Six-step guide
How to read a cannabinoid COA
Use the report to answer three basic questions: Does it match the batch, what did the lab measure, and which tests were not done?
The short answer
A COA proves what was tested
It can support claims about the identity, cannabinoid amounts, and tested contaminants in a specific sample. It does not prove treatment effects, personal safety, or the quality of a different batch.
Read in this order
The six checks that matter first
COA check
1. Match the batch
The lot or batch number on the report should match the item being checked.
COA check
2. Check the lab and date
Look for the lab name, report number, test date, and a way to verify the original record.
COA check
3. Read potency and units
Check which cannabinoids were measured and whether results are shown by weight, volume, or serving.
COA check
4. Open every safety panel
Pesticides, heavy metals, solvents, microbes, and mycotoxins are separate tests.
COA check
5. Look for missing tests
A blank panel, an untested item, and a passing result do not mean the same thing.
COA check
6. Check the limits
A COA describes a tested sample. It does not show how every product or every person will respond.
Important limits
What a COA cannot tell you
- 1
A clean report does not prove that a product treats, prevents, or cures a condition.
- 2
A potency number does not prove that every person will have the same effect.
- 3
A report for one sample does not prove that another batch was tested or has the same contents.