Keep It Clean: Part 2 with Pierre Killeen & Dustin Hughes | Episode 34

With consumers becoming more conscientious about what’s in their cannabis, and regulators tightening up, the pressure on producers to deliver clean, safe products is mounting. No one wants mouldy weed showing up in a Reddit thread. In this episode of Legacies Podcast, co-hosts Tom Ritchie and Wesley Bowles sat down with two key players leading the charge for a cleaner cannabis industry.

We kick things off diving into Pierre Killeen’s work on cannabis standardization through CANNSAC. But that’s just the beginning. The star of this episode is undoubtedly Dustin Hughes of Rad Source, who gives us a deep dive into why remediation isn’t the dirty word everyone thinks it is—and some serious insights about how proactive options for clean cannabis could be the future.

OCS’ Buzz Kill Campaign – Hitting the Nerve

During the episode, Tom and Wesley discuss their visit to Ontario Cannabis Store’s (OCS) latest "Buzz Kill" pop-up. It was a controversial move in the industry promoting regulated cannabis by highlighting the ‘scary’ unknowns of illicit market products. Fear-based marketing like this is sparking debates, especially when we think about how regulation might evolve toward improving consumer education around what’s on the shelf.

While the campaign aims to “ensure consumers know” the dangers of buying from the grey market, it raises the question: Couldn’t we also focus more on boosting the reputation of meticulously tested and clean products from the legal market?

It rapidly becomes clear during this discussion that measures need to go further than just words. Establishing real standardized practices to ensure clean, consistent, safe cannabis is the real key in winning over public trust.

The Fight to Establish Cannabis Testing Standards

Enter Pierre Killeen of CANNSAC (Cannabis Standards Alliance Canada), who's on a mission to create standardized cannabis testing practices across the country. And it couldn’t come sooner.

Too many brands have been accused of “potency exaggeration” or switching numbers between provinces for the same product. These inconsistencies erode consumer trust—and CANNSAC is here to rewrite that narrative.

CANNSAC is starting by addressing THC potency, the lightning-rod element in today’s market, but Pierre openly admits that this is just phase one. It's not just about THC numbers—it’s about quality.

Quality representation, standardized sampling processes, and a way to verify what’s in the jar will matter just as much, if not more.

Key Point: Consumers are often fixated on THC percentages because that's all they know. Standardization could move us toward highlighting terpene profiles, minor cannabinoids, and broader measures. This would really give them data they can sink their teeth into and help inform buying decisions.

But Pierre also points out that this isn’t just for recreational. Canada's cannabis export potential is substantial—and to secure its place as a reputable global producer, they need tight, standardized testing protocols that ensure safety and efficacy, especially to meet international import regulations.

Is Cannabis Mold-Free? Meet Rad Source’s Photonic Solution

Enter Dustin Hughes, Senior Sales Account Manager from Rad Source. The word “irradiation” has long made cannabis purists wince. But as Dustin so aptly explains, remediation tech like their photonic decontamination process isn’t the dirty fix it’s long been perceived as. It’s not about saving mouldy weed at the last second; it’s about being proactive.

Rad Source isn't just a reactionary solution—it ensures cannabis is pathogen-free before mold or bacteria can become a problem, without damaging terpene profiles or cannabinoid content.

Here’s where it gets interesting; Dustin clears up the difference between remediation (reacting after a mold problem) and decontamination (tackling potential contamination before it becomes an issue). The latter is what’s changing the game for leading producers.

How Does Rad Source’s Technology Work?

Rad Source’s patented photonic decontamination process uses photons to target and destroy harmful microbes while keeping the cannabis itself intact. This cold process ensures your flower retains those all-important terpenes and cannabinoids while breaking down DNA in harmful moulds and bacteria.

Let’s frame it this way:

• Photons slam into microbial cells and bust apart their DNA
• No heat to kill the cannabinoids or evaporate terpenes
• No nasty ozone treatments that wreck the full experience
• And here's the kicker—Rad Source can perform these treatments after the product is already packaged

Key Benefits:

• Kills off harmful contaminants such as mould, yeast, E.coli, and salmonella
• Extends the product’s shelf life in-transit (this could be crucial in the export game)
• Helps producers hit microbe thresholds consistently without compromising product quality

In other words, why wouldn’t you want this kind of insurance on your product? As Hughes wittily summarizes: “There are only two types of people in cannabis— those who’ve had mould and liars.”

Confronting the Remediation Stigma

One of the biggest hurdles Rad Source faces isn’t the efficacy of their technology—it’s overcoming the perception in the cannabis community that anything irradiated is “unnatural” or “degraded.” There’s a stigma around remediation being a "band-aid fix" for sloppy grows, but that’s a misunderstanding.

In the consumer products world (think spices, herbs, medical supplies), irradiation has been used for decades to ensure a safe supply.

Dustin lays it out clearly: If you use a company like Rad Source, it’s not because you’ve got bad weed—it’s because you want to guarantee the safety of your customers while maintaining the highest quality of product. Testing thresholds only tell you part of the story, and applying remediation processes early can prevent costly recalls or tarnishing your brand.

The Future of Clean Cannabis

What many (including Tom and Wesley) took away from this conversation is that the future of cannabis lies in being proactive. The most successful brands will be those that can anticipate and guarantee safety from the start, not just fix problems after they happen.

Consumers are hungry for transparency—they want to know their cannabis is free from harmful microbes without sacrificing flower quality. If technology like Rad Source can deliver cleaner cannabis without flavour loss or potency issues, it could be one of the best kept secrets for any brand ready to up their game.

With CANNSAC’s mission for standardization paired with innovations like photonic decontamination from Rad Source, the cannabis market has an opportunity to lead in ways other regulated industries still lag behind. Producers can get ahead not just with compliance… but by making clean, safe, and standardized cannabis synonymous with their brand.

Keep your eye on companies adopting these techs—it's likely they'll be the ones pushing the envelope on your next tastiest, safety-first smoke.

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