ANAB Assesses and Accredits Certificate Programs Conforming to New Standard ASTM D8403-21, Standard Practice for Certificate Programs within the Cannabis and Hemp Industries

As part of its long-term effort to support safety, quality, and consumer health amid the continued growth of the cannabis industry, the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), a wholly owned subsidiary of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), has announced the formal launch of its new Cannabis Certificate Accreditation Program (C-CAP).

Many states and localities have recently legalized medical marijuana and adult-use cannabis-derived products, from over-the-counter topicals to growing medical applications—driving the demand for cannabis accreditation within the industry. As part of the new program, ANAB will assess and accredit certificate programs as conforming to the requirements of ASTM D8403-21, Standard Practice for Certificate Programs within the Cannabis and Hemp Industries, developed by ASTM International’s Subcommittee D37.06 on Personnel Training, Assessment, Credentialing. ANAB staff were members of this committee and provided significant input on the design of the standard.

The standard practice provides protocols to certificate issuers for developing and administering certificate programs for stakeholders within the cannabis and hemp industries for determining best practices for administering professional certificate programs within the industries.

The application process for accreditation of a Cannabis Certificate Program tracks the time-tested process for ANAB’s Certificate Accreditation Program (CAP) against ANSI/ASTM E2659, Standard Practice for Certificate Programs.

“ANAB is thrilled to take on this vital role in supporting the health and safety of consumers. The need for competent professionals within the industry has become increasingly essential, and ANAB’s accreditation will provide a reliable mark of distinction as the certificate programs supporting the industry continue to evolve,” said Dr. Turan Ayvaz, ANAB’s Certificate Accreditation Program director. “ANAB will continue to support safety in the cannabis industry, while strictly complying with all applicable Federal and State laws.”

How ANAB Fosters Health, Safety, and Quality in the Cannabis Industry

To support the rapid growth of the cannabis market, since 2014, ANAB has offered accreditation for laboratories testing cannabis and cannabis-derived products. Building on this technical experience, ANAB’s offerings later expanded to include accreditation of qualifying certification bodies and proficiency test providers, including those who meet the rigorous requirements needed for safe cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and processing, and retail. In 2020, ANAB accredited Perry Johnson Registrars Food Safety, Inc., the first ANAB-accredited certification body to administer a cannabis certification program in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065, Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services.

In August 2021, ANAB launched a pilot accreditation program for the Purity-IQ Cannabis Authenticity and Purity – Certification Program that provides the requirements for conformity assessment to the Cannabis Authenticity and Purity Standard (CAPS).

Join the Workshop! Certificate Issuers: Understanding Requirements and Concepts of ANSI/ASTM E2659 and ASTM D8403

ANAB recommends that relevant stakeholders take the CAP/C-CAP workshop at least once throughout the accreditation process. The workshop is designed to introduce ASTM D8403-21 and ASTM E2659. It explains requirements for developing a quality education/training course and ANAB’s accreditation process.

Please direct any questions to Caitlin O’Connell, manager and ANAB’s Certificate Accreditation Program (coconnell@anab.org), or Turan Ayvaz, director of ANAB’s Certificate Accreditation Program (tayvaz@anab.org).

About ANAB

The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), a wholly owned subsidiary of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), is the largest multi-disciplinary ISO/IEC 17011 accreditation body in North America, with comprehensive signatory status across the multilateral recognition arrangements of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). The ANAB accreditation portfolio includes management systems certification bodies, calibration and testing labs, product certification bodies, personnel credentialing organizations, forensic test and calibration service providers, inspection bodies, police crime units, greenhouse gas validation and verification bodies, reference material producers, and proficiency test providers. For more information, visit www.anab.org.

About ANSI

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations.

The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). For more information, visit www.ansi.org.