New NIST Special Publication 2200 on Cannabis Scale Suitability

In the last several years, the sale and use of cannabis products have been legalized in multiple States in the United States. With this legalization comes the legal control over the sale of cannabis products, including weights and measures regulation.

State and local Weights and Measures jurisdictions in the U.S. are debating which requirements should be imposed on scales used for the sale of cannabis products and their use. These include aspects such as accuracy, scale division, and auxiliary indications, which are subject to discussion within the National Council on Weights and Measures (NCWM).

The NIST Office of Weights and Measures has taken the initiative to provide objective, technical information on the most relevant aspects of weighing instruments regarding their suitability for selling cannabis products, which can help clarify the discussion. This has resulted in the NIST Special Publication SP 2200 08, Suitability of Cannabis Scales. The aim of this publication is to provide technical guidance for the decision-making process of determining suitability requirements for weighing instruments used for the sale of cannabis products.

Clear regulations based on technically sound justifications will provide clarity on scale specifications required, not only to weights and measures officials, but also to other stakeholders in the cannabis industry. Scale manufacturers will be able to determine whether their scales will be approved or need some modification. Clear guidance prevents wasted time and money on unnecessary or incorrect instrument modifications and subsequent type examinations. Packers and store owners will have clear guidance on selecting the right scale for their business, as purchasing the wrong scale could be a significant cost. Learn more information in the Cannabis FAQs. The publication is available on the NIST OWM website free of charge.

When determining the suitability of a scale it is important to consider all scale characteristics in the particular application. This publication discusses the scale characteristics for the sale of cannabis products. But by explaining how this application relates to each characteristic, it enables the reader to apply a similar analysis to any other application. For example, the effect of air buoyancy should be considered on low-density loads, and moisture variation should be considered when weighing hygroscopic materials.