a grant from the Environmental & Consumer Compliance Organization (ECCO)
- Establishing the research methodology for a recently awarded $1.2M grant from the California Department of Cannabis Control in partnership with the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), UC Davis, and Nexus Agriscience.
- Leading a global workshop at the Global Cannabis Regulatory Summit to assist over 20 countries health agency leaders and industry operators to accelerate the harmonization efforts through ASTM International.
- Joined the recently formed Technical Advisory Group (TAG) established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to represent the United States on the recently established International Organization for Standardization (ISO)’s Technical Committee 353 on the “Safety, security and good production practices of cannabis facilities and operations”
Current seeking: Funders interested in advancing research projects on inhalation products, labeling standards, and more.
Looking Ahead
Standards Action Committee intends for this effort to be inclusive and evolving. As the committee’s liaison network expands, we aim to incorporate updates from additional standards-setting organizations and technical bodies active in the cannabis space.
In future reports, we hope to include regular updates on relevant work at organizations such as USP, AHPA, and AOAC, along with other groups whose activities influence cannabis testing, quality, and standardization. Broad participation will improve visibility across the standards landscape and help ensure that important technical work is coordinated, complementary, and responsive to unmet needs.