ASTM’s growing role in global cannabis standards

ASTM is playing a growing role in ensuring the U.S. remains relevant as global cannabis standards take shape.

As international cannabis markets accelerate toward harmonized, medical-first regulatory frameworks, the United States continues to operate within a fragmented, state-by-state system. A recent MG Magazine article, “Cannabis Without Borders: Global Standards,” highlights how this divergence risks sidelining U.S. operators just as global supply chains, compliance expectations, and shared terminology are being established.

The article draws from discussions at the 2025 inaugural Global Cannabis Regulatory Summit in Washington, D.C., which convened regulators, medical authorities, and trade officials from seventeen countries. A central theme emerged: markets that prioritize pharmaceutical-grade medical systems, supported by GMP, GACP, and validated testing, are best positioned to participate in international commerce. Europe, particularly Germany, is setting the pace, creating viable pathways for cannabinoid medicines while much of the U.S. remains constrained by Schedule I limitations.

For standards professionals, the implications are significant. Standards are becoming the connective tissue of the global cannabis industry, enabling interoperability across jurisdictions with differing legal frameworks. ASTM International’s Committee D37 on Cannabis was identified as a leading force in this space, with more than sixty published standards and growing regulatory adoption across multiple U.S. states and internationally.

At the same time, the article underscores the growing need for deeper technical expertise, broader disciplinary representation, and stronger international participation in standards development. As D37 continues to evolve, including structural changes that increase independence between hemp, medical, and adult-use interests. The question is no longer whether standards matter, but where along the regulatory and market maturity curve ASTM’s five standards types (test methods, classifications, specifications, practices, and guides) provide the greatest value.

The summit also highlighted the importance of sustained, global dialogue. Bringing regulators, treaty experts, law enforcement, scientists, and standards bodies into the same room helped surface gaps that cannot be solved by any single organization or jurisdiction. For D37, gatherings like this offer a blueprint for coordinated engagement that informs standards priorities while remaining grounded in real-world regulatory and market needs.

The window for influence remains open, but it is narrowing. The frameworks being shaped today will determine how cannabis products are evaluated, traded, and trusted tomorrow. By expanding international collaboration, strengthening technical depth, and strategically deploying the full suite of ASTM standards tools, D37 is positioned not merely to respond to global alignment — but to help lead it.

— Ed Nodland is the ASTM D37 Cannabis and Hemp, Financial Services and Insurance Subcommittee Chair.

Original article:
MG Magazine — “Cannabis Without Borders: Global Standards”
https://mgmagazine.com/business/legal-politics/cannabis-without-borders-global-standards/