This Olympia cannabis testing lab just got its certification suspended. Here’s why
Washington state suspended the certification of a Thurston County cannabis testing lab on Tuesday, citing failures to address various deficiencies.
The Liquor and Cannabis Board issued an emergency suspension of the certification for True Northwest Inc., located at 4139 Libby Road. The lab conducted quality assurance tests on cannabis and cannabis products in the state before being suspended.
The LCB issued the suspension after finding the lab no longer met criteria under state requirements, according to a Wednesday news release.
“The lab failed to submit an acceptable corrective action report in response to a deficiency report,” the release says. “In addition, there were multiple serious deficiencies found during a laboratory assessment and proficiency testing.”
When reached for comment, Jamie Deyman, president and owner of True Northwest, said her company has been in business since 2012 and has successfully passed all previous audits.
“We’re suffering from employee shortage, just like many other industries, and we’re working with the LCB to resolve the situation,” Deyman said.
The state alleges the lab failed to meet accreditation requirements for various reasons. The release notes the lab did not have a lab director on staff, had scales that were not calibrated true and issued incorrect test results to licensees and the public.
The emergency suspension lasts 180 days. During that time, the release says the board will seek a revocation of their certification.
An investigation into the lab began in September when the LCB became aware of deficiencies in the lab’s quality assurance and quality control tests, according to the release.
RJ Lee, a third-party lab certification monitor, confirmed that True Northwest was out of compliance regarding proficiency testing and failed proficiency tests between June 2022 and May 2023.
Earlier this month, LCB reportedly learned True Northwest no longer had a lab director on site. LCB and RJ Lee audited the lab and found multiple deficiencies, including five that were described as “critical” and posed a “significant public safety concern,” per the release.
Following the audit, LCB placed the lab on administrative hold. This meant it was prohibited from conducting new tests.
