The Quiet Quality Crisis Behind Cannabis COAs

Why cannabis brands and dispensaries must look beyond COAs to ensure quality, safety and customer trust

Certificates of analysis, or COAs, have become the de facto badge of honor in cannabis compliance. Brands lean on them to legitimize their claims, and consumers use them as the final word on purity, potency, and safety. But for all their value, COAs are not the quality control silver bullet the market believes them to be. In fact, they might be masking a deeper issue that threatens consumer trust, product consistency, and the reputations of cannabis brands across Arizona and beyond.

The Limits of What COAs Reveal

The illusion of quality assurance starts with a simple misunderstanding: that a COA is a comprehensive snapshot of what’s inside a product. It isn’t. Labs only test for what they’re asked to. That means if a brand doesn’t request specific analytes or impurities to be checked, they may go undetected. In a space where marketing often oversells precision and purity, that omission creates cracks in the foundation. Consumers think they’re getting clean, well-formulated cannabis, but the reality is often murkier.

Worse, some labs have a financial incentive to produce "better" results—like higher THC numbers or fewer red flags. Why? Because brands shop around for labs that make their products look good on paper. A COA showing high potency and no contaminants gets a product on shelves faster. But that same document might be hiding synthesis byproducts, residual solvents, or isomers that degrade over time into something entirely different.

When the Label Doesn’t Match the Experience

Take THCV-rich gummies. Marketed for appetite suppression or focus, they promise a clean, targeted experience. But what if the THCV degrades into delta-8 THCV, or worse, a compound with unknown effects? The COA doesn’t always catch that. Brands depending on it as a standalone quality metric often find themselves reformulating, repackaging, or worse—fielding consumer complaints about inconsistencies they can’t explain.

Ingredient variability only compounds the issue. Imagine getting two shipments of a minor cannabinoid like CBC. Both carry identical COAs, but one mixes easily and delivers the intended effect. The other separates, discolors the product, and underdelivers. This isn’t hypothetical. It’s a recurring problem in Arizona’s growing but still-maturing cannabis market, where supply chains are fragmented and standardization is still a work in progress.

The High Cost of Inconsistency

That lack of predictability can cost brands dearly. Reformulations take time. Disruptions stall production. And every compromised product that makes it to a dispensary shelf chips away at consumer confidence. Contrast that with legacy industries like beverage or pharma. Coca-Cola tastes the same in Phoenix, Tucson, or Tokyo. That level of consistency is rare in cannabis, yet brands in this space make promises they simply can’t keep—not with current COA practices.

Why Science is Lagging Behind

This crisis of confidence is rooted in a broader research gap. Most cannabis studies to date have focused on outcomes: does this cannabinoid relieve pain or reduce anxiety? What we need now is mechanism-first research. How do minor cannabinoids interact with each other? What happens when they degrade? What is the toxicological profile of those degradation products? These are fundamental questions that still lack solid answers.

The cannabis industry didn’t emerge from a lab. It came from the street, then the greenhouse, and only recently found its way into clinical and commercial frameworks. That inversion matters. In traditional industries, the science precedes the product. In cannabis, products hit the market first, and science plays catch-up. It’s a dynamic that leaves room for risk, especially when brands rely too heavily on limited COAs to guarantee safety.

Real Solutions for a Real Problem

So how do we fix it?

First, broaden impurity panels. COAs should test for more than just potency and a handful of common contaminants. Include degradation products, isomers, and synthesis artifacts. Second, labs must stop pretending that omissions equal safety. If a lab doesn’t test for something, it should say so clearly on the COA. Transparency about what isn’t tested is just as important as what is.

Third, use more than one lab. Redundant testing doesn’t just catch mistakes; it builds accountability. When two labs return different results for the same batch, something's off. That friction isn’t a problem—it’s a diagnostic tool.

Fourth, brands must demand more from their ingredient suppliers. Consistency isn’t a luxury; it’s a requirement. Partners who can’t deliver identical inputs batch after batch don’t belong in your supply chain. Period.

Fifth, collaboration matters. Brands, labs, and researchers must share data, not hoard it. There’s no competitive advantage in secrecy when the entire industry benefits from improved quality standards. Transparency builds trust. Trust drives growth.

What This Means for the Supply Chain

For dispensaries, the stakes are equally high. Product consistency isn’t just a back-of-house problem; it impacts consumer experience directly. Patients and recreational customers alike want to know that what worked last week will work today. When that doesn’t happen, trust erodes, and repeat business dries up. Dispensaries like GreenPharms in Mesa and Flagstaff must hold their suppliers accountable and be prepared to ask tough questions about how COAs are being used and interpreted.

For brands, the warning is clear: relying solely on a COA invites risk. Reformulation costs time and money. Variability kills brand equity. Complaints tank loyalty.

For ingredient suppliers, it’s time to step up. Consistent, clearly specified, and transparent materials aren’t optional—they’re foundational.

And for labs, the moment has come to evolve. Ditch the race-to-the-top potency game. Expand your panels. Disclose your limitations. And develop methods that reflect the complexity of modern cannabis formulations.

COAs Are a Start, Not the Standard

Regulators, too, have a role. Standardizing what a COA must include and pushing for deeper testing protocols will separate serious operators from fly-by-night players. This isn’t just about compliance. It’s about protecting consumers and ensuring the long-term credibility of cannabis as a therapeutic and recreational substance.

A COA should be seen as the beginning of quality assurance, not the end. It offers a snapshot, not a biography. In an industry sprinting ahead of its own science, what you don’t see on that document might cost you more than you realize.

The cannabis space is evolving rapidly. Brands that adapt by embracing transparency, investing in rigorous testing, and holding suppliers accountable will thrive. Those that don’t will fade into irrelevance, buried under the weight of consumer mistrust and unmet promises.

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