ND · Medical
North Dakota cannabis testing requirements
Partly verified 28 September 2026Medical only
North Dakota runs a medical cannabis program through its Department of Health and Human Services; adult use is not legal. Every batch must pass testing by a lab the department selects by contract before it goes to a dispensary. The rules require accreditation as the department determines but do not name ISO/IEC 17025.
The rulesPartly verified 28 September 2026
What North Dakota asks of a testing lab
| Medical program | Yes |
|---|---|
| Adult-use program | No |
| State-mandated testing | Required |
| Required tests | 9 test categories |
| Regulator | North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Medical Marijuana Program ↗ |
| Partly verified | 28 September 2026 |
| Still to confirm | ISO/IEC 17025 |
Required tests
- Potency
- Pesticides
- Residual solvents
- Heavy metals
- Microbials
- Mycotoxins
- Water activity
- Moisture
- Homogeneity
Notes
- Rules: NDAC 33-44-01-36 to -55 (labs and compliance testing); statute NDCC chapter 19-24.1.
- Tests: cannabinoids (THC, THCA, CBD, CBDA), pesticides and degradation compounds, microbials, mycotoxins and heavy metals for all products.
- Residual solvents: concentrates and medical cannabinoid products, against ICH Q3C(R6) limits; exempt if no solvent was used, or by written CO2-extraction exemption.
- Flower: water activity 0.65 aw or less and moisture 15% or less.
- Homogeneity: ingestible products fail if THC or CBD varies by more than 15%.
- Microbials: total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold, coliforms, bile-tolerant gram-negative bacteria; pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella not detected in 1 g.
- Mycotoxins: aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 (total) and ochratoxin A, each under 20 µg/kg. Heavy metals: inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury.
- Terpene analysis is optional, at the manufacturer's request.
- Adult-use ballot measures failed in 2022 (Measure 2) and 2024 (Measure 5).
- Partial: whether the contracted lab must hold ISO/IEC 17025 is not stated in the rules, so iso17025 stays unknown.
Sources
Official links
- RegulatorNorth Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Medical Marijuana Program ↗
- Testing rulesndlegis.gov/information/acdata/pdf/33-44-01… ↗
Sources we checked
- Medical Marijuana Program (ND Department of Health and Human Services) ↗
- NDAC chapter 33-44-01, Medical Marijuana (North Dakota Legislative Branch) ↗
- NDCC chapter 19-24.1, Medical Marijuana (North Dakota Legislative Branch) ↗
- Measure and Petition Archive (North Dakota Secretary of State) ↗
Partly verified on .
Nearby
Neighbouring states
- Minnesota →Adult-use · Verified 28 September 2026
- Montana →Adult-use · Verified 28 September 2026
- South Dakota →Medical · Verified 28 September 2026
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