Education · April 2026
How to Read Cannabis Lab Results: COA Guide for Buyers
Every legal cannabis product in Oregon comes with lab results. Here's how to read them and what the numbers actually mean.
What is a COA?
A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is the lab report that comes with every batch of legal cannabis. It shows potency (how strong it is), terpene content (what it smells and tastes like), and safety results (pesticides, heavy metals, microbials). In Oregon, third-party labs run these tests before flower can be sold.
Understanding THC percentage
Total THC is the number most people look at first. It represents the maximum THC available when the flower is heated. Anything above 20% is considered strong, above 25% is very strong, and above 30% is top shelf. But higher THC doesn't always mean a better experience — terpenes matter just as much.
Safety testing
Every COA includes safety screening for pesticides, heavy metals, and microbial contaminants. You want to see 'pass' across the board. Oregon has strict testing requirements, and any batch that fails doesn't make it to shelves. Oregon Greens publishes safety results on every strain page.
Where to find lab results
Oregon Greens publishes full lab data on each strain's product page — potency, terpenes, and safety checks. No guesswork, no missing data. If you want to see what's in the flower before you buy, start with the strain pages.
