How to Read a Hemp Lab Report (COA)

A certificate of analysis, or COA, is a report from an independent lab that tested a batch of a product. It is the closest thing to a nutrition label hemp has. Here is how to read one.

Where to find ours

Where the brand publishes a certificate, the product page shows its Delta-9 and THC-A figures, and any other cannabinoids the lab reported, for the flavor or size you pick. The lab report button opens the full certificate. Different flavors are often different batches, so the numbers can change when you switch.

1. Match the batch

A certificate covers one batch. Look for the batch or lot number on the report and compare it with the one printed on your package.

2. Check the date and the lab

The report shows when the sample was tested and which lab tested it. Most labs also print their accreditation, usually ISO/IEC 17025, which means the lab's methods have been independently checked.

3. Read the potency table

This is the list of cannabinoids and how much of each the lab found, usually as a percentage and in mg/g.

• Delta-9 THC is the number most people look for first. The 2018 Farm Bill defined hemp as cannabis with no more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight.
• THC-A is the raw form found in the plant. Heat converts it to Delta-9 THC, which is why THC-A flower is smoked rather than eaten.
• Total THC is how labs account for that conversion: THC-A × 0.877 + Delta-9 THC. For example, our THC-A Flower Runtz certificate reads THC-A 0.158% and Delta-9 0.125%, so Total THC is 0.158 × 0.877 + 0.125 = 0.264%.
• Other cannabinoids such as CBD, CBG, CBN, THC-P or HHC show up on many reports. Blends are often sold for exactly these.

4. Know what ND means

ND means not detected. The lab looked and found less than its limit of quantitation (LOQ), the smallest amount its equipment measures reliably. It is not the same as zero, but it is below what the lab can count.

5. Drinks and gummies read differently

Percentages on edibles and drinks look tiny because they are measured against the whole product, water and sugar included. A Torch seltzer certificate reads about 0.017% Delta-9. A 12 oz can weighs around 355 grams, and 0.017% of that is about 60mg, which matches the can. For edibles, the mg per serving on the package is the number to dose by.

6. Look for the safety panels

Fuller reports also test for pesticides, heavy metals, microbes and residual solvents, each marked pass or fail. Not every certificate includes them. Some brands publish potency only.

Laws are changing

Hemp rules are changing at both the federal and state level. Check the current rules where you live before you buy or travel with hemp products.

Must be 21 or older. Valid government photo ID required at delivery and at in-store pickup. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.