How to Read a Certificate of Analysis

Every product on a Florida dispensary shelf comes with a lab report. Here is how to find it, read it, and use it to choose your medicine with confidence.

If you have ever stood at a dispensary counter wondering whether a number on a label is something you should trust, you are asking exactly the right question. The answer lives in a single document called a Certificate of Analysis — a COA. Learning to read one turns a wall of unfamiliar numbers into a clear picture of what is actually in your medicine and whether it passed Florida’s safety screening.

This guide is written for Florida medical marijuana patients. We will define what a COA is, explain why it exists, show you how to get one at Planet 13, and walk through the report section by section so you know precisely what to look for.

Before we begin: This article is educational and is not medical advice. It does not describe how any product may treat, diagnose, or affect a health condition. For guidance about whether a product or dosage is appropriate for you, talk with your qualified physician and your Planet 13 patient consultant.

01 — The Basics What is a Certificate of Analysis?

A Certificate of Analysis is a laboratory report tied to one specific batch (sometimes called a lot) of a marijuana product. Think of it as the product’s detailed lab record: it documents what an accredited testing laboratory measured in that batch and whether the batch met Florida’s required limits.

A complete COA generally covers two big areas:

• Potency — the concentrations of cannabinoids such as THC and CBD, and often a terpene profile.
• Safety — screens for contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, microbial organisms, mycotoxins, and residual solvents, plus quality measures like moisture and water activity.

In Florida, the COA is not an optional marketing flourish. State rule defines it as the report a marijuana testing laboratory prepares and provides to both the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) and the treatment center that grew or made the product. When a batch fails a test, the COA must clearly identify which analyte failed and at what concentration.

Why the COA exists, and what it’s for

The purpose of a COA is transparency and safety. Unlike a sealed bottle of aspirin, marijuana flower and concentrates are agricultural products that can vary from harvest to harvest. Testing every batch is how Florida verifies three things at once:

• The label is accurate. Potency testing confirms a product actually contains the cannabinoid levels it claims, so dosing stays consistent.
  
  
• The product is clean. Contaminant screens confirm the batch is free of substances above Florida’s accepted limits.
  
  
• There is a paper trail. Because each report is tied to a batch number, the COA links the product in your hand to the exact sample the lab tested.

02 — The Florida Framework How testing works in Florida

Florida runs one of the more rigorous testing regimes in the country, overseen by the Florida Department of Health through the OMMU. A few features are worth knowing as a patient:

• Independent, accredited labs. Testing is done by Certified Marijuana Testing Laboratories (CMTLs) licensed by the OMMU. Each lab must hold ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation — an international standard for testing-laboratory competence — and must pass regular proficiency testing. Florida CMTLs include labs such as Kaycha Labs, ACS Laboratory, ACT Laboratories, AccuScience, Method Testing Labs, US Cannalytics, Modern Canna, and Certified Testing & Data.
  
  
• Batch-by-batch testing. Products are tested at the batch level before they can be dispensed. Even items made from the same harvest — say, flower and the pre-rolls made from it — are tested separately.
  
  
• Failures don’t reach the shelf. A batch that fails any required limit cannot be dispensed. Failed product must be handled under regulatory rules, and labs must report failures to the state. Treatment centers also retain samples and testing records so the state can audit them.

Plain-English takeaway : If a product is legally on a Florida dispensary shelf, it has already passed required testing. The COA lets you see the details behind that pass — and choose between products that all passed but differ in potency, profile, and freshness.

03 — Getting the Document How to find a COA at Planet 13

Accessing a COA is usually straightforward. You have several options, and any one of them works:

1. Ask your patient consultant. The simplest path is to ask a Planet 13 team member at the counter for the COA for a specific product. Asking is normal and encouraged — a knowledgeable team will either hand you the report or point you to where it lives.
   
   
2. Scan the QR code. Many product labels carry a QR code that links directly to the lab report. Scan it with your phone’s camera before you buy.
   
   
3. Use the batch number. Every product label has a batch or lot number, usually printed near the barcode. Florida testing labs maintain online lookup portals where you enter that batch number to pull up the matching COA. If you forget to grab the report in-store, the batch number lets you find it later.
   
   
4. Check online. Look for a “Lab Results” or “Certificates of Analysis” section on the producer’s website.

The one rule that matters most:  Confirm the batch number on the COA matches the batch number on your product. A report is only meaningful if it describes the exact batch you are holding. If the numbers don’t match — or the report can’t be located — ask before you buy.

