Cannabis Black Market Poses Health Dangers for Consumers
by Roger Tower on February 1, 2020
The Illicit Cannabis Market And The Vaping Crisis.
Last month, law enforcement performed the largest crackdown of the illegal cannabis market during a three-day raid that resulted in the seizure of over $8 million in cannabis products from unlicensed marijuana retailers.
This month, the Bureau of Cannabis control announced that a random sampling of the products seized were found to contain undisclosed, potentially harmful additives as well significantly lower amounts of THC than the labels claimed.
The majority of illegal vape samples tested by the California Department of Public Health proved to contain additives including Vitamin E, Vitamin E Acetate, Propylene Glycol (PG), Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) and Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT).
Almost all of the samples had a significantly lower THC content from what was advertised on the label.
Bureau Chief Lori Ajax said in a statement “the prevalence of dirty and dangerous vape pens at unlicensed cannabis stores demonstrate how important it is for consumers to purchase cannabis goods from licensed retailers, which are required to sell products that meet state testing and labeling standards.”
The Recent Vaping Crisis
In a recent national outbreak of e-cigarettes and vaping-related injuries, the CDC advised the public against THC-containing vaping products, blaming the additive Vitamin E Acetate- one of the harmful additives found in the samples confiscated during the sweep- for causing lung damage.
The outbreak has caused a reported 60 deaths as of January 2020 and peaked in September of last year according to the CDC. Out of the patients who reported consuming marijuana products, 78% reported obtaining them from informal sources such as friends, dealers, or online.
The CDC specifically advises against purchasing cannabis products from informal sources urging consumers to purchase products from licensed businesses who have to comply with safety testing standards.
The Bureau launched a campaign recently to help consumers know when they’re visiting a licensed cannabis retailer by scanning a QR code that automatically links to the Bureau’s online license search.
In order to conduct commercial cannabis activities in California, businesses must obtain a license issued by the appropriate licensing authority. Any cannabis business operating without a valid license is breaking the law.
Schedule a consultation with WeCann for any cannabis business licensing inquiries.
