In this episode of Grow Sessions, “What’s Really in Your Cannabis: THC Testing & Safety,” host Mark Doherty speaks with Jeff Rawson, founder of the Institute of Cannabis Science (ICS), about the real-world science behind cannabis testing and consumer safety. Jeff shares his journey from academic research as a PhD chemist to cannabis, and how that background shaped the Institute’s mission of independent, off-the-shelf testing and consumer protection. From inflated THC numbers and misleading labels to remediation practices and regulatory gaps, this conversation offers a practical, science-backed perspective on what cultivators, operators, and consumers need to understand to build trust and transparency in today’s cannabis market.

About Jeff Rawson, Ph.D. and Institute of Cannabis Science

Jeff Rawson founded the non-profit Institute of Cannabis Science while he was a postdoctoral researcher in chemistry at Harvard. He is a scientific consultant for Puffco, a subject matter expert on cannabis testing, and serves on the ASTM D37 committees on cannabis. Jeff earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Bard College in 2002, an M.S. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Vermont in 2009, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Duke University in 2014. Driven by a passion to improve public health, Jeff uses his skills in researching and communicating science to protect the health and interests of consumers of cannabis. 

About Mark Doherty, Doherty Ag

Mark Doherty is the Vice President of Construction and Facilities Management for Grown Rogue, bringing over 15 years of experience in controlled environment agriculture and commercial cannabis cultivation. Throughout his career, he has led operations and facility development across multiple national brands, including roles as COO at Dual Draft Integrated Airflow, Executive VP at urban-gro, and VP of Facilities Management at Vireo Growth.

Through his firm Doherty Agriculture, Mark focuses on turning around underperforming cultivation assets using his signature People, Plants, Profits framework—treating each facility as a living, breathing machine to drive efficiency, consistency, and profitability. He is known for combining deep technical expertise with practical leadership to elevate both the people and the plants behind successful cultivation operations.

If you’d like to connect with Mark, please email him at [email protected].

Visit tsrgrow.com to learn how TSRgrow’s advanced cultivation technology helps growers improve efficiency, consistency, and crop performance. From high-performance LED lighting to smart power and monitoring solutions, TSRgrow provides scalable tools designed to support modern cultivation operations at every stage of the grow.

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