The Governor of Guam, Lou Leon Guerrero (D), recently signed into law Sen. William Parkinson’s (D) bill that allows cannabis cultivation and sale without laboratory testing. Under the new law, cannabis will be exempted from testing until there's a marijuana testing facility accredited or certified by the Americans for Safe Access Patient Focused Certification Program, or for the next two years, whichever comes first. The bill takes effect 90 days after enactment.
In Guam, a US territory, cannabis has been legal for adult use since 2019. The bill that just became law was introduced in March 2024 amid struggles to get the industry rolling, without an established testing laboratory in Guam. Prior to the testing exemption, the law demanded that all cannabis and cannabis products be tested for potency and safety before being sold, writes The Daily Guam Post.
“There are benefits and safeguards to laboratory testing, but I also recognize the apprehension of investing in an expensive laboratory testing facility without knowing the value of the market," the governor stated. "Bill 260-37 finds a balance through labeling and reassurances from cannabis cultivators to ensure safety, in order to give an opportunity for these businesses to open and create a market. Once a market is established, investors will have data points to justify investing in a laboratory testing facility,” the governor added.
Parkinson told the outlet that the exemption doesn't just apply to marijuana plants, but to all products, such as edibles, because Guam's law defines cannabis very broadly. It includes all parts of the plant, such as seeds, resin, concentrates, etc. The law also contains marking and labeling provisions, meaning that cannabis flowers or buds must be properly labeled to reveal the amount, strain, batch number, date of harvest, and the name and address of both the cultivation and manufacturing companies.
Under the law, businesses need to put various disclaimers such as that cannabis is addictive and can impair an individual’s ability to drive, that it has not been tested for contaminants, and that should be put out of reach of children, among others.
In order to deliver and sell cannabis flower or buds, growers must attest under penalty of perjury that their flowers or buds meet the contaminant regulations found in Section 9802 (F) (2) of the Cannabis Testing Facility Standards and Testing Protocols.
Bill Protecting Employment
Additionally, another cannabis-related bill became law on Monday but without the governor's signature. A measure called the "Responsible Cannabis User Employment Protection Act" or Bill 6, also sponsored by Parkinson, aims to prevent any employer, landlord, college, or government agency from testing for cannabis as a condition of employment, housing, education, or government services.
Continue reading on The Daily Guam Post.
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