Some Marijuana Dispensaries Pull Pot Possibly Contaminated With Pesticides

Following reports that a variety of products sold at California medical marijuana dispensaries may be contaminated with potentially dangerous pesticides, a number of pot shops in the state have begun to stop selling these items.

Earlier this month, NBC 4 in Los Angeles conducted an investigation into the state’s medical marijuana supply by purchasing 44 different products from dispensaries in Southern California.

The products, which were used for smoking or vaping, were sent to a Berkeley, CA, lab for testing of 16 pesticides. The lab found that 93% (or 41 out of 44 samples) of the products contained several different pesticides at levels that exceeded the safety limits in Oregon, Colorado, and Nevada, where there are regulations on the use of pesticides in marijuana, NBC 4 reports.

The findings were in contrast to the dispensaries’ previous declarations that the products were pesticide free.

Now, NBC 4 reports that a number of Southern California dispensaries are removing items that were highlighted in its earlier investigation.

The manager at one such dispensary told NBC 4 the decision to pull products was made because the company doesn’t “feel comfortable” providing the products to patients.

Following NBC 4’s investigation and the subsequent pulling of products at dispensaries, the agency responsible for regulating the medical cannabis industry in California says safety regulations concerning pesticides in the products are forthcoming.

Lori Ajax, Director of California’s Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation, tells NBC 4 that the agency is currently working on regulations that would include safety standards for pesticides and other contaminants that could be found in marijuana.

“I think the goal of California is to make sure the public and patients have safe cannabis and so I think it is important that we test the product and that we’re testing for pesticides,” she said.