This is what marijuana legalization looks like: Cannabis that does not pass regulatory standards is pulled from the shelves and consumers have a clearer idea of what they are buying.
Last week, the Oregon Health Authority announced its first “health alert” when it was discovered through lab testing that two strains of marijuana contained high levels of pesticide. According to the state agency mandated to regulate marijuana, 130 consumers purchased the tainted weed between Oct. 17 and Oct. 19 from New Leaf CannaCenter in McMinnville, Ore.
“Anyone who visited the dispensary during this time frame should check the label of the product they purchased and immediately return the product to the dispensary, or dispose of it in a safe and responsible manner,” the OHA said.
While this certainly is bad news for the 130 customers who bought the pesticide-laden cannabis, it is a perfect demonstration of what legalization does for consumers. A non-regulated industry would not have an agency dedicated to keeping the market free from inferior products. It ensures that growers, distributors, processors and retailers follow protocols designed to keep consumers safe. Try doing that with your unregulated neighborhood dealer.
Greg Bogh, owner of the McMinnville dispensary, released a statement:
“New Leaf CannaCenter is deeply troubled that it received product from a grower that did not meet the standards set by the Oregon Health Authority or the very high standards New Leaf always strives to maintain. As soon as we learned about the problem, we immediately removed all of the remaining product from our inventory and cooperated fully with the OHA to remedy the situation.”
OHA offers the following tips to consumers considering purchasing marijuana products:
- Read marijuana product labels. All labels must have the producer’s business or trade name and licensee or registrant number; the business or trade name of licensee or registrant that packaged or distributed the product, if different from the producer; the name of the strain; and the universal symbol.
- Request a copy of the pesticide test results from the dispensary.
- People choosing to smoke marijuana should consider the negative effects that smoking may have on their health.
Highway is an essential source for cannabis science, how-to stories and demystifying marijuana. Want to read more? Thy these posts: One Man’s Journey In Pursuit Of The Truth Behind Marijuana Prohibition, Marijuana Myth Busting: Does Holding In Smoke Get You Higher? and A Drag Queen’s Visit To The Cannabis Store.
