Starting next year, recreational and medical marijuana sold in Oregon must be screened for nearly 60 pesticides commonly used in cannabis cultivation.

Labs analyzing pesticides will have to be accredited by the state, a rigorous process designed to ensure they are using appropriate equipment and scientific methods.

Labs, not growers or processors, will be required to take samples from every batch. Marijuana concentrates, which tend to be contaminated at higher levels than flowers, must be tested before they go onto store shelves or used to make edible products.

And marijuana that tests at levels higher than what the state allows must be destroyed under the watchful eye of a state regulator.

The new requirements, spelled out in temporary rules issued by the Oregon Health Authority, represent a radical shift in how Oregon addresses pesticide use in the cannabis industry. [Read more at the Portland Oregonian]