Unlike standardized medications, cannabis is a natural plant, which means every batch is unique and can vary in strength and composition. Testing ensures that medical marijuana products are safe, consistent, and free from harmful substances like mold, pesticides, heavy metals, and residual solvents. In Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) requires all cannabis products to be tested by independent, state-licensed labs before they reach dispensary shelves in order to protect patient health, confirm accurate labeling, and help patients and doctors find the right dosages and treatment plans. By understanding how cannabis is tested and learning to read a Certificate of Analysis (COA), patients can make informed choices and feel confident that the products they’re using are safe, reliable, and effective for their specific needs.

At Freedom Road, we believe that medical marijuana patients deserve to know exactly what they’re getting. As a licensed grow-house and full-service dispensary, we oversee every step of cultivation in-house, so we can guarantee uncompromising safety, consistency, and adherence to state standards. Our knowledgeable staff is focused on quality, accountability, and doing things right for the people who trust us, and we’re committed to empowering every patient with clear, reliable guidance on medical marijuana laws, usage, and product options, so you can navigate your cannabis experience confidently and responsibly.

Why Testing Matters for Medical Marijuana

Unlike standardized pharmaceuticals like aspirin, where every dose is exactly the same, cannabis is a plant with natural variations, which means every batch produced is unique. Testing helps account for the differences, ensuring that every medical marijuana product on dispensary shelves is safe, consistent, and free from harmful substances like mold, pesticides, or heavy metals.

For medical marijuana patients, this consistency is critical. If you’re using cannabis to manage chronic pain, anxiety, epilepsy, or other serious health concerns, you need to know exactly what you’re taking. That’s why Oklahoma has strict regulations in place to make sure medical marijuana is clean, accurately labeled, and reliable.

The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) requires all cannabis flower, concentrates, and infused products to be tested before being sold. These tests aren’t just bureaucratic or regulatory hurdles; they’re safeguards designed to ensure every product on the shelf is effective, accurately labeled, and safe to use. They also protect patient health and help both patients and doctors determine proper dosages and treatment plans. By understanding the testing process and results, you can make informed decisions about the medical marijuana products that are best for you.

What Cannabis Is Tested For in Oklahoma

Every batch of all cannabis products must be tested by a certified lab that follows OMMA guidelines. Only OMMA-licensed, third-party labs can perform official cannabis testing in Oklahoma, and to avoid conflicts of interest, these labs are independent of growers and processors.

There are currently twenty certified testing labs across the state, and all are required to follow OMMA’s strict protocols. OMMA regularly audits the labs and checks for quality assurance to make sure they are maintaining high standards across the testing industry.

Here is what cannabis labs look for during product testing:

Potency (Cannabinoid Profile)

Potency testing shows exactly how much THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids are in a product, giving consumers a clear picture of its strength and what kinds of effects they can expect. For example, a higher CBD-to-THC ratio is more calming and is often chosen for reducing inflammation and controlling anxiety, while a higher THC ratio tends to provide better pain relief, but can also produce intoxicating effects.

Cannabinoid levels can vary not just from strain to strain, but even from one batch to another, depending on how the cannabis was grown and processed. That’s why lab testing is so important—it verifies what’s really in your product, rather than just relying on what the label says. Some lab reports even break down smaller, lesser-known cannabinoids like CBN (cannabinol), CBG (cannabigerol), or THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid), which all play a role in the overall experience and therapeutic benefits of medical marijuana.

Contaminants

Contaminant testing is one of the most important steps in the process to keep people safe. Cannabis, like any consumable product, must be free from harmful substances that could pose health risks.

Testing labs look for anything that shouldn’t be in your cannabis, including contaminants like:

• Microbials,  substances like mold, yeast, and bacteria that can cause illness, especially in people with compromised immune systems.
• Pesticides. Even if a grower doesn’t use them, cross-contamination is possible. Labs check for dozens of regulated chemicals.
• Heavy metals. Lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium can be absorbed from the soil. Consuming even trace amounts of these heavy metals can be dangerous.
• Residual solvents, leftover chemicals from the extraction process that are often found in concentrates.
• Mycotoxins, toxic substances produced by mold.
• Foreign matter, such as dirt, hair, bugs, and other debris that clearly shouldn’t be there.

All of these contaminants can be a serious risk to patients’ health, especially for those with underlying conditions. Inhaling or ingesting these substances can have long-term effects even if symptoms aren’t immediately apparent.

