Section 314-55-101. Sampling protocols.

(1)(a) To ensure that quality assurance samples submitted to certified third-party labs are representative from the lot or batch from which they were sampled as required in RCW 69.50.348, licensed producers, licensed processors, certified third-party laboratories, and their employees must adhere to the following minimum sampling protocols.

(b) Samples must be deducted in a way that is most representative of the lot or batch and maintains the structure of the marijuana sample. Licensees, certified third-party laboratories, and their employees may not adulterate or change in any way the representative sample from a lot or batch before submitting the sample to certified third-party laboratories. This includes adulterating or changing the sample in any way as to inflate the level of potency, or to hide any microbiological contaminants from the required microbiological screening such as, but not limited to:

(i) Adulterating the sample with kief, concentrates, or other extracts;

(ii) Treating a sample with solvents to hide the microbial count of the lot or batch from which it was deducted. This is not meant to be construed as prohibiting the treatment of failed lots or batches with methods approved by the WSLCB; and

(iii) Pregrinding a flower lot sample.

(2) Sampling protocols for all marijuana product lots and batches: The deduction of all quality assurance samples must adhere to the following sampling protocols:

(a) All samples must be taken in a sanitary environment using sanitary practices and ensure facilities are constructed, kept, and maintained in a clean and sanitary condition in accordance with rules and as prescribed by the Washington state department of agriculture under chapters 16-165 and 16-167 WAC.

(b) Persons taking samples must wash their hands prior to deducting samples from a lot or batch, wear gloves while preparing or deducting the lot or batch for sampling, and must use sanitary utensils and storage devices.

(c) Samples must be placed in a sterile plastic or glass container, and stored in a location that prevents the propagation of pathogens and other contaminants. This includes low light levels, mild temperatures, and low humidity environments.

(d) The licensee shall maintain the lot or batch from which the sample was deducted in a secure, cool, and dry location to prevent the marijuana from becoming contaminated or losing its efficacy.

(3) Additional sampling protocols for flower lots:

(a) Licensees or certified third-party labs are required to deduct four separate samples from each marijuana flower lot in order to ensure representativeness of the lot. The four samples must be of equal weight, not less than one gram each, and the cumulative weight of the four samples may not be more than the maximum allowed in WAC 314-55-102.

(b) The four separate samples must be taken from different quadrants of the flower lot. A quadrant is the division of a lot into four equal parts. This may be done visually or physically, but must be done in a manner that ensures the samples were deducted from four evenly distributed areas of the flower lot.

(c) The four separate samples may be placed together in a container that conforms to subsection (2) of this section for storage and transfer to a certified third-party lab.

(4) Certified third-party laboratories may reject a sample if they believe the sample was not collected in the manner required by this section, has been adulterated in any way, contaminated with known or unknown solvents, or was manipulated in a way that violates the sampling protocols.

(5) The WSLCB or its designee will take immediate disciplinary action against any licensee or certified third-party lab which fails to comply with the provisions of this section or falsifies records related to this section including, without limitation, revoking the license or certificate of the licensed producer or processor, or certified third-party lab.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 69.50.342 and 69.50.345. WSR 16-11-110, § 314-55-101, filed 5/18/16, effective 6/18/16.]

RCW 69.50.342 and 69.50.345. WSR 16-11-110, § 314-55-101, filed 5/18/16, effective 6/18/16.

Rules

16-165,16-167,314-55-102,