FAQ & Information

A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is a lab report showing exactly what's in a cannabis product. It includes potency (THC/CBD percentages), terpene profiles, and safety testing for pesticides, heavy metals, and microbials.

COAs are uploaded by dispensaries, cultivators, and consumers. We verify data against NYS Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) license records and lab accreditation. Each COA goes through automated extraction and human moderation before publication.

Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in cannabis (and many other plants) that influence flavor and may contribute to effects.

Common terpenes include myrcene (earthy), limonene (citrus), and pinene (pine). Research suggests they may work together with cannabinoids in what's called the "entourage effect."

Our "Entourage Leaders" section uses a completeness score that weights:

• Number of cannabinoids detected
• Number of terpenes detected
• Bonus for high terpene content (>1%)
• Bonus for meaningful CBD presence (>0.5%)

This is a heuristic to surface rich, complete profiles - not a scientific measurement.

See the leaderboards on our Explore page →

Yes! Create an account to upload COAs. Uploads go through automated extraction and moderation before appearing publicly.

A "PASS" result means the product met New York State's allowable limits for that test category. It does not mean zero contaminants were detected.

For example, under current NYS Office of Cannabis Management guidelines:

• Total Yeast & Mold and Total Aerobic Bacteria for flower are report-only — labs must test and report the numbers, but there is no defined pass/fail threshold
• Extracted products (oils, edibles) have a microbial limit of 1,000 CFU/g
• Heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury) have specific limits measured in parts per million
• Pesticides and mycotoxins have defined pass/fail thresholds

We're not saying PASS is bad. We're saying you deserve to see the actual numbers, not just a stamp. That's why OpenCOA shows you the full results.

Source: NYS Office of Cannabis Management — Cannabis Laboratories. Testing limits are published at OCM Testing Limits (Dec 2025).

Free users can browse, search, and view any COA on the platform — always free, no paywall on public data.

Members ($40.20, one-time, forever) get power features:

• My Stash — Save and organize COAs in your personal collection
• Community Notes — Add context and observations to COA pages
• Member Profile — Your presence on the platform, with flair

More features are added over time — members get everything as it ships. API access for developers and integrators is available separately.

Why $40.20? It's a nod to cannabis culture. One-time because subscriptions are exhausting. Pay once, access forever — no hidden fees, no renewals. 30-day money-back guarantee.

OpenCOA is an independent project based in New York State, built by a small team passionate about cannabis transparency.

We are not affiliated with any dispensary, brand, testing laboratory, or regulatory body. We don't sell cannabis, we don't certify products, and we don't take money from the companies whose data we display.

Questions? Reach us at hello@opencoa.org.