ANSI Announces 2019 Legal Issues Forum: Standardization and the Cannabis Industry

November 6 Forum is Part of ANSI's World Standards Week Series of Events

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) will hold its annual Legal Issues Forum on the theme, Standardization and the Cannabis Industry. To be held in Washington DC on November 6, the event is part of World Standards Week (WSW), a series of meetings and conferences hosted annually by ANSI, coordinator of the U.S. voluntary standardization system.

Although cannabis possession, cultivation, and use is illegal under federal law, 33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medicinal use and 11 states have legalized cannabis for recreational use. With the continued growth of the industry and increasing public and political support for broader legalization, many believe there is a need for standards and conformity assessment activities in this area to support public health and safety.

Heather Krug, state marijuana laboratory science program manager at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, will provide the opening keynote.

Following that, the forum's two panels will engage legal experts, standards developers, and members of the conformity assessment community in interactive discussions about the legal implications, challenges, and opportunities for standardization in light of shifting political and public perspectives:

The Current and Evolving Legal Landscape, Panel 1: Clarifying the Rules and Regulations that Govern Cannabis Sales, Production, and Use in the U.S. - and the Implications for Standardization

• Moderated by Kyle Sampson of King & Spalding, this panel will examine the legal status and definition of cannabis/hemp, various laws including the Controlled Substances Act and Money Laundering statues, how the laws are evolving, and how they relate to standards development activities. Panelists include representatives from Carter Ledyard & Milburn; ASTM International; FOCUS; and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

The Current and Evolving Legal Landscape, Panel 2: Understanding the Rules and Regulations Relating to Conformity Assessment Activities that Support Health and Safety

• Jeffrey Weiss of Venable LLP will moderate this discussion focused on conformity assessment activities and the organizations that test cannabis and cannabis-derived products. Panelists will discuss the practical implications of various relevant laws, and how testing facilities are complying with them. Panelists will include representatives from Absolute Standards; the ANSI National Accreditation Board; Kleinfeld, Kaplan, & Becker; MCR Labs; and TraceTrust.

The Legal Issues Forum is expected to draw a broad group of legal experts, standards professionals, corporate leaders, and other stakeholders interested in cannabis-related issues. Advanced registration is required.

The agenda and registration details are available on the Legal Issues Forum event webpage.

ANSI's World Standards Week, to be held this year from November 4-8, is an annual event where nearly 400 members of the standard and conformity assessment community come together in the spirit of cooperation and collaboration. For more information, including registration for other WSW events, visit www.ansi.org/wsweek.

About ANSI
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and the American quality of life by promoting, facilitating, and safeguarding the integrity of the voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. Its membership is made up of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. ANSI represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. The Institute is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). For more information, visit www.ansi.org.