QAPs must navigate a complex and inconsistent patchwork of regulations that vary by country, state/province, and even municipality. This includes differing limits on contaminants, labeling requirements, and GMP expectations—creating high compliance risk and documentation burden.

Many cannabis inputs (e.g., biomass, distillates, excipients) lack standardized testing or come with unverifiable Certificates of Analysis (CoAs). QAPs often struggle to ensure traceability and authenticity, particularly with imported or white-labeled goods.

Significant inter-lab variability remains a problem due to differences in validated methods, equipment calibration, and sampling techniques. QAPs must assess lab credibility, sometimes retest samples, and interpret inconsistent results while ensuring batch release decisions meet quality standards.