So what’s the point? TWC Program

Standouts:

There have always been “standouts” in every industry – people/groups/companies that make the “extra” effort in producing their products. Cannabis is no different. A few years back our lab customers were vocal with their frustration about not having their cannabis product recognized as organic.  Organic being one of those “standout” attributes indicating extra care associated with a product and aiding consumer purchasing confidence. You see though, “Organic” is pretty much a federally protected label – governed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture under strict guidelines. And as you know – cannabis and the feds – well – for today are at odds. With weed being federally illegal – devoted and environmentally-focused cannabis folks weren’t, and still aren’t, allowed to use that organic label. Why does that matter? Because many consumers are concerned with what goes into the cannabis product that they use – whether by inhalation, ingestion, or application. From that thought process –  and with the intent to fill a void – the Tested with Confidence Program™ was born.

The Tested With Confidence Logo

Confidence created a program whereby like-minded brands committed to holistic practices, going the extra mile in their cultivation or sourcing, would be recognized with a label. That extra mile included non-compulsory testing for pesticides and contaminants in their cannabis. This means an extra commitment of financial resources for testing. And not just a “one and done” testing. The brands commit to each lot/batch. That’s a lot of extra cost.

Pesticide Testing Not Required:

Let me backup – Washington state does not require pesticide testing! Yep, hard to believe. So these Tested with Confidence Program™ participants, utilizing state created benchmarks for medicinal cannabis product quality, pledge to deliver cannabis products (for general use)  that meet or exceed those strict standards. And remember, they don’t have to do that; they do it because they care.

These select brands committed to the Tested with Confidence Program™ – when adhering to the program, testing every batch – and receiving a “Passing” grade for every batch – have the opportunity to put a “Tested with Confidence” sticker or imprint on their final end product. That means something. It means the final cannabis product – what you smoke, eat or apply – meets or exceeds Washington state standards even though they don’t have to. That is fundamental: we, Confidence Analytics, don’t create the measuring bar. The state does. The state provides the independent, allowable or permissible pesticide and containment “benchmark” while the lab simply measures the product attributes. It’s the best we can do, today, without organic standards available. Confidence Analytics and the Tested With Confidence Program points to unbiased standards maintained by the local government: the Washington administrative code.

So, what’s the point?

In a marketplace devoid of the “Organic” pointer, the Tested with Confidence label is a valuable indicator of a cannabis brand’s commitment to consumer purchasing confidence.