EDIT:

UPDATE 4/27/20: In light of COVID-19 (coronavirus) and ongoing safety concerns for members and staff, ASTM International has announced that all previously scheduled in-person June standards development meetings (including independent meetings) have been canceled. Earlier this month, ASTM International announced the cancellation of all May in-person meetings.

These decisions were based on several factors, including, but not limited to:

• Continued review of information and recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other governmental bodies
• Input from ASTM International members whose organizations are increasingly concerned with travel
• Monitoring the expanding trajectory of the coronavirus

Staff managers will be contacting committee leaders to plan alternatives for conducting committee business. Sleeping room reservations made in the ASTM Group Block for May and June 2020 Committee Week will automatically be canceled by the Boston Marriott Copley Place and the Washington Marriott Wardman Park hotels. Attendees staying at other hotels are responsible for cancelling their own hotel reservations.

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
Needed Test Methods and the Development Effort
Fit-for-Purpose
Equality in Opportunity to Participate in the International Cannabis/Hemp Economy
Building a Sustainable Future, Working Cannabis/Hemp into the UN Sustainability Criteria
Creating Influencers
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 darwin@phytologix.solutions 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.

For more information about the workshop, please visit: http://www.astm.org/D37WorkshopOct2020.