The rising need for quality control within the cannabis industry

Rachel Mann Date published: Jan 29, 19

With medical cannabis being legal in Canada since 2002, and recreational use becoming legal in 2018, Justin Trudeau’s promise to his country has caused a storm.

This legal framework has given Canadian companies the leverage to lead the Cannabis industry to new heights - and its not only in Canada. Companies now see an opportunity across Europe, where more and more countries are moving towards a less stringent approach concerning the cannabis industry.

The decision to move to a more relaxed method even hit the UK in 2018 when the government legalised usage for medical purposes, joining countries like Germany, Denmark, Ireland and Greece.

Despite what one’s view on this subject may be, demand is clearly extensive with industry experts predicting the market will go from zero to €56bn (£49bn) in a decade.

However, as the industry grows, the climate in which it covers is changeable as more and more countries (and therefore governing bodies) are setting regulations and requirements for quality and compliance in order to steer clear of volatile players. Provisions are always going to have a place in this industry. One of the strongest arguments of legalisation is the drive away from the black market and, in order to do so, the industry must be policed to some extent.

These provisions have already been justified in Canada as cultivators have struggled to distinguish between quality seedlings.

Consequently, keeping up with this ever-changing regulatory environment is critical in order to maximise business enterprise. A quality management system, like Q-Pulse, can minimise risk and ease compliance to procedures, giving consumers and governing bodies the confidence that the product is of good quality. Not complying wastes time and money, as it can easily result in product recalls and could even lead to lawsuits - not just to control the present issue but to stop any future occurrences. This, considered with the harm done to the brand and company by being seen as dishonest, would be catastrophic.

With continued evolution, modernisation and improvement across the Pharmaceutical industry, you may assume that organisations would no longer be using a manual means to manage their quality process. Yet every day I speak to organisations using ring binders, filing cabinets, shared drives, and excel spreadsheets to control their procedures. A manual system lacks oversight, control, and is very time consuming - three features which are not accommodating to a highly regulated and changeable field.

An automated system provides organisations with an unrivalled advantage over a manual system. An electronic quality management system supports the evolving environment the cannabis industry falls in to. Whether concerning document control, supply chain management or health and safety, an integrated system that supports continuous improvement is the best foot forward and could be crucial in the transformation and success of this growing industry.

So, put your best foot forward and contact us to find out more information on how Q-Pulse can help.