As the world’s acceptance of cannabis grows, farmers interested in producing it may pick between two sectors to serve, i.e., the recreational and medicinal markets. The recreational market caters to clients who are interested in ingesting cannabis and its variants for several reasons such as relaxation, enjoyment, curiosity, and so on.
On the other hand, medical markets are focused on treating a variety of ailments ranging from chronic pain to the alleviation of side effects associated with chemotherapy in cancer patients. Because cannabis is being used in medicine, its production must adhere to stringent quality standards such as GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and GACP (Good Agricultural and Collection
Practices), which are either now in place or will be in the near future.
These lay forth the very minimal standards for growers in order for them to produce high-quality, consistent goods that will later be approved by the regulatory bodies in charge of approving the manufacturing and sale of pharmaceutical products in the United States. The standards of GMP pertain to the handling of goods, cleaning of the gear used to manufacture them, packing, quality assurance, and so on, whereas the requirements of GACP pertain to cultivation methods more precisely and specify recommendations for cultivation techniques. This assures the product’s end-user that it was manufactured in a safe and healthy environment, that the product is always identical regardless of the manufacturing batch used, and that it is fundamentally safe to eat or drink.
Both regimes have the purpose of guaranteeing consumer safety by setting suitable quality standards for medicinal plants and herbal medications; each set of legislation targets the same subjects and disciplines such as:
1. Quality assurance
2. Quality control
3. Personnel
4. Calibration
5. Validation
6. Storage
While it is true that GMP standards include greater detail on every issue than GACP standards, it is also true that the rules in both circumstances are not too restrictive and instead need interpretation.
The practice of mixing herbal products into pharmaceutical manufacture is not new, and in fact, it was here that the pharmaceutical business took its initial steps toward becoming a recognized industry. As a result, the combination and inter-reference of the two distinct domains of agricultural cultivation and pharmaceutical manufacturing in relation to medical cannabis production processes are not surprising, nor are the interaction and subtle changes between the imposition of GACP and GMP regulations, respectively, in relation to medicinal cannabis production processes.
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification is not yet in effect in all nations where cannabis growing is permitted, but it appears to be on its way to becoming the standard. This is owing to the fact that cannabis is regarded as medication and, as such, must adhere to the same rules that control the pharmaceutical business, with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification being one of them. Even if it has not yet been implemented, it may cause some lost sales, since it provides a means to differentiate one’s product offering and present it as superior to non-GMP manufactured cannabis and its derivatives.
Good agriculture and collecting practice (GACP) guidelines and good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards both have the basic purpose of safeguarding patients and ensuring that product quality is not compromised by the enforcement of standardized methods and procedures in manufacturing operations. No firm should take the chance of risking quality requirements or the well-being of downstream customers, and complying with Good agriculture and collecting practice and good manufacturing practice can aid in preventing such scenarios.
