Start with the package
A certificate of analysis, or COA, reports laboratory results for a tested sample. Use the producer information or QR code on the package to locate the document, or ask store staff for help.
Match the identifiers
Check the product name, producer and batch or lot identifier. A document for another product or harvest does not describe the package in your hand. Ask for clarification when identifiers do not match.
Read units carefully
Results may use percentages, milligrams per gram or other units. Edible packaging also gives per-serving and per-container amounts. Do not assume that a percentage is a recommended dose or that a package total is one serving.
Read the full testing information
Review the laboratory name, report date, sample information and listed test results. Ask the producer or laboratory about unfamiliar terms, limits and any incomplete or unclear report. A terpene panel is different from a contaminant test panel.
Know the limits
A test result describes the tested sample and the analyses listed. It does not guarantee a personal effect or make a product a treatment for a health condition. Use the current label, report and official guidance together.
