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Testing Spotlight: Raising the Bar for the Best Medical Marijuana in Texas

The cannabis industry is booming. From medical programs to over-the-counter hemp products, consumers have more options than ever. In 2020 alone, the cannabis industry generated over $21 billion, with sales expected to continue growing. However, as more products enter the market, reports of inconsistencies in quality and potency have increased. Newer products such as hemp-derived Delta-8 THC also pose risks for consumers because the manufacturing process may introduce harmful solvents and chemicals without sufficient testing or regulation.

As the gold standard for medical marijuana in Texas, transparency is a top priority at Texas Original. To ensure patients receive safe, consistent medicine, the company has equipped its analytical testing laboratory with more than $1 million in advanced laboratory instrumentation.

The laboratory is led by Director of Quality Jennifer Blossom, who joined the Compassionate Use Program in 2017 after working in environmental laboratories as both a chemist and quality manager. With a background in ISO 17025-accredited laboratories, her focus is maintaining reliable, well-documented testing through rigorous quality control and daily instrument verification.

“Our industry is still so young and there’s a lot of work to do,” said Blossom. “We are currently participating in a cannabis quality assurance program through NIST (National Institute of Standards & Technology), where they provide hemp samples for blind testing. During the first exercise, we were one of 93 participating laboratories across the United States. NIST is the gold standard for measurements, and I’m excited to work with them to improve testing standards for the entire industry.”

So what exactly do we test medical marijuana for? Below are some of the steps taken to ensure quality, consistency, and purity from seed to sale.

Medical Marijuana Potency

Patients expect consistent, high-quality medicine with every batch. Potency testing verifies compliance with Texas regulations while confirming that every product contains the labeled amounts of THC and CBD.

Cannabinoid potency—including CBD, THC, CBN, CBDA, and THCA—is tested throughout cultivation, extraction, distillation, and final product formulation. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is used, with routine calibration to ensure accurate results.

Contaminants

The Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) vaporizes samples and fragments them into ions to measure their mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio. This process creates a unique chemical “fingerprint” for each compound being analyzed.

Medical marijuana products are also tested for several types of contaminants, including:

Residual Solvents: Such as ethanol used during the extraction process.
Pesticides: Texas Original states that no pesticides are used during cultivation and verifies this through laboratory testing.
Heavy Metals: Testing includes lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. Because cannabis naturally absorbs substances from soil, heavy metal testing is an important safety measure.
Microbiological Contaminants: Including yeast, mold, E. coli, and Salmonella, helping ensure products are manufactured in a clean and sanitary environment.

Medical marijuana laboratory testing

After all laboratory testing is complete, a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) is generated for each batch. Patients can review the CoA for any batch on the Texas Original website.

Become a Patient

Ready to become a patient? Click below to learn more and request a prescription.

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Testing Spotlight: Raising the Bar for the Best Medical Marijuana in Texas

Medical Marijuana Potency

Contaminants

Become a Patient

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Sugar Land

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New Braunfels

North Austin

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Nacogdoches

Tyler

Hurst

Fort Worth

Frisco

North Dallas

Plano

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Houston Heights

Sugar Land

The Woodlands

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