Marysville City Council members approved a permit for Certified Ag Labs, LLC on Tuesday night, which allows the new cannabis testing lab to be operational as soon as it’s ready. 

The benefits for the city are two-fold according to City Manager Marti Brown: the revenue boost that Marysville will receive in the first year is projected to be $10,000; and there is opportunity for further expansion of the city ordinance that pertains to adult use (21-and-over) and delivery. 

“Adult-use is a game changer,” Brown said. “No need for the (medical) card. Adults 21 and over can walk in and get recreational marijuana.” 

Brown said she hopes to bring the proposed expansion of the ordinance before the council in October or November. 

“We’re definitely moving in the right direction,” Brown said. 

It starts with the cannabis testing facility, located at 430 C. Street, which will never be open to the public, owner Robert Myers said. 

Myers said the lab is strictly focused on safe testing of a variety of cannabis products brought in from area manufacturers. 

“The purpose of our laboratory is to bring in a good, healthy product to the environment. Right now there are so many problems with people growing marijuana, cannabis, consumables,” Myers said. “There’s so many toxins that are in the environment right now – our high-tech laboratory allows us to test all the impurities.”

Myers said as soon as the products enter the facility they’re rendered “unusable.” Myers said that enables the testing facility to properly check for pesticides, minerals and other elements. 

He said making the cannabis safe is one of his top priorities in the lab. 

“It’s (not) all about smoking and getting high,” Myers said. “Really marijuana is all about curing different ailments like back disease, heart disease, diabetes. Our bodies thrive on the healthy part, just not the THC – (Tetrahydrocannabinol – the principal psychoactive ingredient of cannabis).” 

Marysville Mayor Ricky A. Samayoa said while the economic benefit with cannabis legalization is not to be denied, the city wants to make sure the products are processed correctly. 

“Our goal is to provide safe and accessible cannabis products for the public,” Samayoa said. “Labs are the way to do that. There’s plenty of demand for them.” 

Samayoa said that he’s also on board for expanding the city ordinance in the future, which he hopes can be done as soon as possible. 

Samayoa said the dispensaries and labs are currently at a disadvantage due to the influx of mobile cannabis deliveries out in the neighborhoods. 

“Once we expand the ordinance that’s going to ensure that mobile delivery folks have a license too,” Samayoa said. 

Myers said expanding the ordinance is a positive for Marysville. 

“Let’s legalize all of it and then we can control it and make sure it’s done properly,” Myers said.

Source: The Appeal Democrat