04 — Reading the Report The top of the page: header details

Most COAs open with identifying information. Glance here first to confirm you’re looking at the right report:

• Product name — should match the product you’re considering.
• Batch / lot number — must match the label.
• Test / completion date — newer is generally better (more on this below).
• Laboratory name & accreditation — look for a recognized Florida CMTL and an ISO/IEC 17025 reference.
• Sample & product type — flower, distillate, edible, etc. The required tests differ by product type.

05 — Potency The cannabinoid panel

This is the section most patients read first. It lists the cannabinoids the lab detected and how much of each is present. Results are typically shown two ways, which are interchangeable:

• Percent by weight (%) — e.g., 25% THC.
• Milligrams per gram (mg/g) — the same value expressed differently. To convert, multiply the percentage by 10. So 25% equals 250 mg/g; divide by 10 to go back.

THC, THCA, and the “Total THC” formula

Here is the single most misunderstood part of any COA. Flower often shows a low delta-9 THC number and a high THCA number — and patients sometimes read that low delta-9 figure as “weak.” It usually isn’t.

THCA is the raw, non-intoxicating acidic form of THC found in unheated flower. When you apply heat — smoking, vaping, or cooking — THCA converts to active delta-9 THC through a reaction called decarboxylation. During that reaction the molecule sheds a carbon-dioxide group and loses a bit of mass. That mass loss is why labs use a conversion factor of 0.877 (THC is about 87.7% of the weight of THCA).

Total THC  =  Delta-9 THC  +  ( THCA × 0.877 )
the same logic gives Total CBD = CBD + ( CBDA × 0.877 )

So a flower batch listed at 28% THCA and 0.5% delta-9 THC works out to roughly 0.5 + (28 × 0.877) = about 25.1% Total THC. “Total THC” is the number to use when comparing the potency of two products head-to-head. Treat it as a ceiling — the maximum potential after full conversion — because real-world heating is never 100% efficient.

• Cannabinoids — example% by dry weight
• THCA28.0%
• Δ9-THC0.50%
• Total THC (calculated)≈ 25.1%key number
• CBD / CBDA< 0.10%
• Total Cannabinoids26.4%

CBD, minor cannabinoids, and “Total Cannabinoids”

CBD and CBDA follow the same acid-to-active relationship as THC, with the same 0.877 math for Total CBD. You may also see minor cannabinoids such as CBN, CBG, CBC, and THCV listed in smaller amounts. Total Cannabinoids sums everything the lab detected — it is not the same as Total THC, and a higher Total Cannabinoids figure does not mean a stronger THC effect. For potency comparisons, keep your eye on the Total THC line. Research into how the various cannabinoids interact is ongoing, so use these figures to compare products and consistency, and bring questions about effects to your physician.

One more detail: dry weight vs. as-received

Potency can be reported “as-received” (including the sample’s natural moisture) or on a “dry weight” basis (moisture removed for an apples-to-apples comparison). When comparing batches, dry-weight numbers are the more consistent reference point. A transparent report often shows both.

06 — Aroma & Character The terpene profile

Many Florida producers voluntarily publish a terpene panel, even though Florida’s required compliance testing centers on potency and safety. Terpenes are the aromatic compounds that give each variety its distinctive smell and flavor. They are usually listed in percent or parts per million (ppm); higher numbers generally mean a more pronounced aroma.

Common terpenes you’ll see include myrcene (earthy, herbal), limonene (citrus), caryophyllene (peppery, spicy), pinene (pine), linalool (floral), and terpinolene (bright, complex). Patients often use the terpene profile and the “top terpenes” as a guide to a product’s character and to find consistency across repurchases. The idea that terpenes and cannabinoids may work together — sometimes called the “entourage effect” — is an active area of scientific research rather than settled fact, so we describe terpenes here by their aroma, not by any health effect.

A consistency tip: If a variety you love always smells citrus-forward but a new batch’s COA shows a very different top terpene, the experience may differ too. The terpene panel is a useful fingerprint for finding the same character batch to batch.

07 — The Safety Screens Contaminant testing, decoded

This is arguably the most important part of the COA, and the part Florida regulates most tightly. For each category you will see either a result with a pass/fail determination, a value compared against an action limit, or the notation “ND” (Not Detected) or “<LOQ” (below the limit of quantitation). For contaminants, ND or a result safely below the action limit is what you want to see.

Microbials & mycotoxins

Microbial screening checks for harmful organisms (for example, certain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, plus problematic yeast and mold). Mycotoxins are toxic compounds — such as aflatoxins — that certain molds can produce. Florida requires screening for a defined set of microbiological analytes and mycotoxins. This category matters for everyone and is especially relevant for patients with compromised immune systems.

