Blogs | Stuck on Compliance

Third party certifications have become increasingly popular amongst cannabis and fungi cultivators and manufacturing companies. Receiving and maintaining certifications is a worthwhile endeavor that will set up your business for long term success, give you a competitive edge, and ensure a safe product for customers. Whether you’re seeking organic, current good manufacturing practices (cGMP), good agricultural and collection practices (GACP), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and other certifications, you will be tasked with deciding which certifying body to work with.

Consumers want options, especially when purchasing products, and organic seems to be a popular selection. It makes sense really: people eat all organic foods, why wouldn’t you want your cannabis to be organic too? Organic items are widely available and can be purchased at any grocery store, farmers market, and online. Most people associate “organic” with healthy foods that were grown using safe and sustainable agricultural methods and fewer chemicals. Organic certified products are typically pricier compared to conventionally grown crops—this can be attributed to the cost of the organic certification from an accredited third party, required use of costly organic approved chemicals, special handling practices, potential lower yield, lack of government subsidies, and so on. With organic products being sold at a higher price than conventional products and with the high consumer demand for organic products, does this combination open the door to fraud?

The cannabis industry has experienced rapid growth over the past few years with the legalization of both medical and recreational cannabis use in numerous countries and states in the US. As the industry expands, the need for effective packaging and proper labeling has become increasingly important to ensure consumer safety, brand recognition, and compliance with regulations. Let’s explore the significance of packaging and labeling in the cannabis industry and discuss the key considerations for businesses operating in this space.

Workplace safety procedures help companies be the best they can be, especially when it comes to ensuring your staff goes home the same way they arrived. These are just a few ways to begin your safety journey!

This blog is in response to the January 26th, 2023 announcement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in regards to regulatory oversight in the cannabidiol (CBD) market.

Creating a “culture of compliance” is a buzz phrase that you have probably heard before when speaking to regulators, lawmakers, auditors, and compliance consultants. At Allay Consulting, we have worked with a multitude of companies, and we have found that creating a compliance culture alone is not enough to keep your employees happy enough to follow all compliances. I would argue that creating a “culture of excellence” that includes compliance is the best way we have seen to mitigate risk and decrease revenue lost due to employee turnover and lack of employee engagement. This article is meant to encourage our industry to create a culture of excellence at the workplace. I hope our tips and hands-on experience shed light into creating the culture you want at your workplace.

The beginning of 2023 will be a huge step to the US’s legalized psilocybin industry! Oregon Psilocybin Services (OPS), a new section housed within the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), will begin accepting license applications January 2, 2023. Oregon’s legalization and implementation of regulations will take three years altogether—several years may seem too long for the legalized psilocybin roll out, but better late than never. This should give the department plenty of time to draft, edit, edit some more, then implement the nation’s first regulatory framework for psilocybin.

Psychedelics, also known as entheogens. Everyone has an opinion. From the superb kaleidoscope shapes, or making that concert even more memorable, or to digging a bit deeper within yourself for self-healing—entheogens can be a game changer. For some, these experiences are life changing, especially if it means improving well-being and life satisfaction. Thanks to many published clinical trials, the benefits of using entheogens such as psilocybin include reducing anxiety and depression, successful addiction interruption, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment, and many others. With increased awareness of the benefits of psilocybin and other entheogens, we are observing an acceptance of entheogens followed by decriminalization and future legalization.

Delta-8 and delta-10 have gained considerable traction over the past year. Although these cannabinoid isomers fall in an extreme grey area, consumers are driving up demand. They can be purchased in many different forms and are commonly found in vaping products, gummies, and tinctures. Since these isomers are commonly derived from hemp extract, many consumers see delta-8 and delta-10 as a lawful hemp-derived good that provides a psychoactive effect. Per a new stance from the federal government, vaping products with these isomers fall under the 2018 Farm Bill. Even with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) stance regarding the 2018 Farm Bill exempting hemp from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the popular edible cannabinoid isomers are not automatically legal.

In the cannabis industry there seems to be a misconception that your company will never have a recall in its lifetime, or that there isn’t any possibility it will ever happen to you. In reality, all cannabis companies experience at least one or multiple recalls during their lifetime. It isn’t about if it will happen, it’s more of a when. And when it happens, how will your company handle it?

What are current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) certification and why get it? It takes a lot of time, it’s hard work, and can be expensive to become cGMP certified, so why be interested in something that isn’t yet required?

Terpenes can be tricky. Although cannabis is heavily regulated, since cannabis-derived terpenes do not contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids, they are not regulated in the same way that cannabis is.