Water Activity and Moisture Content

While not always discussed as often as potency or contamination, moisture content and water activity are important parts of cannabis testing, especially for flower products and especially in a state like Oklahoma with fluctuating humidity levels.Testing for moisture and water activity helps ensure the product’s shelf life, stability, and safety,

Moisture content measures how much water is present in the product by weight. If it’s too high, there is an increased risk of mold and bacteria growth. If it’s too low, the product can become dry, brittle, and harsh to smoke.

Water activity, on the other hand, measures how available that moisture is to support microbial life. It gives a better indication of whether mold or bacteria could potentially grow, even if the overall moisture seems low. A sample could technically have a low moisture percentage but still have high water activity, making it risky for storage.

What it Means for Cannabis to Pass or Fail Testing

Oklahoma has strict limits for every testing category. If a product exceeds these limits, it fails, and if a product fails in even one of these categories, the entire batch is considered failed. A failed batch cannot legally be sold to patients and, depending on the severity of the issue, may need to be destroyed. In some cases, producers have the option to remediate by reprocessing, blending, drying, or curing to fix the problem, but even then, it must pass a second round of testing before being cleared for sale. These strict rules are designed to protect consumers and prevent contaminated or unsafe products from ever reaching dispensary shelves.

A passing result, on the other hand, means the product has met all of the state’s safety and compliance requirements across every category. Passing isn’t just about being free from harmful contaminants; it also verifies that potency levels are accurate and labels match the product inside. This gives patients peace of mind, knowing that their medical marijuana is clean, consistent, and safe for use. Passing results also help build trust between dispensaries, growers, and patients by ensuring complete transparency and accountability.

Knowing whether a product has passed or failed matters because it directly affects your health and treatment outcomes. Contaminants like mold, pesticides, or heavy metals can pose serious health risks, especially for patients with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions.

The Certificate of Analysis (COA) for Cannabis in Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, every medical marijuana product must come with a Certificate of Analysis (COA), which is an official lab report that shows the test results for a specific batch of cannabis. Dispensaries are required to provide access to these, either through a QR code on the package or by request.

These documents support transparency and are one of the best ways to keep businesses accountable. A legitimate COA is a snapshot of everything that’s in (or not in) the product you’re purchasing, helping you to make informed choices. By checking the Certificate of Analysis (COA) before you buy, you can be confident that what you’re putting into your body meets Oklahoma’s strict safety standards.

How to Read a COA

The COA for a product is usually provided as a printed label, QR code, or link on the packaging.

Here’s what you’ll typically find in a COA:

• Product name and batch ID

• Cannabinoid profile, i.e. THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids listed in percentages or milligrams per gram.
• Terpenes, aromatic compounds that can influence effects.
• Contaminant results, clearly marked as “pass” or “fail” next to each tested category.
• Moisture content and water activity, which indicates the product’s quality, safety, and shelf life.
• Testing lab info, including the name and license number of the testing facility and the test date.

If anything’s missing, out of date, or from an unlicensed lab, that’s a red flag. Straightforward, complete information is key, and a legitimate COA should be easy to access and understand.

Why a COA Matters

For consumers, especially those using cannabis to manage medical conditions, knowing what’s in your product is non-negotiable. For patients with specific needs, the level of detail available about terpenes, potency, and cannabinoids can be incredibly helpful. This information allows you to better understand how a product might affect things like mood, pain, or sleep, making it easier to find strains and products that truly work for you. Over time, tracking these details can help you fine-tune your choices and build a more personalized, effective treatment plan.

Even if your dispensary is trusted and licensed, it doesn’t hurt to take a look at the COA, which can not only give you peace of mind about product safety but also help you better understand which cannabinoid profiles work best for your needs.

The information on a COA helps you:

• Verify potency before you buy
• Check for anything you might be sensitive to (like certain solvents or molds)
• Compare products for quality and consistency
• Make informed choices between different strains or brands

Freedom Road: Committed to Clean Cannabis Products that Pass Rigorous Testing

At Freedom Road, we believe safe, consistent, high-quality medical marijuana starts long before it reaches our shelves. By operating our own growhouse, we’re able to oversee every step of the process—from seed to sale—so you can trust that the cannabis you are consuming is clean, compliant, and crafted with care. Every product is rigorously tested, with COAs always available, because transparency isn’t optional; it’s our promise to you. What’s more, our team is here to help you understand your options and answer questions, so you can make more confident choices about your care.

Freedom Road is committed to more than just producing great cannabis; we’re also committed to the people who rely on it. Because we handle every part of the process ourselves, we can respond quickly to patient feedback and continuously refine our methods to ensure every product meets the highest standards of safety, consistency, and effectiveness. Our goal is simple: to provide you with medical marijuana you can depend on and the knowledge you need to make the best decisions for your health. Visit us today to find out more about all the ways we can help you on your journey to better well-being.