3rd Annual European Workshop on Advancing the Field of Cannabis/Hemp through Standardization
October 22-23, 2020 Hotel Kings Court Prague, Czech Republic
ABOUT THE EVENT
Abstracts for presentation are invited for the 3rd Annual European Workshop on Advancing the Field of Cannabis/Hemp through Standardization to be held Thursday and Friday, 22 and 23 October 2020. This workshop is sponsored by ASTM Committee D37 on Cannabis and will be held at Hotel Kings Court in Prague, Czech Republic, the weekend prior to Cannafest 2020.
Objective and Scope
As we emerge from a global state of prohibition, the need for harmonized international standards that assure the quality and safety of cannabis/hemp-derived products becomes even more urgent. The lack of standards has led to unreliable testing data and a consumer base that is left responsible for ensuring the products they are purchasing are safe. ASTM International’s technical committee D37 on Cannabis has been hard at work creating market relevant standards for the global cannabis/hemp industry to address these quality and safety issues.
Our goal is to establish standards for cannabis/hemp, including products and processes, through the development of terminology, classifications, specifications, test methods, practices, and guides for cultivation, manufacturing, quality assurance, laboratory considerations, packaging, security, and other market relevant issues. We cannot do this alone. The D37 Committee is 100% volunteer-based and needs more dedicated and passionate cannabis/hemp industry stakeholders to take the lead in developing the foundational standards that will shape the industry for years to come.
The objectives of the 3rd Annual Workshop on Advancing the Field of Cannabis/Hemp through Standardization are to update participants on the rapidly changing international landscape of the cannabis/hemp marketplaces, and solicit, not only participation from stakeholders, but also the creation of new standards and the appointment of regional liaisons responsible for updating the D37 on developments in their area. Topics include:
- Regional Updates from Around the World
Presenters are encouraged to provide a report on their market and what has changed over the years leading up to the 3rd Annual Workshop. Presentations should cover the current status of cannabis/hemp in your region, any efforts being carried out to end prohibition, and clearly describe the challenges your market faces where standardization could help.
- Needed Test Methods and the Development Effort
Session will focus on the test methods that are needed to provide both consumers and regulators with the assurances they need to know that the cannabis/hemp products that are on the marketplace are safe to consume and do not pose a risk to human health or the environment. Speakers should use this session to identify the standards they believe are critical and the resources needed to create the testing protocols for the cannabis/hemp industry.
- Fit-for-Purpose
A novel concept that promotes the notion that standards for cannabis/hemp and the associated products should be designed with the intended use or purpose in mind rather than a set of attributes that vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
Presentations given during this session should focus on the benefit of using a “fit-for- purpose” approach to thinking about the cannabis plant, its products, and processes. Speakers are encouraged to describe the cannabis plant in the context of flower, resin, seed, seed oil, protein powder, dietary fiber, textile fiber, technical fiber, construction material, and biofuel production instead of cannabinoid content.
- Equality in Opportunity to Participate in the International Cannabis/Hemp Economy
This track is dedicated to discussing social economic development and protecting the ability of small rural farmers, producers, and communities to compete in the international cannabis/ hemp marketplace, as well as address the overwhelming disparity between wealthy nations’ and poorer nations’ ability to participate in this bourgeoning industry.
The goal is to identify standards or additional scope to the D37 that would mandate social equality be designed into and promoted by participants in the cannabis/hemp industry, establishing the concept that the standards that are created and will impact operators and regulatory authorities alike should not be designed to be overburdensome to the point that only entities with exorbitant financial capabilities are able to comply with them.
Presentations should cover the economic challenges disenfranchised groups face presently and focus on how these challenges can be alleviated. Speakers are invited to share firsthand experiences of dealing with the socioeconomic consequences of international cannabis/hemp policies on their regional marketplace.
- Building a Sustainable Future, Working Cannabis/Hemp into the UN Sustainability Criteria
Track will focus on promoting the standards that are needed to work cannabis/hemp into the sustainable global economy. Presentations should consider the implications of the UN Sustainability Criteria’s impact on the cannabis/hemp industry and the development of standards that require the compliance with these criteria. Speakers are encouraged to think outside the box and could discuss such topics as the ecological benefit of building with cannabis/hemp products, like hempcrete, and the hurdles that need to be overcome to make this a reality, or the challenges to compliance with the Sustainability Criteria the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances poses to cannabis/hemp operators and the authorities having jurisdiction and a discussion of potential solutions to these problems.
- Creating Influencers
Presentations should be laid out to give participants the tools they need to engage influencers in their region to help create standards for the cannabis/hemp industry. Speakers are welcome to provide case studies of marketplaces that have shut down recently because of the lack of standards, showing both cannabis/hemp specific cases and others that are relevant. Session to end with a call to action.
The workshop intends to provide cannabis/hemp industry stakeholders with the knowledge they need to be effective participants in the international community. Presentations will be concluded by question and answer sessions intended to keep the audience engaged, and each day will be wrapped up with a networking event designed to promote collaboration.
Abstract Submittal
If interested in presenting, please submit a 250-word abstract pertaining to one or more of the above topics, stating the objective of your talk as it aligns with your chosen session topic(s) along with a list of at least three things you want the audience to take away from your presentation, to Darwin Millard at [email protected], no later than 26 June 2020. Based on the number of abstract submissions received, a formal outline for the workshop will be created to encourage participation from speakers of all technical levels.
TECHNICAL CHAIR CONTACT INFORMATION
Additional information about the workshop is available from Workshop Chair, Darwin Millard via email at [email protected] or by calling +1-720-839-0559.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Registration information will be posted at a later date.
STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS
Committee D37 invites you to attend their future standards development meetings. There is no fee to attend these meetings, and membership in ASTM International is not required. For more information about these meetings, please visit the D37 Future Meetings webpage or contact ASTM Staff Manager, Robert Morgan at [email protected] or by calling +1-610-832-9732.