Residual solvents

Concentrates and some other products may be made using solvents during extraction. Residual-solvent testing confirms that any leftover solvent sits within Florida’s limits. Florida labs screen products and edibles for roughly two dozen residual solvents (for example, butane, propane, and ethanol).

Pesticides, herbicides & fungicides

Because the marijuana plant can absorb and retain agricultural chemicals, Florida requires screening for a large panel of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides — well over sixty individual compounds — with maximum acceptable levels defined by state rule. Any detection above an enumerated limit is a failure, and the batch cannot be dispensed.

Heavy metals

Metals can enter a plant from soil, water, or processing equipment. Florida requires testing for four heavy metals, each with an accepted limit. As published limits for inhaled products, those are approximately:

• Heavy Metals — Florida limitsppb = parts per billion
• Lead (Pb)< 500 ppblooking for: ND / below limit
• Arsenic (As)< 200 ppb
• Cadmium (Cd)< 200 ppb
• Mercury (Hg)< 100 ppb

Limits can vary by product type and may be updated by rule; the COA itself shows the limit each result was measured against.

Moisture & water activity

For flower, labs also measure moisture and water activity — a measure of available water that predicts whether microbes can grow. Florida sets a water-activity limit of 0.65 Aw or less for usable whole-flower marijuana; a result above that is a failure. Beyond compliance, these numbers hint at the experience: very dry flower can burn hot and lose aroma, while too-moist flower carries microbial risk.

Filth & foreign matter

Products are also checked to be free of filth and foreign material above acceptable limits — another basic safety and quality screen.

Safety Panel — example summary of how a passing batch reads

• Microbials ND pass
• Mycotoxins ND pass
• Residual solvents< limit pass
• Pesticides ND pass
• Heavy metals< limit pass
• Water activity0.58 Aw pass

08 — A Note for Edible Patients Servings, totals & homogeneity

Edible COAs and labels deserve a second look because the numbers are about servings, not just percentages. Florida rules cap edibles at 10 mg of THC per serving and 200 mg of THC per package. Multi-serving edibles must also be homogeneous — meaning every piece of, say, a six-piece chocolate bar contains the same dose. When reading an edible report, check the serving size, the milligrams per serving, and the number of servings per package so you know the total in the container.

09 — Red Flags What to watch for

A few signals are worth a second look or a question to your patient consultant:

• Mismatched or missing batch number. The COA must correspond to your exact product batch. No match, no confidence.
  
  
• A very old test date. Cannabinoids are relatively stable but still degrade slowly; terpenes fade faster. A report many months old may not reflect the current terpene character.
  
  
• No safety panel. A complete COA includes potency and the contaminant screens. A potency-only sheet tells half the story.
  
  
• Suspiciously round numbers. Real lab data has decimals and variation. If everything reads like a tidy whole number, ask questions.
  
  
• Unrecognized lab. Look for a Florida CMTL with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.

Keep this in perspective : A passing COA is a meaningful safety signal, but it is not a personal medical guarantee, and a single failing analyte does not necessarily mean a product would harm any individual. Use the COA to inform your choices, and rely on your physician for medical guidance.

10 — At the Counter Questions to ask your Planet 13 team

You don’t need to memorize chemistry to shop well. A few good questions go a long way:

• “Can I see the COA for this batch?”
• “What’s the Total THC on this one, not just the delta-9?”
• “When was this batch tested?”
• “What are the top terpenes — is this one citrus-forward or earthy?”
• “Did everything come back ND or below the limits on the safety panel?”

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About Planet 13 Florida

Planet 13 Florida is a licensed Florida medical marijuana treatment center, serving registered patients across our locations statewide with flower, concentrates, edibles, vapes, tinctures, and topicals from our family of house brands. Browse our full menu online to see what’s available near you, or stop into any Planet 13 Florida location and talk with our team in person — they’re happy to walk you through product types, formats, and lab results so you can make an informed choice. For guidance about your own care, always consult your qualified physician.

Florida medical marijuana patients can explore the cannabis products that best fit their needs at planet13florida.com.

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Disclaimer

This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Planet 13 Florida is a licensed Medicinal Marijuana Treatment Company. Medical cannabis in Florida requires a valid physician recommendation and OMMU registration. No cannabinoid compound discussed herein is FDA-approved for the treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease or condition, except where explicitly stated (e.g., Epidiolex for epilepsy). Research cited represents the current state of scientific inquiry and should not be interpreted as established clinical guidance. Consult your physician before making any changes to your wellness plan.